Explore Shkodra: Rozafa Castle, Lake Adventures & Cultural Gems

Rozafa Castle (fortress of Shkodra) - at the entrance of the town, 3km south of the city center, located on rocky hill 133m high. It is one of the biggest and most famous castles in Albania. The Rozafa castle has a fascinating history, that relates to one of the most beautiful of Albanian Legends. Archaeological excavations have yielded finds extending from the early Bronze Age until the present day. Within its massive defensive walls stand the Church of St. Stephen, several Venetian administrative buildings, and some medieval rooms .

Shkodra Lake - on the border of Montenegro with Albania is, in fact, a former sea bay that was cut off from the Adriatic when the sea levels dropped, thousands of years ago. The lake is the largest in the Balkans at 41km long and with the surface between 370-530 km2. As its depth is up to 60 metres , the bottom of the lake is well below sea level, making it a so-called crypto depression. Shkodra Lake is one of the largest bird reserves in Europe, having some 240 bird species inhabiting its shores, including some of the last pelicans in Europe, and thus popular with birders.

It is one of the biggest catholic cathedrals in Balkans dedicated to St. Stephen. After it's reconstruction in 1991, the cathedral was inaugurated by Mother Theresa and two years later it was visited by Pope John Paul II. Inside of the cathedral is a copy of the Turin Shrout.

Walking on the main boulevard of the city