My summer holiday really began on 28 July with a short day-trip to the historic hillside town of Kruja, one hour north of Tirana. Nestled high in the mountains, this small but pleasant town holds significance as the fortress of Albania's national icon, George Kastrioti (a.k.a Skenderbeg) between 1443 and 1468. Kastrioti, son of an Albanian prince, was handed over as a hostage to the Turks, who converted him to Islam, gave him a military education, and changed his name to Iskender (after Alexander the Great). Sultan Murat II promoted him to the rank of bey (governor), hence the name Skenderbeg. When the Turks lost a battle to the Hungarians in 1443, that nationally-minded Skenderbeg abandoned Islam and the Ottoman army, and rallied his fellow Albanians against the Turks. Until his death in 1468, Skenderbeg led an Albanian resistance movement, repulsing thirteen Turkish invasions, including three attacks on his own castle in Kruja. For these reasons, Skenderbeg is regarded as perhaps the greatest and most celebrated national hero in Albania's history, and many statues and monuments have been built in his honour.