Tirana
The brilliant and inviting capital city of Albania is an outstanding place to visit. Tirana is a Balkan destination not to be missed.
Tirana in a nutshell
The capital of Albania, Tirana still has remnants of its half a century of communist rule, vast apartment blocks that have been brightly painted to escape those torrid times, happily rubbing shoulders with magnificent Ottoman and Italian architecture. It’s a noisy, busy city with more bicycles than cars and plenty of lush green spaces.
The city is a melting pot of cultures, a mix as surprising as its architecture. Despite being the capital city of a country that shares borders with both Greece and Italy, Tirana boasts its own distinct personality. The hub of the city is pedestrianized Skanderbeg Square, dominated by the Skanderbeg Monument and home to numerous buildings including the Clock Tower, National Library, National Historical Museum and the Palace of Culture.
Tourists often describe Tirana as a lovely and pleasant city with cosmopolitan and small-town vibes mixed in with a vibrant nightlife. Gone are the times when Tirana experienced practically daily power outages, making the city a raucous place where automobiles navigated by blasting their horns due to a shortage of electricity and traffic signals.
The situation has much improved in terms of power disruptions today. Tirana is experiencing a tremendous transformation following the fall of communism. Many of the unsightly, dingy structures have already been renovated, but there is still a lot of progress to be made. Although English is fast gaining popularity as the city's second language among the youth, many older inhabitants still speak Italian.
Despite the media's silly stereotypes of Albanians as thieves and mobsters, they are really welcoming to visitors. If you're the daring kind, Tirana is quite approachable - violence is infrequent, if ever directed at foreigners, and the expenses are relatively ok by regional standards. The worst encounter one could get is from Albanians' unpredictable driving style.
The major commercial and recreational district is nowadays "The Block" (Blloku), which is the region where communist officials used to dwell under rigorous security in the past. Locals prefer to congregate at the city's numerous cafés and parks. Tirana is a vibrant and energetic city with a steady flow of energy. The gondola to Mount Dajti, where one may see a breathtaking view down from on high, is a favourite getaway.
On Rruga Ded Gjo Luli, just north of Skanderbeg Square, a new tourist information centre has been opened (behind the National Historic Museum). The English-speaking staff is really accommodating and can give maps and directions to nearby hostels/hotels, among other things. Free copies of the "Tirana in Your Pocket" booklet are also available, which include important information regarding bus and furgon times.
Best time to visit Tirana: Tirana is pleasant to visit year-round, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. Winter is the rainy season, so if you visit at this time of the year, bring an umbrella.
Best Area for Sightseeing: Skanderbeg Square and the city centre
This central square is home to numerous including the National History Museum, the National Theater, Clock Tower, Palace of Culture and the Et’hem Bey Mosque. In the city center, you’ll find remains of communist rule including numerous statues and murals. There’s also the iconic Museum of Secret Surveillance, former HQ for Albania’s National Intelligence Service and the museums called Bunk’Art, near the Dajti Ekspres cable car, and Bunk’Art 2, close to Sanderbeg Square, are both sad reminders of atomic bunkers built during communist rule to keep citizens frightened of foreign invasion.
Best Area for Shopping: Myslym Shyri and Skanderbeg Square
Skanderbeg Square is home to numerous shops where you can pick up everything from souvenirs to more specialized items, like Adrion, a famous bookstore offering English language magazines and books as well as various Albanian maps and souvenirs. Or browse smaller stores in streets like Myslym Shyri, where you can pick up everything from local carpets to décor items.
Best Area for Food & Restaurants: Blloku neighorhood and Uka Farm
A short walk from Sanderbeg Square takes you to the Blloku district, once an elite communist playground and now a hip neighborhood full of trendy eateries and designer boutiques. The farm to table experience is a major focus in the city and you’ll find many of the restaurants adopt this dining experience. One of these that offers a taste of authentic Albanian cuisine is Uka Farm, 11km from the centre of Tirana. Produce is grown on site, including olives, grapes, fruit and vegetables and the wine is also cultivated here. For an authentic Albanian meal, there’s the Oda Restaurant, housed in an old building dating back to the Ottoman era. Let the waiters guide you about what to eat and wash down the dishes with home-made raki.
Best way to get around: Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Buses are also cheap and there’s a flat rate for travelling within the city center.
Best Area for Nightlife: The Blloku area
Within walking distance of Sanderbeg Square, this trendy district is a place to party till the wee hours. Live music is on offer, and you can enjoy numerous bars here, including Rooftop XVI on the 16th floor of the Sky Tower. Close by you’ll find laidback Radio, a bar specializing in whisky, antique radios and live music. For something different, enjoy a Hollywood movie with Albanian subtitles at Millennium or head to the National Theater of Opera and Ballet for an unmatched performance.