Kruja
Kruja offers a wealth of history and strikingly beautiful scenery.
Kruja (Krujë), a city of 60,000 inhabitants, is easily accessible, being only about a 45-minute drive from Tirana airport. The first thing you’ll encounter is the bustling main street of the new town, where cafés and small shops follow one after the other. Then head up towards the old town of Kruja on a serpentine road, which is steep in places. Along the road and in the middle of the road, you may encounter a wide variety of domestic animals, from horses to chickens, so it is important to pay attention.
Kruja is a historic town and played an important role in medieval history, as it was the home town of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg(Skënderbeu). Skanderbeg, the Albanian national hero, led Albania’s resistance against the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Many of you may have come across Skënderbeu brandy, produced in Dürres, Albania.
In the Old Town, you can’t miss the interesting bazaar area, famous for its colourful carpets, beautiful antiques, silver and copper work and clay pots, among other things. If you’re in need of a rug that doesn’t lack colour, consider visiting the old bazaar in Kruje (Pazari i Vjetër) before flying to Finland. Kruja has hotels to suit all tastes, so it’s definitely worth considering an overnight stay.
You can also go hiking in Kruja and, for example, a couple of kilometres climbing up the mountainside to the Sari Saltik temple is a breathtaking experience. Wikiloc had rated the route as moderate, but someone used to Finnish landscapes would have rated it as much more demanding. After all, we climbed up the mountainside about six hundred metres. Looking at the mountain from a distance, you would not have thought it possible to climb it at all without picks and ropes. But the reality was different.
That’s nothing in terms of distance, but the huge herd of goats we encountered made us wonder if we could fit on the same path, and the hawks flying in the surroundings triggered our imagination with the thought of vultures stalking inexperienced climbers as they starved on the slopes. But at the top we could admire the scenery and the old temple dedicated to the dervish who brought Islam to Albania. There was also a family restaurant at the top, Joti, where the owner “forced” us to drink several glasses of surprisingly good raki as an aperitif.
Finally, however, a whole chicken on a bed of rice was brought to the table, and it was the best tasting meal of the trip so far. The dish in question is one of Albania’s traditional dishes, pule fshati me pilaf. The chicken, running free and living a happy life, tastes quite different from the products of the big Finnish chickens. When I paid the bill, I noticed that it was completely lacking the sharp and delicious bladders.
With full stomachs, we didn’t bother to go down the mountainside any more. Instead, the taxi ordered by the restaurant owner seemed like a good option. The taxi driver regretted that he hadn’t had time to take his dog home. So, after sitting in the front seat, the driver thrust his cute little dog into my lap, which I held and stroked the whole way while the hairs fluffed. The dog seemed to be having a good time, as he seemed to recognise me as a safe dog friend.
We hurried down the winding roads, taking in the stunning views and holding our breath. Despite all this, I decided that I would have to drive this road myself one day.
Kruja offers a wealth of history and strikingly beautiful scenery, not all of which can be admired from a car or by walking in high heels. You need to put on your sneakers, bring plenty to drink and go hiking in places like the Qafshtama Nature Reserve, east of Kruja.
There you can escape the crowds into lush forests and green meadows. If you’re nervous about potential encounters with bears, wolves and foxes, take a guided walk instead.
Bovilla Reservoir in Mount Dajt National Park is also well worth a visit. It is guaranteed to be one of the most spectacular reservoirs you will ever see. It produces the majority of Tirana’s drinking water.