7 Best Things to do in Shkoder: Itinerary (2024)

Shkoder is a lovely small city in the north of Albania filled with local cafes, bicycles and mountain views. It’s known as the gateway for hiking, so it was the perfect place to start our adventure to the Accursed Mountains. Here’s our guide to the best things to do in Shkoder!

If you’re planning on visiting Theth or hiking to the Valbone Pass, you’ll need to pass by Shkoder. We recommend spending 2 days in the city as the buses to Valbone and Theth leave around 7 am daily. However, you can see the highlights of Shkoder in 1 day if you’re short on time.

Shkoder was the first place we visited on our 2 week Albania itinerary and we managed to see quite a lot in just under 2 days, even in the 35°C summer heat.

In the heart of the city, you’ll find pedestrianised alleyways, museums and mosques. However, some of the other main sights to see in Shkoder are a little spread out. Luckily it’s easy to get around the city by bicycle! Let’s create your Shkoder itinerary!

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7 Best Things to do in Shkoder

Now we’ll jump into the best things to do in Shkoder and we’ll finish it off with a 2 day itinerary for you to fully plan your trip.

We arrived at midday on the first day and spent one full day in Shkoder before leaving early the next morning. This is definitely enough time in Shkoder, but you can always add more days. It’s best to spend 2 nights though.

1. Swim in Shkodra Lake

Sharing a border with Montenegro, Shkodra Lake is the largest lake in the Balkans! We saw the impressive lake during our Montenegro trip and knew we couldn’t miss out on this Albania trip especially as Shkoder makes it so easy to see.

One of the best things to do in Shkodër is to swim in the lake, especially in the summer months! As it was 40°C during our visit, the water was so warm, it felt like a bath!

We rented a bike from our hostel (Mi Casa Es Tu Casa) for €6 and it took about 45 minutes of cycling to get to the public beach in Shiroka.

Renting a Bike from our hostel in Shkoder

Set your maps to ‘Drini Times’ and you’ll find the SUP Rental Shack. The shack has free toilets, a changing room and drinking water which is a relief! You can also book a Kayak or SUP Rental with them in advance – find more details here!

We passed lots of restaurants and cafes on our way to the public beach. We opted for packing snacks and there’s a supermarket amongst the restaurants too.

There’s a few more pebbly beaches along the lake past Shiroka, but we didn’t venture too far further. We spent about 1-2 hours at the beach, hiding in the shade and dipping in the lake. We recommend it during your time in Shkodër!

➤ Visiting more of Albania? Here’s our detailed 2 Week Albania Itinerary with tips on how to travel using public transport!

2. Wander Shkoder’s Old Streets

Although it may seem obvious that one of the best things to do in Shkoder is to see the city, we wanted to add a few personal recommendations for the city of Shkoder.

We couldn’t visit Shkoder and not wander about the city. Plus it’s the best way to find the best local restaurants. We stumbled across a traditional Albanian restaurant named Arti Zanave and loved the food there! There’s a lot of places to find Albanian food in Shkoder, but Arti Zanave has amazing vegan options.

Amongst the streets, we found bars, cafes and ice cream shops! Our favourite is pistachio and dark chocolate from M’Kanda Gelateria.

Since the fall of communism in 1991, Shkoder has changed a lot, but they’ve still managed to preserve the city’s historical heritage. The old streets in Shkoder feel very European with outdoor seating for restaurants, and colourful houses with lots of architecture.

3. Visit the Site of Witness and Memory

There are a few museums in Shkoder, but the one we recommend the most is the Site of Witness and Memory.

We visited the Site of Witness and Memory to learn about the history of Albania. From the communism and victims of the communist dictatorship. It’s pretty hard to learn but it was really eye-opening for us.

The museum is a memorial to the victims who were tortured and killed during the communist era of Albania. There’s two floors of cells and even a torture room at the end, it’s really sad to see and we can’t believe Albania went through this.

We spent around an hour reading the many signs of information and walked around the original prison cells (which is really eerie).

💰 200 lek per person

➤ Take a day trip to Komani Lake with Shala River Boat Ride!

4. Admire the Mesi Bridge

Sadly we never got to visit this impressive bridge as our legs couldn’t hack any more cycling! If you have a car, you have to visit this bridge! It was a recommendation from our hostel and the style of the bridge reminds us of our time in Mostar and seeing the Old Bridge Mostar.

Check for car rentals on Discover Cars here!

Mesi Bridge is an Ottoman-style bridge northwest of Shkoder, so a little out of the city centre. The bridge has been renovated and well-kept with the addition of lights for the night! It’s worth a visit if you’re looking for the best things to do in Shkoder!

5. Sunset at Rozafa Castle

Visiting Rozafa Castle is one of the best things to do in Shkoder and possibly one of our favourites! The castle is now in ruins with a lot of walls still intact, but it was once a Venetian castle.

As Rozafa Castle sits high on top of a hill, it has some of the best views in the city. We highly recommend visiting during your 2 days in Shkoder, especially at sunset!

The castle is out of the centre so it will take 45 minutes – 1 hour to walk or a 20-minute bike ride. We cycled there from Shkoder centre and the journey follows the cycle paths along the road until you have to go up the cobbly stones towards the castle. It may be best to lock your bike up at the bottom and walk up!

Although Google Maps suggested the castle closes at 7 pm, we read loads of reviews saying they stayed for sunset (which is after 8 pm in the summer months). When we arrived, we could buy tickets until 9 pm!

The castle is named after the unfortunate wife of a man building the castle. She was sacrificed to be built inside the walls of the castle in order to successfully stop the walls from collapsing! They left holes in the brickwork so she could continue feeding her baby – crazy story!

💰 400 lek per person

6. National Museum of Photography

If you’re a fan of photography, the National Museum of Photography in Shkoder is for you! We’ve added another museum to our list of things to do in Shkoder, as you can’t go wrong with learning about Albania.

Although the museum is a little pricey, it’s a beautiful way to browse Albanian history. The museum teaches about the study of photography along with some of the oldest photos in the country. There are also temporary exhibitions from time to time.

💰 700 lek per person (possibly 600 lek online)

7. Organise your trip to the Albanian Alps

After our 2 days in Shkoder, we headed to Valbone to start our hike to Theth. If you don’t want to travel with your luggage, there’s plenty of hostels and guesthouses in Shkoder that will look after your luggage and you can book your transport through them.

We stayed at Mi Casa es Tu Casa and this worked out really well. We spent 3 days in the Albanian mountains and came back to Shokder to pick up our bags!

Although this isn’t an activity to do in Shkoder, it’s the beginning of your next adventure! Most people pass through Shkoder to get to the mountains and it involves a bit of planning.

Mi Casa es Tu Casa organises transport to Theth or Valbone and you only need to book the day before. Minivans arrive around 7 am, so you’ll need to get it sorted the day before!

2 Day Shkoder Itinerary

Day 1 – Wander around the streets of Shkoder and grab some local lunch or an ice cream! Visit one or two of the museums such as The Site of Witness and Memory or National Museum of Photography.

Day 2 – If you’re planning on visiting the Albanian Alps, book your transport to Valbone or Theth the day before you visit. The minivan will pick you up at 7 am the next day so you’ll still have one full day in Shkoder.

Rent a bike from your hostel or bike shop and head to Lake Shkodra for a morning swim. Grab some snacks for a picnic or have lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. We’ve recommended a public beach to visit in our guide above!

After a swim, head to Rozafa Castle in the afternoon or if you’d rather see the castle views at sunset, head back to Shkoder and cycle back out in the evening.

We chose to head back to Shkoder to drop our wet clothes off and relax in the city before visiting the castle. Rozafa Castle at sunset is amazing! It’s one of the best things to do in Shkoder to say goodbye to the city.

Alternative things to do in Shkoder

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (location here)
Visit Theth Village & Blue Eye Tour from Shkoder
Shkoder History Museum
Stand Up Paddle Board or Kayak Rental in Shkodër
Komani Lake Day Trip with Shala River Boat Ride

Where to stay in Shkoder

There are many places to stay in Shkoder from hostels to guesthouses and hotels. We used Booking.com to find accommodation throughout Albania, including Shkoder! We recommend staying close to the city centre (near Ebu Bekr Mosque).

Mi Casa es Tu Casa (Shkodra Backpackers Hostel) € – one of the best & most affordable hostels in Shkoder with dorms & private rooms! We stayed here 2 nights – Find on Booking.com here!

Shkodra Guest House € – budget private rooms in the heart of Shkoder – Find on Booking.com here!

All Seasons Apartments €€ – a lovely apartment in Shkoder with free parking Find on Booking.com here!

💤 Find more hotels in Shkoder here!

Where to eat in Shkoder

We found lots of great food during our 2 days in Shkoder! We’ve written a vegan in Albania travel guide if you’re a veggie or vegan traveller like us!

Fisi Restaurant – a grill with Albanian food and a vegan plate!
Stolia Coffeehouse & Brunch – a popular brunch spot in Shkoder with vegan options
Arti Zanave – amazing traditional Albanian food (mostly veggie)

How to get to Shkoder

We arrived in Albania via Tirana Airport and hopped on a Hermes minivan to Shkoder at the airport. It was 1000 lek each and the journey took less than 2 hours. Buses from Tirana are usually cheaper, but taking the minivan from the airport meant we didn’t have to go to the bus station anyway. Browse car rental prices here.

From Tirana – Tirana is the easiest way to get to Albania and it will take 2 hours by car to reach Shkoder. The buses from Tirana South & North Bus Station should take around 2 hours and cost around 400 lek. They depart every 30 minutes to 1 hour. We took a minivan from the airport which cost 1000 lek per person.

From Podgorica (Montenegro) – Podgorica is slightly closer to Shkoder than Tirana as the drive will only take 1 hour 20 minutes. However, the border crossing may set you back, speak to your car rental before hopping countries. A Flix Bus will take 1 hour 30 minutes and cost around £12 for a one-way ticket.

From Theth – Minivans to Shkoder only depart at 11 am daily and you can book with your guesthouse or hostel. A ticket costs €10 per person and the journey will take around 2-3 hours. It’s a pretty windy journey by bus or car!

How to get around Shkoder

Cycling – Renting a bicycle is the best way to get around Shkoder, as some of the sights are outside of the city centre. We cycled 1 hour to Lake Shkodra and 45 minutes to the castle. We rented a bike from Mi Casa Es Tu Casa for €6.

Walking – Shkoder is a walkable city, so other than the lake, castle and Mesi Bridge, you can walk around by foot.

Taxis – Although we didn’t use any taxis, you can find them around Shkoder.

➤ See our tips on backpacking Europe!

Is Shkoder worth visiting?

Yes, Shkoder is worth visiting! It’s a great Albanian city and you don’t need to spend long there to enjoy the cultural lifestyle. We recommend spending at least 2 nights in Shkoder, especially if you’re visiting the Albanian Alps! Most people use Shkoder as a pass-through city, but as you can see from this travel guide, there’s a lot more to offer!

Enjoy your trip to the northern capital and check out our other Albania travel guides to plan your trip!

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7 Best Things to do in Shkoder: Itinerary (2024)