Exploring an ANCIENT ALBANIAN CITY!! Mountain Guesthouse Food & Raki | Shkodër, Albania
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After arriving in Shkodër, I kicked off day four bright and early! Come with me as I explore this ancient city and enjoy some mountain guesthouse food and rakija in Shkodër, Albania!
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I began my day with a tour of Kevin Homes, the guesthouse I was staying at in Shkodër! It’s owned by my guide Andy from Travel Albania Alps, who lives on the first floor with his family. The four guest rooms are upstairs!
There are three simple but comfortable rooms with three beds each. One has a terrace. There’s also a room with a queen-sized bed. My room had two beds (it usually has three, but they removed one for my luggage). Next to it is a nice, clean bathroom. Outside are some beautiful grape vines!
My simple Albanian breakfast consisted of eggs, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, butter, jam, espresso, tea, bread, and apricot juice. The apricot juice was so pure and the food was simple and homey and came from the farm and garden. The cheese was the best! After some rakija made my Andy’s father, we headed out to explore Shkodër!
We followed Boulevard Skanderbeg toward the main square. The center of town was full of life and had lots of vendors in an open-air bazaar. They were selling everything from cevap to vegetables to children’s toys!
We exited the city and headed east to Mesi Bridge, the oldest Ottoman bridge in the country. It dates back 500 years and is a must-see site in the area. It was built in 1770 and is stunning. These Ottoman bridges are always beautiful, especially with the arches! It’s 108 meters long, 3.4 meters wide, and 12.5 meters high. It has 13 arches and is one of the longest examples of an Ottoman bridge in the Balkans. It reminded me of the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge I visited in Visegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina!
The river below the bridge was dry. I suggest heading down to the bottom to view it from the bedrock below. There, you get the best view of the bridge. It’s such a beautiful piece of history!
Then, we headed to the old center of the city. It’s very colorful and Italian-looking with lots of cafes. We headed over to Rruga Kole Idromeno, the local pedestrian street, which is the perfect place to have a drink at night and relax. At the end of the street on the right is the Ebu Bekër Mosque, and on the left is a Catholic church.
I had another rakija outside along the street, and then I visited a souvenir shop. I saw lots of lanterns and woodwork, as well as mugs and other items. From there, we saw the mosque, and then headed to an ancient castle! On the way, we saw a bazaar, which is spread out throughout the city! They sell lots of fresh vegetables!
Then, we took a narrow lane up to Rozafa Castle. It’s a huge stronghold that overlooks the city. It costs 300 lekës to go inside. I climbed up to the top. I could see the lake, Shkodër, lots of farmland, the river, and more from the top. The castle still had its original stone floor. To the left and right were arches that I guessed were stables. Through the gate was a souvenir shop. There was a main path and lots of walls along it.
The castle is huge! The first courtyard has ruins of the Venetian neighbor and three towers. The second courtyard has more ruins and walls, as well as a storage space, a prison, and a church that was later converted into a mosque! There are also some wells that hold water! The views from there are unreal!
Where have you been?
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About Me:
My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,100 destinations in 77 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media sites.
I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.
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