Things to see and do North

It links the hamlet of Çerem (19.8 kilometers northeast of Valbona on foot) with that of Dobërdol, at the "three borders" with Montenegro and Kosovo. The route is detailed on the Peaks of the Balkans website. It passes through the Gashi nature reserve. Doable in summer, when both hamlets are occupied by shepherds. In Dobërdol, you'll find the Bilbil Vatnika guest house. From there, you can continue on to Kosovo (the route can also be found on the Peaks of the Balkans network website).

This resurgence (Syri i Kaltër) of the Lumi i Zi ("black river") owes its name to the hues of the water that gushes to the surface in a 100^m2 natural pool: bright blue-green on the edges, reminiscent of the iris, and dark black in the center, like the pupil. You can swim here, but the water temperature is 7ºC. Surrounded by vegetation, with a café nearby in summer, the place is accessible on foot (3h from the Isolation Tower) or by 4 x 4 (the last stretch is on foot) via the hamlet of Ndërlysaj. Another possible route is from the Grunas waterfall.

Democracy Square (Sheshi Demokracia) isn't very pretty: it's a traffic circle right in the center of Shkodra. But it's not to be missed. Here you'll find buses to Tirana, a cab rank and the information center. Formerly known as "Place des Cinq-Héros-de-Vig" (Sheshi 5 Heronjtë e Vigut), it is bordered by the Migjeni theater, which dates from 1958, a clock tower (without a clock!) built by an Englishman around 1890, the recent Abou-Bakr mosque and a series of unattractive buildings dating from after the 1979 earthquake.

This trail links Theth with Vusanje/Вусање, Montenegro, a mainly Albanian-populated market town in the Prokletije National Park. The route is part of the Peaks of the Balkans network. The first section, below Mount Harapit (2,217 m), is the most difficult, requiring you to cross the Peja pass (Qafa e Pejës), at 1,703 m altitude. The descent then takes in plateaus and Lake Ropojana. You can stop shortly before Vusanje at Gusinje/Гусиње, a village with accommodation mostly inhabited by Bosnians.

Located in a lively shopping district in the city of Shkodra, Albania, the Shkodra Backpackers Hostel - Mi casa es Tu casa is a warm and eclectic hostel. It's just 5 km from Rozafa Castle, an 8-minute walk from St. Stephen's Cathedral and 15 minutes from Stacioni i Trenit train station. The colorful dormitories are equipped with bunk beds, lockers, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and towels/sheets. Bathrooms are shared, but single rooms have en-suite bathrooms. Breakfast is included in the room rate, and parking is free. The hostel also features a bar, shared kitchen, lounge/TV room, garden and furnished terraces. It also offers a music/computer room and laundry facilities. The staff are friendly and the service is top-notch.

This tourist information center in the Theth Valley is a relay for both the Alps of Albania National Park and the Peaks of the Balkans trail network. The website is rich in information (trails, accommodation, history, places to visit, list and contacts of mountain guides...). Alas, on site, the small office open during the summer months isn't much help. Further information is available from the owners of the gîtes, hotels and guesthouses in the Theth Valley.