04/28/2026

We took a tour to Gamti Mountain and then to the town of Kruje. Gamti mountain is only about 13 miles northeast of Tirana, but it took over an hour to get there! That is how bad the mountain road going up there is! I only know one person who is likely to actually do this drive (Dave!)… you should consider renting a 4 wheel drive vehicle!

Once you survive the drive, there is a short steep hike to get to an amazing view point overlooking Bovilla Lake. It was stunning!

Next we drove to the small town of Kruje (pronounced Kru-ya) which is about an hour north of Tirana. Kruje is the hometown of Albanian national hero Skanderbeg.

We wandered through the Fortress which is 1,827 feet above the city and stands as a symbol of Albanian defiance as it famously withstood three massive Ottoman sieges. Also on the fortress grounds is the Ethnographic Museum housed in a restored 19th-century traditional estate.

My favorite part of the town was the Bazaar - a historic, 400-year-old Ottoman-style marketplace, famous for its authentic timber-framed architecture and traditional crafts. It was so cool!

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GAMTI MOUNTAIN & KRUJE

TIRANA