Camping Two Rivers

When sightseeing beckons, first stop will probably be the ruined Venetian-era Rozafa Castle (five minutes’ steep walk) and its sprawling hilltop complex. Also up there is an interesting museum displaying artefacts found among the ruins, rampart walks to observation points with far-reaching views over Shkodër Lake and a café in the castle’s former courtyard. There’s a landmark Ottoman-era stone bridge at Mesi (20 minutes’ drive), which is the starting point of walks and bike rides in rugged countryside. You can cool off afterwards at the wild swimming spot under the spans of the bridge. If more high-octane sports are required, Shkodër Lake (10 minutes) has facilities for everything from paddleboarding to kayaking and speedboating. If you’re longing for a day at the seaside, the black-sand beach at Velipoja (35 minutes) is well-serviced by bars and restaurants, and you can join in beach volleyball games or hire pedal boats too. The quieter stretch of sand at Rana e Hedhun (40 minutes) is backed by a vast, ever-shifting dune reaching up to 50 metres in height.