Travel Guide Shkodra

Shkodra/Shkodër has a population of around 80,000 (135,000 including its conurbation). It is the capital of the Shkodra prefecture (population 197,000). The town lies 59 km southeast of Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, and 100 km north of Tirana.The main economic center of northern Albania and the country's largest Catholic city (40% of the population), Shkodra was long known by the Italian name of Scutari. However, it was under the Illyrian name of Scodra that it began to develop in ancient times, making it one of the oldest towns in Albania. A major intellectual and political center at the turn of the 20th century, it was a cultural Mecca with the Marubi photographers and the painter Kolë Idromeno, who introduced cinema to the country. Shkodra may still have a pretty center, but it has undergone profound changes since the end of the communist regime, with the massive influx of mountain dwellers seeking an easier life. It's worth taking the time to stroll through the narrow streets of the historic center, where you'll find some beautiful middle-class houses built in the 19th century. Stroll through the market and climb up to the Rozafa fortress, which dominates the town. Finally, in the evening, take a stroll along the main thoroughfare or along the shores of Lake Shkodra, where the locals gather. As the gateway to the Albanian Alps and Montenegro, Shkodra is the starting point for numerous excursions into the heart of unspoilt nature.