Travel Guide Shengjin

Shëngjin/Shëngjini (pronounced "chendjin"/"chendjini") has around 2,600 inhabitants and belongs to the municipality of Lezha. The town lies 7 km northwest of Lezha and 44 km south of Shkodra (minibus connections to both towns).The small coastal town of "Saint-Jean" and its beautiful 3 km-long sandy beach have unfortunately suffered from the development of tourism. This area has long remained wild, wedged between the small Renci massif (531 m above sea level) and the Vain lagoon. During the Communist era, the area was off-limits due to the presence of an Albanian naval base. Since the fall of the regime and the arrival of Kosovar holidaymakers, the former Venetian town of San Giovanni di Medua has become a seaside resort bristling with unattractive towers. As for the former naval base, it has become the country's third-largest commercial and fishing port. As a result, the waters of the bay are polluted both by discharges from ships and by those from hotel complexes. Only the beautiful dune beach of Rana e Hedhun, to the north, remains relatively well preserved. Fish restaurants and the palm-lined promenade (Shëtitorja Wilson), named after the American president Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), are also worth a visit. In honor of the first head of state to recognize Albanian independence in 1919, the town was renamed Wilson City from 1924 to 1939.