Do you want to know Albania 360 degrees?
Then I invite you to start your exploration from the northernmost part of the country.
It is Vermoshi.
In geographical terms, it is defined as 42 degrees 39 ′ north latitude, and is a village in the Kelmendi highlands. Vermoshi is located at a distance of almost 100 km from the city of Shkodra at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level. It is the largest village in the Albanian Alps. In 1992 the village had 1,300 inhabitants and is now half that number.
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WHAT TO DO IN VERMOSH?
- Visit the Saint John Baptist church
- Mountain climbing in Marlula highlands
- Hike in the alpine valleys of Lëpushë & Cem
- Skiing on natural snowy slopes
- Trout fishing
- Mountain bike tours
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The inhabitants of this village have emigrated, mainly in the direction of the USA, to Detroid, where many VermoshI families live.
Vermoshi is built on a mountain plain of glacial origin created between which passes the river Vermoshi, or as it is otherwise called the river Limit, the only river in Albania with opposite flow that flows into the Danube.
It must be said from the beginning that Vermoshi is a wonderful place that offers great opportunities to make the most of holidays with stunning landscapes and rare natural beauty. Served in private alpine houses, but also hotels and inns with organic food of the area.
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Accommodation is daily, weekly and monthly, so stay as long as you want because you will not be bored. The main activities that can take place in Vermosh are mountain climbing in the Marlula highlands, walks in the deep alpine valleys (of Lëpushë and Cem), skiing on natural snowy slopes, trout sport fishing, etc. Another activity is mountain bike tours.
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Vermoshi has many beautiful places, such as the “hanging” Lugu of Skropatusha, Lugu without exit of Doli and the Circus of Smutiroga, the wrinkled rocks on the way to Lepush, the karst cave of Jacica, Lugu of Lerth, of Villa, Lugu of Nila. Sources, for the most part, bear the names of people or tribes.
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The houses are 2-3-storey, with thick stone walls, with balcony and external stairs, with alpine-type roof, very steep due to snow that in many cases stays up to 100 days a year. The interiors of the houses are with beautifully worked pine planks, with stairs with carved railings. The interiors are decorated with woolen works made by the women of the village.