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Contents
1. Introduction
We enjoyed our 1 night stay in Kruje, but that was mainly because we really liked the Hotel Panorama where we were staying. More about that in the next section.
The small old section of Kruje is very attractive but it is also very touristy. There isn't that much to see apart from a small, renovated and touristy bazaar and a very dilapidated castle.
Unless you are going to visit the 2 museums Kruje can be seen in about 1 hour. We didn't visit the museums as we are only interested in visiting really good ones.
The building of the Historical Museum is impressive. However, the focus on Skanderbed didn't appeal to us and the Bradt guide book says that all the information is in Albanian. Apparently a free guide is provided to interpret and that also didn't appeal. The entrance fee is 500 Lek which again was unappealing!
Kruje could be visited as a day trip from Tirana as it is an hour's drive from Tirana. It would probably take almost 2 hours by bus as the buses to Kruje depart from the regional bus station on the outskirts of Tirana.
The Bradt guide book suggests staying in Kruje if you need an overnight stay when departing from, or arriving at, Tirana International Airport. This would seem to be a good option as it is a 45 minute drive between Kruje and the airport.
2. Hotel Panorama in Kruje
We avoided staying in hotels during our 3 month road trip but we couldn't find any suitable apartments in Kruje. The Hotel Panorama had excellent reviews, free parking and cost less than Eur 70 for a double room with breakfast. What more could we want!
We arrived at Hotel Panorama in the early afternoon and the friendly front desk clerk gave us a room facing the castle, bazaar and mosque. Some people don't like being so close to the mosque due to the early morning call to prayer, but for us it added to the atmosphere.
The view from our room and balcony was fantastic. As I said in the introduction it doesn't take long to see Kruje and it was really nice just sitting on the balcony absorbing the view and atmosphere.
We usually don't eat at hotels, but a couple of reviewers on Tripadvisor recommended eating at Hotel Panorama. We are glad that we had our dinner there as the restaurant is nice, the food is good and the cost is very reasonable. It is popular so a reservation is advisable.
We were fortunate to be given a room with a view. A couple who arrived shortly after us were disappointed not to have a view. On Booking.com it isn't possible to select a room with a castle view but on the hotel's website it is. As the price is the same I recommend booking directly with the hotel.
3. The Bazaar in Kruje
Kruje's bazaar was restored in the 1960's and as they are wooden buildings I suspect there is little left of the original structures. The bazaar consists of one street with shops on either side and then another street with shops just on the one side. It isn't a huge area and many of the shops sell the same stuff.
Unless you are a shopper the bazaar can be seen in 5 to 10 minutes. It is nice for photos but the bazaar solely exists for tourists!
4. The Castle in Kruje
Kruje's castle is always open and there is no entrance fee. Unless you visit the History Museum the castle can easily be seen in half an hour.
The castle is derelict and was also affected by an earthquake in November 2019. This badly damaged the clock tower and it is no longer open to the public. It also badly damaged the Tekke (Teqe) and it is in the process of being restored. We were allowed to look around, but it is in such a bad state it is no longer worth visiting.
There is also a hammam in the castle grounds but entry isn't possible.
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