Kruja, an evocative town set 600 metres above sea level on a mountainside, 30 kilometres north of Tirana, is a recommended destination to visit for both its stunning location and importance to Albania’s history. With origins stretching back to the Iron Age, the town has the distinction of being the capital of the first autonomous Albanian state at the end of the 12th century and the place where the noble warrior and national hero Skanderbeg held the Ottomans at bay during the 15th century.
Kruja is a popular destination for shoppers, as the Old Bazaar beside the city walls has the best range of Albanian gifts and souvenirs in the country - though some items could well be Turkish or Chinese. The restaurants at the top end of the citadel offer great views of the surroundings and serve traditional Albanian food at tourist prices. Turkish coffee comes in a traditional copper pot and is best enjoyed curled up on the pillows that surround the low tables of some restaurants. There are a few hotels scattered around town, plus one or two more secluded places to sleep on the surrounding mountainside and a camping site on the winding road up from the valley below. Most easily reached by driving a short detour via the airport road or Vorë, Kruja is indeed easily visited on your way to or from the airport. On the way there, don't miss Europe's only statue of President George W. Bush. Buses to Kruja depart very regularly from the North-South Bus Terminal, taking an hour.