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Kavajë’s coastline measures roughly at a length of 29.61 km (18 mi) and is mostly flat with plenty of sandy and gravel beaches. The main beaches are: Golem (Mali i Robit, Qerret), Karpen (Kepi i Bishtit të Barbaut), Carina (Gjiri i Forsilukut), Kepi i Lagjit (Kalaja e Turrës), Plazhi i Gjeneralit, Spille (Guri i Lëmuar), Greth.
Kavajë is located in a Mediterranean Climate region where the summers are dry and hot and the winters are wet and mild. Average surface temperatures range annually between 15.5 to 16 °C (59.9 to 60.8 °F).
Monuments of Nature are considered those objects/places of living or non-living nature which possess exceptional scientific, ecological, cultural, historical and religious value. The following objects/places are declared natural monuments in this region by decree nr.767 dated 20 December 2002: Salt Springs of Golemas, Sulfurous Springs of Fliballie, Laurel of Turrë Castle, Coastal Cliffs of Bardhor, Carina Beach, Sea Fossils of Thartor, Aligned Rocks in Cikallesh, General’s Beach, Karstic Caves in Mengaj
Not more that 15 km from Kavaja, in western-central Albania, is located the impressive Castle of Bashtova; to the mouth of Shkumbini River, 4 km from the Adriatic shoreline, which has been considered as a very strategic point at the time of its construction. It controled a very large area to the Adriatic coast to the west, and the same area to the field from the east. It was exactly at the Shkumbin river valley where passed the ancient “Via Egnatia” Road, which connected east and west better than anywhere else.
The castle has always attracted the attention of the travelers and scholars who have shared their notes, maps and drawings about it. According to the Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi , the castle was founded by the Venetians and was conquered by the Turks at the time when Fatih Sultan was directed toward the Albanian Skenderi (Shkodra).
Bashtova Village has been a center of grain trade until the late 14th century; the time when the cereal commencing passed from Ragusians hand to the Venetians’. At that time, except the trade of cereals, Venetians were interested to hold in their hands the fortified strategic points along the Adriatic coast.
In the books of registration of the Albania Sandzak lands of Turks in 1431-32 Castle Bshtovë is not mentioned. For the first time, Bashtova apears in a map as a castle (not only as a trading village) on 1521, in the Piri Reiz’s map, as part of a manual which serving to seafarers for practical needs.
The castle was built on a greenfield site and is located approximately 400 meters north of Shkumbin river; it has a 60 x 90 m rectangular plan oriented to the north-south direction. The castle has three entrances, from which there still are well preserved archaeological traces they were placed at the northern, western and eastern walls of the castle. At the four corners and at the midpoint along each wall, there are defensive towers, except of the west wall that belongs to a second building phase. The walls are approximately 1 m wide and built in local sandstone.
Nowadays are still preserved two circular towers and one rectangular. The wall midlength’s towers are all rectangular. They have 1,25 to 1,40 m thick and up to 12m high walls.
The construction of the castle is linked precisely with a Venetian building for several reasons; Skanderbeg was more interested in strengthening the forts he already owned as well as to the paths where the Turkish army would pass through, while the turks were more focused in repairing and making use of the existing castles, like they did in Elbasan, Petrel, Preza, etc. Placed in a large flat valley and away from the roads of the turkish arm, this castle could not have been constructed from Skanderbeg either.
Building a new castle at the mouth of Shkumbin river was an excessive expenditure for the Venetians when they could easily preserve any existing castle in the area. Anyway the Castle did not stay for any long time under the dominance of the Venetians; according to Çeleby, it was conquered by the Turks, in 1478, where later they did additional work in the castle.
The church is thought to have been built in the 13th century and is the only church left in Albania with a clear gothic architecture. It was built as a catholic benedictine church during the time of the Kingdom of Albania. Similar catholic churches were built during this time both in Central and Northern Albania, but the Çetë church is the only one still standing. In 1691 the church was transformed into an orthodox church, painted with frescoes and decorated with icons. The Zografi Brothers painted all four walls. In addition, 16 icons, as well as the iconostas, are attributed to a later, 18th century Kostandin Shtaparaku. The iconostas is no longer preserved. Furthermore, many frescoes were destroyed by a fire caused during period of atheism which started in 1967. That period, which coincided with the destruction of many religious objects, but did not affect the Çetë church, as the local inhabitants, despite being a Muslim majority, did not accept its destruction.
