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"Sapa Castle"/ The restaurant that restores the traditional cooking of the area

2025-07-02 15:38:00, Qyteti im CNA

"Sapa Castle"/ The restaurant that restores the traditional cooking of

Almost three decades ago, Roza Hila from the village of Nënshatë in Vau i Dejës left the area where she grew up to move to Lezha, as a city with more opportunities for raising children. But she never severed her ties with her country. Two years ago, she decided to return to open her own restaurant. “Sapa Castle” she decided to call it, in honor of the name of the Sapa area.

"Sapa Castle"/ The restaurant that restores the traditional cooking of

"I am from Nënshati, I was born and raised here and I am also married in Nënshati. In our life journey, due to the difficult conditions here, 25 years ago, we fled to Lezha to live thinking about our children. We worked and lived there and here in Nënshati we had our land, the land of our ancestors, the land of our husband. Naturally, the idea was born seeing that agrotourism is developing greatly and having the land and this beautiful space together with the products, we thought of opening it keeping in mind the future for our son", says Lula Hila, owner of the restaurant "Kalaja e Sapa".

"Sapa Castle"/ The restaurant that restores the traditional cooking of

Lula also talks about the first difficulties.

"I've been opening it for two years, with some difficulty because the conditions were difficult. We had the idea much earlier, but it was impossible at the time. Even though I'm at the beginning, my ideas are clear, even though the possibilities are that they don't allow us to develop as we want, but hoping and with good ideas I can reach the point I want.

"Sapa Castle is the name of my former village, we are talking about 960 years ago. Years later, the village was moved further down. In fact, Sapa Castle is said to have been a city and due to wars, then people moved, arriving here where we are today. It has also changed as the name of the village, but our agrotourism has taken the name we have chosen from that history," said Lula.

The beginning remains difficult, but this is no reason for Lula to retreat. In addition to creating a clientele, tourists from different countries of the world come to "Kalaja e Sapa" now, enjoying not only the beautiful area of ??Nënshati, but also the traditional dishes that Lula serves.

"The first year I had to say the truth was much more difficult, but now every day it's better. Naturally there are changes, not strong but there is a change and tourists have started to come. They come from Germany, Italy but they also look for a place to sleep, but at the moment I have not yet taken that step even though I am towards it and I believe we will solve it.

It works mostly on orders, but there are also occasional ones because we put up a poster on the street and they come back to us. I think they have been satisfied so far because I know the cuisine very well. Everything is organic, starting with beef, pork, I keep the chickens myself because I have a considerable chicken farm. Then the other products, starting with cheese and all of them are local, we make everything ourselves.

What I like the most is grilled pork, but beef and organic chicken are also favorites. The dishes are made with wood because I am among the trees here. We roast the meat more, then the other foods are general, but from the area. To be honest, the road is the most difficult thing and I have dealt with its system myself as much as I have been able to. The biggest problem remains the road, which is functional, but not in the right conditions and for me it is a strong obstacle", - says Lula.

"Sapa Castle"/ The restaurant that restores the traditional cooking of

But why should visitors come to Sapa Castle?

"Tourists should come because by coming and staying with me, in addition to the traditional dishes and organic foods we have, we have created another opportunity, a path that starts from our restaurant to the St. Michael's path and connects to the diocese of Sapa where the nuns are located. Visitors can explore it and it is a beautiful mountain path and at the end is the part of the former town," said Lula.

At a time when we increasingly seek to return to nature, the Sapa region reminds us that beauty, peace and history are often much closer than we think. With breathtaking landscapes, traces of an ancient civilization and hospitality that fills the heart, this area remains an undiscovered treasure waiting to be visited by every traveler. Sapa is not just a destination, it is an experience that remains long in the memory and invites you to return again and again. And with it, the restaurant that stands like a crown over the village. /CNA