From Shkodër to Tirana, Albania 🇦🇱

March 31, 2025

Here I am with Vladimir Eduardo Patiño, a racer from Colombia in the country of Mother Teresa! A magical and unexpected encounter as the country is preparing to host the start of the Giro D'Italia on May 9! We met at the Cyclist's Home in Tirana where Nini, coach of the Tirana National Cycling Team, has setup a first class training center for cyclists of all abilities.

With Nini and Mejdin we talked about the cycling culture in Albania and preparations for the Giro!

Shkodër to Tirana Ride

But my ride to Tirana started int he early morning in Shkodër where I was the first visitor of the day at the Castle and citadel nestled on top of a steep hill that takes you 130 meters higher for spectacular 360 views that include the city, lake and give a preview of the ride to Tirana. The castle has a long history - it was seized by the Ottomans in 1479 and taken back only in 1912-23 during the first balkan wars.

From there it was the 105km ride to Tirana during which I met Kevin from Karlsruhe in Germany who is riding to... the country of the rising sun - Japan 🇯🇵 ! Yes, cool cat on a bike!

Kevin rides for peace and his website and blog is https://saddle-for-peace.de

Tirana City Tour

Albania has a rich and fascinating history - we could say thia about many countries but here is where the communist era was most brutal - some 175,000 bunkers were built by a paranoid leader who closed the borders and cut off ties with the rest of the world turning Albaina into a giant prison. Cars were illegal until 1991 and attempts were made to wipe-out all forms of religion. Interestingly, this created the most tolerant religious culture anywhere.

The first step discover Tirana and its history is a city tour, a visit of the Bunk-Art museums (1 in the center and 2 about 30 minutes away) and a stop at the Museum of Leaves where we discover how the authorities monitored the population.

Skanderbeg Square in the city center

The 40,000 m2 square is made of rocks that came from every city in Albania so that every Albanian can call it home. It a shaped on a slight slope with 100 fountains that release a film of water that flows to gutters and irrigation recirculated - the aim is to cool the square when the summer heat can clim b to 45 degrees! The square is surrounded by greenery and on the edge we can see Skanderberg, the national hero who fought the Ottomans on his horse looking valiant and proud.

Skanderbeg

Hotspot for tourists

Albania is developing very fast, we see new buildings being erected with unique architectural features such as the face of Skanderberg or strutures to show he map of Albania... No wonder this country of 2.4 million that saw few tourists until recently is expecting some 12.5 million visitors next year!

HE Ambassador Mimoza Halimi

With much appreciation to Ambassador Halimi, Albania Embassy in Warsaw, for all the support in helping organise this adventure to Albania! I will be back in Tirana in a few weeks, just in time for the start of the Giro D'Italia from where I will continue my adventure to Greece and ancient Olympia!