This website is an archive from 2016

This site was actively maintained from 2006 to 2016. Since then I have kept it online for historical interest, but have made no further updates. Much of the information in these pages is now incorrect or obsolete.

Northern Albania on the move

24 June 2006

When Albanian tourism is promoted abroad (which is not very often), the focus tends to be on the southern part of the country or on the capital Tirana. But some recent developments may encourage more people to visit the north of the country.

Reports on the Thorntree forum suggest that a ferry service is now operating on beautiful Lake Skadar/Shkodra, linking Virpazar in Montenegro with Shkodra in Albania. There are also strong rumours that passenger trains will soon run from Shkodra to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro - perhaps as early as July of this year. If true, this will end Albania’s status as the only Balkan country that you can’t get to by train.

Finding information about the region can still be difficult, but things have got a whole lot better with the launch of Shkodra In Your Pocket, a guide to the northern city and the surrounding area. It might just persuade you to stop in Shkodra rather than hop on the first bus to Tirana on arriving from Montenegro. It also has the only clear information I have ever seen about the Komani to Fierze ferry, said to be a scenic highlight of Albania.