Exploring KRUJË ALBANIA | Historic GRAND BAZAAR & CASTLE RUINS

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3 ай бұрын

KRUJE, ALBANIA: Exploring the historical town of Krujë in the mountains above Tirana. Visit the Old Bazaar, castle ruins & meet the ghost of a real Albanian hero - Skanderbeg!
More videos from my ALBANIAN ROAD TRIP here → bit.ly/AlbanianRoadTrip
My day in Krujë started with a traditional Albanian breakfast served on the ruins of an old castle overlooking miles of beautiful countryside and the impressive Krujë Mountain. This has to be the cheapest hotel room I've ever stayed in so after a quick room tour at the Hotel Rooms Emiliano I check out and head across to the Skanderbeg Museum and castle complex. Exploring the old passageways, well weathered defensive walls and an old Otterman Mosque was truly fascinating and a great way to spend a few hours.
After lunch I headed down to the Old Bazaar to pick up a few bargains, meet some local shop owners and rummage through various stalls and markets in search of that life-transforming antique that everybody else has just passed by - needless to say I didn't find it but I did enjoy my afternoon in the old narrow streets of Krujë.
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Пікірлер: 23

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

🇦🇱 Thanks for watching! If you'd like to support my channel please consider subscribing - it's very much appreciated! --> bit.ly/2RyPwto You can catch the rest of my ALBANIAN ROAD TRIP here --> bit.ly/AlbanianRoadTrip 🇦🇱

@MartinBrez 3 ай бұрын

I'm going to Albania in summer and never thought about Kruje. I might have to rethink my itinerary.

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're nearby. Say hello to the rug salesman for me!

@MartinBrez 3 ай бұрын

I'm starting in Tirana, then going as far south as Sarandë, then going up the coast to Vlorë, before heading back to Tirana. I'll be doing trips around each area I visit.

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Sounds great, I loved my trip to Albania! Hopefully you have a wonderful time!

@joshuasjericho3915 3 ай бұрын

Beautiful 😍 local crafts ❤!

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Yes they are! I could have easily spend another couple of hours looking around the various shops.

@msjannd4 3 ай бұрын

Wow, wow wow! Your lodgings; authentic - and the price! Peaceful place with breathtaking views. The history inside the mosque on the castle grounds blew me away. I've been to Saranda and Tirana, but I hadn't heard of Kruje until I watched your video, so thanks!

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, Jann! I loved that little guest house next to the castle, honestly didn't think I'd be having breakfast on the ruins for that price! I've heard a lot about Saranda but didn't get to visit on this trip - would you recommend?

@msjannd4 3 ай бұрын

@@MattWhitingsEurope I was in Saranda for two months last year in the off-season, March and April. I met many nice people and there are many American ex-pats there. I met quite a few Britons, too. For me, Saranda is good for a visit, but I wouldn't want to live there; the culture is just too different. It's a resort town and there really isn't much to do but look at the sea and drink in bars, which isn't my thing, ha! The traffic is also awful; it's very noisy on the main road with drivers gunning their engines and driving fast. I will say that the bus ride from Tirana, even though it seemed death-defying at times with all the twists and turns, had some of the most breathtaking mountain views I had ever seen. There are some great spots to visit near Saranda though; the Blue Eye and the ancient town of Gjirokaster, as well as Butrint National Park and the little city of Berat. If I ever go back to Albania, I want to spend more time in Tirana, a really cool city.

@MattWhitingsEurope 2 ай бұрын

I've heard of Saranda so it's good to get your opinion on it. I would definitely like to visit Albania again and explore some of these places - I've heard good things about Gjirokaster so interesting that you should mention that also. Those mountains are epic, I also got to stop in Berat which I loved. Wished I had another day there actually as I wanted to go on a hike. That bus ride sounds brutal 🤢🤢

@kerrys5540 Ай бұрын

Wow. I think that's the first time I have seen outside Tirana. As a 70s kid Albania was always closed off. I imagined it be like North Korea type place. Very unpretty and depressing. It looks beautiful and it proves that these underrated places are worth visiting.

@MattWhitingsEurope Ай бұрын

I know, it's crazy isn't it! Incredible to think it was a closed country. I actually went to Corfu on a family in the 80's and was just old enough to remember looking out at Albania and my Dad telling me we couldn't visit there because holidaymakers weren't allowed. I remember thinking how mysterious the place was and what secrets it held! I was stoked to visit it about 30 years later and be able to just drive around where ever I wanted. It's a wonderful place and I'll definitely go back at some point.

@user-br3ou2cs9o 3 ай бұрын

Very nice looking place to visit and really nice accommodation for that price. The drone views so far are very good of course as expected from you. Was the call to prayer times coming from an amplified source/speaker covering a large area or perhaps a person in a nearby minaret/tower? In the display next to the knives, do you know if that was an actual pistol in some type of stand or a souvenir lighter or something? Thanks for Sharing, Be Safe Matt. ✝️🕊️

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Yeah the accommodation was amazing for the price, in fact the whole experience of staying there was fantastic. Awesome breakfast views! I think the call to prayer was coming from the main mosque in town, I'm pretty sure it was live but amplified from speakers. It reminds of the call to prayer in Bodrum Turkey where the man kept coughing - that was definitely live! Sorry not sure about the pistol, assumed it was real but I guess more likely to be a replica or souvenir. Thanks for watching!

@GPosner8 3 ай бұрын

Ok. You’ve been snooping on me, right? First the Baltics and now Albania? That’s my next adventure. I think I owe you money as my own personal reconnaissance man🤣👍🏻✌🏻🤙🏻

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Haha I'm always one step ahead 😂 what a coincidence though. Just going to be posting two videos from Albania that are both re-uploads, just sorting out some technical issues. Great trip through!! You worked out exactly where you're going yet?

@GPosner8 3 ай бұрын

@@MattWhitingsEurope I have a long list of spots, Kruje being one of them. I looking to visit about this time next year. Great work on the videos. 👏🏻👍🏻✌🏻🤙🏻

@MattWhitingsEurope 3 ай бұрын

Thank you, glad to hear Kruje is on the list of possibilities!