Shkodër (42.068557 19.515833) is a city in northern Albania, located in Shkodër County. It sits between Lake Skadar and the Kir, Drin, and Buna rivers. With a history spanning more than 2,400 years, Shkodër is one of the oldest cities in Albania.

The earliest traces of human settlement date back to the second millennium BCE. In 229 BCE, the Romans sent an army to Illyria for the first time. The city was conquered by the Principality of Zeta in 1040. It then became part of the Serbian Empire from 1346 to 1396, followed by the Republic of Venice from 1396 to 1479. From 1479 to 1913, the city remained under Ottoman rule. Despite Ottoman governance, the Bushati family ruled Shkodër de facto from 1757 to 1831. During this period, the city developed into one of the most important centers of power in Ottoman Albania. During the First Balkan War (1912–1913), both Montenegro and Serbia claimed the city. During World War I, Shkodër was under Austrian occupation from 1916 to 1918. After the war, the French occupied the city and transferred it to the newly formed Albanian state in 1920. Despite centuries of foreign domination, Albania has preserved its identity through strong tribal and family structures, its own language, and religious diversity, with no single faith dominating. Until Tiranës became the capital in the 1930s, Shkodër was the most important city in the country.

Today, Rruga Kolë Idromeno is a popular, vibrant pedestrian street lined with shops, cafés, and restaurants. Its architecture blends Ottoman-era elements with carefully restored modern buildings, reflecting Italian and Venetian influences. The city and its surroundings offer numerous attractions, including Venetian mask workshops, Lake Skadar, Rozafa Castle, the Ebu Bekr Mosque, and the historic Mesi Bridge, which is not far away.