Looking for the best things to do in Krujë? Only a short 1 hour bus journey away from Tirana, the town of Krujë is the perfect day trip! Take a step back into medieval Albania through the cobbled streets of Krujë, winding their way through old street markets eventually leading to the Castle of Krujë!
Krujë is bursting with Albanian history, dating all the way back to 1190 when the first Albanian state was declared during the Middle Ages. And you guessed it, this was the area surrounding Krujë.
Albania has a colourful past, with many battles against the Ottoman Empire taking place all over the country. Krujë fell in 1477 after the Ottoman’s 4th and successful attempt.
This then led to over 400 years of Ottoman rule in Albania, it wasn’t until 1912 that the great powers acknowledged Albania’s independence.
Let’s get into how to plan a day trip to Krujë from Tirana and all the historic things you can see!
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5 Great things to do in Krujë, Albania
Now that you know a bit about Krujë’s important role in Albanian history, let’s take a look at the best things to do in Krujë, Albania! Buckle in, it’s an interesting little town!
Although Krujë is a small town, you may want to rent a car to get there easily. We visited on a day trip from Tirana and we’ve included all the details you need to know how to get there by bus. But renting a car in Albania means you can visit Krujë in between Shkoder and Tirana!
1. Take in the BEST views at Krujë Castle
Dating back as early as the 5th century, Krujë Castle is a great place to see Krujë and the surrounding area from above.
Entry is free to the grounds of the castle, however, you will need to pay entry for to the additional museums here. If you want a unique experience at Krujë Castle, you can even stay the night at a guest house here or have a fresh, local meal on one of their terraces.
Krujë Castle is also one of Albania’s best-preserved castles in the whole of the country, making it an absolute must-visit when travelling Albania!
2. Learn about Skanderbeg at the Gjergj Kastrioti National Museum
Next up on your Krujë itinerary is a visit to Skanderbeg Museum, also known as ‘Krujë Museum’ or the ‘Gjergj Kastrioti National Museum’. This museum focuses on the life and achievements of Gjergj Kastrioti ‘Skanderbeg’, the Albanian Military Commander and national hero.
Here, you can watch informative videos about Skanderbeg’s life, soak in period artwork and learn about Albania’s interesting history!
Entry costs 500 leke / €5 EUR cash per person at the museum on the day. Expect to spend around an hour here, most information is written in Albanian and English.
3. Step back in time at the Ethnographic Museum of Krujë
Visit this perfectly preserved Albanian house to truly experience everyday Krujë life from generations ago. The house itself dates back almost 300 years and features original room furnishings, period-specific items and clothing.
It’s a great place to learn about Ottoman-era architecture and traditional Albanian handicrafts.
Entry costs 600 leke / €6 EUR per person and can be bought on arrival. The museum was closed from 2022 – 2024 for heavy restorations, and has since been completed and re-opened to the public in the summer of 2024!
4. Go shopping at Krujë Old Bazaar
Krujë Old Bazaar is one of Albania’s oldest bazaars, dating back somewhere around 400 years ago! Its winding cobbled streets, dark wood shop fronts and fascinating handmade crafts make it a great place to wander around and shop!
You can expect to find traditional Albanian crafts here, especially rugs and wooden bowls. You can of course find the usual tourist trinkets like fridge magnets, flags and other small gifts.
It’s a beautiful street to take a stroll along, especially with the mountain backdrop towering overhead. The street itself is quite short, so you shouldn’t need much more than 30 minutes to an hour to fully wander and shop.
The Old Bazaar is a must-visit on a day trip to Krujë from Tirana! Along with the castle, it’s one of our favourite things to do in Krujë, even if we don’t end up buying anything.
5. Climb to the Sari Salltik Shrine in Krujë
Sari Saltik was a 13th-century mystic and dervish known for spreading Islam in the Balkans. He is celebrated in both Islamic and Albanian folklore, with legends about his travels and influence, and tombs dedicated to him in multiple locations. One of them is located in Krujë, which we will talk about now.
Do you fancy climbing up and beyond Krujë Castle to get the ultimate views over the Krujë District? Standing at almost 1,200m tall, the Sari Salltik Shrine sits on the mountain edge of Selgjik Mountain and is a major pilgrimage site with Islam.
It’s a great day of hiking, give yourself a few hours to complete the elevation gain of around 600m! When you reach the top you can drink fresh spring water, or grab some food from a local restaurant if you’re feeling hungry.
If you’re on a day trip to Krujë, try to leave early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the heat of the day in the summer months. Albania easily reaches temperatures above 40°C in the summer months.
If you don’t fancy walking and have access to a car, you can also drive there using the winding tarmac road.
Where to stay in Krujë
Krujë is a small town, so it’s easy to find centrally located accommodation if you decide to spend the night. So if you want to spend longer than a day in Krujë, here are a few great options, either within the town or the castle walls!
ROOMS EMILIANO Castle of Kruja – Cozy rooms within the walls of Krujë Castle, as well as offering breakfast included in the price (double-check when booking). Find it on booking.com here.
Hotel DEAL – Castle View Rooms – Modern rooms, offering views of Krujë Castle from private balconies. Breakfast is included in the price (double-check when booking). Find it on booking.com here.
Rooms Merlika – Traditional Albanian architecture within the walls of Krujë Castle. Breakfast is included in the price (double-check when booking). Find it on booking.com here.
Where to eat in Krujë
Unless you pack a lunch for your day trip to Krujë from Tirana, chances are you are going to get hungry! We have a guide for vegan food in Albania. Here are a few places to check out if you are on the hunt for a meal in Krujë.
Bar Restorant Bardhi Agroturizëm – Most rated with amazing panoramic views. A great place to share a platter full of traditional Albanian food!
Fabiani Snack Bar & Pizzeri – Fancying delicious pizza while exploring Krujë? This place has you covered!
Restaurant KROI – Offering both traditional Albanian cuisine as well as fresh pizzas. It’s also well-located and has a beautifully decorated interior.
How to get around Krujë
As we might have previously mentioned, Krujë is a small town and the only way to properly get around is on foot! Be prepared, Krujë is set on the side of a mountain range and is generally quite hilly or at the very least, you will notice some incline.
If you do need to get from the edge of town, you should be able to find local taxis available to get you from A to B.
How to get to Krujë from Tirana
Krujë is very accessible from Tirana, which is why it makes a great day trip destination from the capital! Keep reading to see how we got from Tirana to Krujë by bus.
If travelling from Tirana, first make your way to the South and North Albania Bus Terminal. You can use Google Maps to get here. Once you’ve arrived, you will need to look for a minibus with signage in the window showing ‘KRUJE’.
Drivers tend to speak clear English, so always double-check where they are heading and what time they depart before hopping on.
A bus ticket to Krujë from Tirana costs 200 leke / €2 EUR per person. Buses are cash only, and paid to the ticket person once on board. Buses should leave roughly every hour, on the hour, and the journey should take around 1 hour, including multiple stops along the way.
Be careful not to accidentally get on an ‘F.KRUJE’ bus, as this will only get you 3/4 of the way there and the last chunk of the journey is all up hill. So you might want to avoid walking this!
Getting back to Tirana from Krujë is just as easy, simply do the reverse trip from the same bus stop. We actually just missed a return bus and would have had to wait an hour, so we jumped on an ‘F.KRUJE’ bus to get us down the hill, then changed to a TIRANA bus.
This ended up costing 200 leke / €2 EUR total, so it was the same as the direct bus. We could have easily sat in a cafe until the next Tirana bus, but on the day we wanted to keep moving.
➤ Don’t fancy using public transport? Why not book a guided tour From Tirana: Kruja Castle, Old Bazaar & Sari Salltik Tour!
Is Krujë worth visiting?
Yes, Krujë is worth visiting! We were worried it would feel the same as other castle cities and towns in Albania but it still felt really unique. The markets were our favourite in the country and the castle was filled with informative museums!
We have to admit, it felt quite long using public transport to visit Krujë on a day trip from Tirana, but we’re really glad we managed to explore the lovely town.
This day trip to Krujë will be a lot easier if you have a car and you can even visit on the way to Shkoder! Luckily there’s enough things to do in Krujë to spend half a day.
Now you know what to do in Krujë, we hope you have a great time exploring with this guide! If you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers). Check out our other Albania travel guides!
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