The town has a long maritime history. Its harbour has been identified with ancient Nymphaeum, mentioned in Julius Caesar’s account of his civil war, and for centuries it served as the sea port of Lezhë and the interior, appearing on old Venetian maps as San Giovanni di Medua. In 1924 it was renamed in honour of US President Woodrow Wilson, for his support of Albania after the First World War. Today the Port of Shëngjin is still the main harbour of northern Albania.
The sandy beach shelves gently into the sea, which suits families, and in summer the seafront fills with hotels, restaurants, bars, concerts and water sports. The water is usually clearer away from the harbour. For wilder scenery, head north-west to the dunes of Rana e Hedhun, or south to the birdlife of the protected Kune-Vain lagoon.
Relaxed and family-friendly, Shëngjin is a convenient base for exploring Lezhë, Shkodër and the northern coast.
