One of Europe’s Oldest Towns
Northern Albania, Albania
Located close to the northwest border with Montenegro, Shkodra is one of the oldest towns in Europe and is the third largest town in Albania. Three rivers converge here – the Drini, the Kiri and the Buna. The town also serves as a suitable start-point and base for more adventurous journeys into the remote far north of Albania.
Background
In the 3rd century BC Shkodra was the capital of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Ardians (whose queen was the legendary Teuta). Roman occupation was followed by Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish Ottoman rule. It was the Venetians who left their mark on the city after almost 100 years of rule and nowadays Italian is widely spoken. The city is also the centre of Catholicism in the country.