Holiday apartment in Grilë on Lake Shkodra

Lake Shkodra extends into the Vraka-Gril area. Its Albanian zone up to the Vraka-Gril area is designated as a managed nature reserve, while the lake itself is an ecosystem with hundreds of plant and animal species.

Nature

Lake Shkodra has exceptional ecological, scenic and sociocultural values and was therefore included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. It was also added to the Ramsar List in 2005. In the Malësi e Madhe area, the section of the lake from Vraka-Gril to Han i Hotit extends for around 30 km.

The birdlife is particularly impressive. Lake Shkodra is home to more than 200 bird species and is suitable for birdwatching. Pygmy cormorants breed in the marshy north of the lake; at the northern end, Dalmatian pelicans nest on floating peat islands. The different habitats thus range from the shores near Grilë to the wetlands at the northern end of the lake.

Culture and History

Grilë is one of the villages on the shores of Lake Shkodra where Albania’s Montenegrin minority lives. In the villages of the Vraka region around Grilë, language, culture, religion and traditions have been preserved. The Morača-Rozafa Association of the Serbo-Montenegrin minority was founded in Shkodër in 1991 to preserve religious, national and cultural identity.

Several churches bear witness to the history of the area. In Grilë, the remains of the Church of Saint Petka from the historic Vraka area have been documented. The Church of St. Vračeva is located in the historic Vraka area beside Lake Shkodra. The cathedral church of the Vrača community, the Church of the Holy Mother of God, stands in Mladi Borič; it was built in 1869. Every year on 7 January, a traditional service in the Montenegrin language is held in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Vrakë.

By the Lake

Grilë is designated as a bathing and recreation area on Lake Shkodra. The lakeside area near Grilë is described as operating daily and having several local establishments. The culinary offerings at the lake near Grilë include fish prepared from Lake Shkodra and the Cem River, particularly carp, eel and trout.

Fishing is also one of the activities possible on Lake Shkodra. Thus, in this lakeside area, the designated bathing and recreation area exists alongside the connection to fishing, while the wetlands and bird habitats complement the natural environment.

Getting There

A minibus from Shkodër to Lake Shkodra Resort passes through Grilë and stops at the junction to Omaraj and the resort. From there, it is about 900 m on foot; the fare is 100 lek per person. From Shkodër, the access route to Lake Shkodra Resort also passes through Grilë and over the railway bridge. It then continues for about 0.9 km on a paved road to the lake. An approximately 1 km-long single-lane gravel road is also listed for access to the resort.

Lake Shkodra Resort offers on-site rental of canoes, pedal boats, bicycles and SUP boards, as well as cycling routes and maps. The address listed is Rruga E Liqenit, Grile / Omaraj, 4001 Grilë, Albania. The resort is about 100 m from a sandy and pebble beach.

Before booking, you can check the individual offers to see which services are included, which price components apply, and which booking and cancellation conditions are in effect. Take your time comparing the specific details and choose the accommodation based on the features that actually matter for your travel planning.

Other Destinations

More destination pages are available for Razëm, Lepushë, Bahçallëk, Bogë, Barbullush, Çukë, Velipojë and Vermosh.

To the higher-level travel overview: Qark Shkodra.