Before starting with Tirana…if you are planning a trip in Albania, check out our other posts about Albania:
- 7 Days in Albania, our guide to an essential trip in Albania.
- 10 Albanian dishes you really have to taste
- 2 days in Korçë, the best Christmas destination in Albania
- Albanian riviera – best beaches & what else to do.
Tirana is the capital and largest city in Albania. Some travellers don’t stay enough time here as they leave quickly to the historical cities of Berat and Gjirokastër or to the Albanian riviera… what a mistake!!
It is certainly worthwhile spending a couple of days in Tirana. It offers one of the best cultural scenes in the Balkans, bars and restaurants you will remember for years to come. In Tirana you can enjoy traditional and modern Albanian cuisine.
Tirana also features some very interesting and unique museums where you will learn about the history of Albania, a crossroads of civilisations, albeit mostly about its recent history under Enver Hoxha’s communist regime, one of the most closed and authoritarian in the world, that sprinkled the country with bunkers.
Finally, mount Dajti, a natural oasis just outside a bustling and chaotic city, where you can arrive by a modern cable car – but not before visiting the largest bunker in Albania.
Anida was born and raised in Durrës, just 40 minutes from Tirana. But she has also studied and lived a long time in Tirana, so she knows well its highlights, secrets, nightlife and restaurantes. So this is a real insider guide to Tirana, created for you by a local.
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Contents
How long should I stay in Tirana?
We recommend you to stay at least two days in Tirana, so you can explore the city, visit a couple of museums, including the largest bunker in Albania, as well as enjoy its food and nightlife.
But you can also stay longer – bear in mind that Tirana is also a good base to visit some historical cities in Albania such as Kruja and Durrës (around 45 minutes by car, with frequent buses), and even Berat (a 2 hours drive).
Whether you stay for one day or one week, in this post we have designed five walking tours so you can make the most of your time in Tirana.
If you prefer that someone takes you around, you can try one of these local free tours.
A little history of Tirana
The earliest known mention of Tirana is in a Venetian document from 1418. It was a small market town throughout the Ottoman domination, until the 1920 Congress of Lushnjë, where Tirana was designated as provisional capital city of the Albanian state, established in 1912 after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Nowadays, there are just a few remnants in Tirana of the period before it became the Albanian capital – the oldest are the mosaics of a 3rd century Roman villa, but the best known are the Ottoman-era Et’hem Bey Mosque and Tanner’s Bridge in Tirana city centre.
In 1925 the provisional capital became permanent and an ambitious urban development started to turn this small town into the capital of a modern European state.
In 1928, Albania became a monarchy under King Zog I, who had very friendly relations with fascist Italy. He hired Di Fausto and Brasini, two important architects in Mussolini’s Italy, to design Tirana’s new central area.
Italy invaded Albania in 1939. Soon a local resistance was organised, in which the communist partisans played a decisive role. When World War II finished, Enver Hoxha‘s communists rose to power.
Tirana became the capital of one of the most mysterious and authoritarian regimes in the world. Hoxha broke relations with Yugoslavia and later with the USSR, becoming completely isolated of Europe (entering or leaving the country was extremely difficult), with China as its only powerful ally.
But in the exclusive neighbourhood of Blloku, the high-ranked civil servants and party cadres enjoyed a luxurious life, comparable to that of Western Europe, including international cuisine. Now Blloku is one of the trendiest areas to go out in Tirana.
Transition to capitalism and democracy was hard in Albania. A huge government-sponsored Ponzi scheme that affected the savings of around one-third of Albania’s population caused civil unrest that turned into anarchy and civil war for some weeks in 1997.
In the last few years, Tirana’s urban landscape has changed frantically – it seems there has been many more construction works in two years than in the previous ten.
After the full renovation of Tirana’s main square, there has been a huge real estate development with several skyscrapers (many with beautiful designs) and museums are being fully renovated with EU funds. Tirana is opening up to the world and tourism is surging in unprecented numbers.
In spite of all its problemas, Albania, and Tirana specifically, is now a dynamic and very hospitable society. Albanians want to please visitors and tell them about their country… and by the way, food is great!
Arriving in Tirana
“Mother Theresa” Tirana International Airport (TIA) is close to the Tirana-Durrës motorway, and a 30 minute drive (with little traffic) away from Tirana city centre.
Tourism is growing really a lot in Albania and airlines are opening more and more routes. There are now direct flights from many European cities. There are also frequent connections via several Italian airports, as well as Istanbul, Munich and Frankfurt.
There are buses from the airport to Tirana running every hour (at o’clock).
You can also take a taxi. The easiest option is to take an official taxi, which wait in the airport stop. These taxis have fixed fares from the airport. A cheaper option is to call Green Taxi (which uses electric cars) or a similar company, but they cannot take you from the taxi rank, but just outside the airport.
Moving around Tirana
Tirana city centre is not so big and you walk to every point of interest. Any place where you would want to go is less than 30 minutes walking from the main square (Skënderbeu Sq), except for Mount Dajti and Bunk’Art.
Buses are the only public transport available in Tirana. It is very cheap (a ride costs 40 lek, around €0.33) and quite fast.
The main problem of the bus system in Tirana is that it is not easy to use – stops have scarce or no information about lines stopping there and their routes. Bus lines are not identified by numbers, but names (usually the final stops).
You can also move around by taxi. We don’t recommend driving with your own car in the city centre, as there is quite some traffic and it is not easy to find a parking place (which you would have to pay for).
Is Tirana safe?
Tirana is a very safe city. We have never had any problem, at any time of the day and night – it is perfectly safe to walk around and home at night, and we don’t know anyone who has at them. We also haven’t heard about scams against tourists.
5 walking tours to visit Tirana
With our five walking tours you can make the most of your time in Tirana and see all points of interest in the city. We have also included in this post a list of the most interesting museums… and our insider recommendations about the best places to eat in Tirana and enjoy its nightlife.
Tour #1 includes the most essential Tirana, those places you can’t leave without visiting. If you are only for 1 day in Tirana, we recommend you to combine this itinerary with the visit to Bunk’Art, the largest bunker in Albania, which is part of Tour #4 (if you prefer to stay in the city centre, the Museum of Secret Surveillance is also a great option). Finally, enjoy a good Albanian dinner and nightlife in Blloku.
If you are staying two days in Tirana, we recommend you to spend your first day exploring the city centre (our tours #1, 2 & 3) and the House of Leaves – Museum of Secret Surveillance. On your second day, visit Bunk’Art and Mount Dajti.
With some more time, you can explore the city further, including its colour painted houses (tour #5), some more museums and even visit Petrela castle… but especially, you can enjoy more its food and nightlife.
Con más tiempo, podéis explorar más la ciudad, incluyendo las casas de colores (itinerario 5), algunos museos más e incluso acercaros al castillo de Petrela, además de seguir disfrutando de su gastronomía y ambiente nocturno.
Tour #1: Skënderbeu square and main Boulevard
Skënderbeu Square
Skënderbeu Square is the obvious starting point when visiting Tirana. It was clearly meant to be the main central square of Tirana – the city’s main avenues start here, including the commercial Rruga e Kavajës and Rruga e Durresit.
When King Zog rose to power, short after the country’s independence, he hired famous Italian architects to transform Skënderbeu Square into a proper European capital city. They designed wide boulevards and administrative buildings following a plan that had Skënderbeu Square as its focal point.
The representative administrative buildings (Ministries and the City Hall) of Italian fascist style that encircle the Southern side of the square were constructed during this time. The communist regime continued the urban development of the square and the surrounding area, which has also been intense in the last few decades.
The Monument to Skënderbeu watches over the square. Gjergj Kastrioti “Skënderbeu” (or Skanderbeg in the Western European tradition) was a military leader educated in the Ottoman court who led an uprising of Albanians (and other Balkan peoples who joined) against the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.
Skënderbeu repelled four Ottoman sieges in his stronghold of Kruja, which made all Europe regard him as invincible. In fact, the Ottomans couldn’t dominate Albania until he died naturally. His struggle for the independence of Albanians made him the Albanian national hero.
Behind the statue there is a tree-lined semicircled, called Europe Park, where Et’hem Bey Mosque and the administrative Italian buildings stand.
A full renovation of Skënderbeu Sq started by the end of 2015 – traffic was removed and a new fantastic curved pavement, made from stones brought from all different regions of Albania. Representative trees from all over Albania were also planted around the square.
Thus, the idea of Skënderbeu Sq as not only the centre of Tirana, but of all Albania, was ascertained. Now all inhabitants of Tirana, coming from all over the country, can feel part of the city.
In fact, the square already hosted some of the most important institutions in the country: the Bank of Albania, the National History Museum and the Palace of Culture (Opera House).
The mosaic above the main entrance of the National History Museum is especially interesting. It summarises how Albanians see the history of their nation (or, at least, how Hoxha’s government saw it) – from the ancient Illyrians to Skënderbeu, the lawmakers of the modern era and the partisans. In the centre, a woman in traditional attire holds a rifle next to the national flag-bearer.
Et'hem Bey Mosque
On the southeastern corner of Skënderbeu Sq stand two buildings that predated the establishment of the capital in Tirana – the beautiful Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Clock Tower.
The construction of Et’hem Bey Mosque started around 1791, in the centre of old Tirana, now largely gone. Et’hem Bey, who oversaw the final stage of the building project, was the great-grandson of Sulejman Pasha, who had built the first mosque in Tirana in 1614. This mosque stood very close to Et’hem Bey’s, but was destroyed in 1944.
Especially after 1967, Hoxha’s regime went on a frenzy of religious heritage destruction. Fortunately, Et’hem Bey Mosque was spared, as it was recognised as a unique historical and artistic masterpiece. It is now one of the few historical mosques in Tirana and certainly the most iconic and beautiful.
You really have to visit its interior – it is small, but features wonderful original frescoes. Some of them represent wildlife and urban scenes, a rarity in Islamic art.
The mosque is still used as a Muslim temple, so sometimes you can see people praying. On the holiest Muslim days, some have to follow the ceremony outside, as there is not much space in the prayer room.
Clock Tower
The Clock Tower (Kulla e Sahatit) is one of the symbols of Tirana. 35 meters high, when it was built in 1822 it was the tallest building in the city.
It is a sober square-shaped Ottoman-style tower. Its bell tolls every hour.
You can climb up the tower and enjoy a view of Skënderbeu Square and Tirana.
Orthodox Cathedral
Behind the administrative buildings in Skënderbeu Square stands the Resurrection Cathedral (Ngjallja e Krishtit), seat of the Patriarchate of Tirana and All Albania.
It is a modern building, finished in 2012, in neo-Byzantine style.
Its dome sits at 32 metres height. Its 46-metre bell tower is probably the most interesting feature of the Cathedral
One of the most interesting museums in Tirana is just across the street from the Orthodox Cathedral – we are talking about the House of Leaves or Museum of Secret Surveillance of the Sigurimi, Hoxha’s notorious secret police.
Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit
Behind the mosque and the Italian-style buildings that now house the Tirana City Hall and some national ministries is Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit, usually known just as “The Boulevard“. It is the most monumental avenue in Tirana, crossing river Lana and ending at the university campus.
The Boulevard features some of the most interesting examples of communist-era architecture, the headquarters of some national public institutions, as well as the modern national football stadium.
National Gallery of Arts
The National Gallery of Arts stands at the beginning of the Boulevard. In front of it, Reja / The Cloud will probably be the first thing to catch your eye – this is a temporary pavilion designed with thin steel bars by Japanese sculptor Sou Fujimoto in 2016. It is sometimes used to host concerts and other cultural events.
If you are not planning to visit the National Gallery of Arts, at least you should check out the communist-era monuments in the museum’s backyard.
You will find the expected statues of Hoxha, Stalin and Lenin, but also a more original statue of a partisan woman, a symbol of strong women, fighting on an equal stand with men.
In front of the Gallery is Youth Park (Parku Rinia). There stands Kompleksi Taiwan, that features a small casino, bowling and a pleasant outdoor café with a decorative swimming pool.
Tirana Pyramid
Continue walking down the Boulevard, crossing river Lana, to arrive in the Pyramid – probably the most famous and controversial Communist-era construction in Tirana.
The Pyramid opened in 1988 museum dedicated to Enver Hoxha’s legacy, who had died, still in power, in 1985. The building was designed by the dictator’s daughter, Pranvera Hoxha, and her husband.
When the Communist regime collapsed in 1991, the museum was closed and turned into an exhibition centre. Later, the Pyramid was abandoned and that’s how it ended up with its current ruinous appearance. Its demolition was discussed, but finally it was agreed to save it and renovate it.
As of July 2023, works are still not finished, but you can see the new Pyramid and even climb to the top, where you will be rewarded with a nice view. Honestly, it’s as if the original Pyramid had been demolished and a new one built in its place.
The new Pyramid has approximately the same shape as the original one, but its concrete ramps have been substituted by staircases, that change the original geometry.
Even though we must admit that the Pyramid was abandoned and now it has been rebuilt as a cultural centre and it is already being used by people to chat with a view or skateboard in one of its platforms, we believe that the original structure should have been maintained – its design was more evocative and it was an icon of 1980s Albanian architecture.
As a tribute to the Pyramid, we keep the picture of the original one (above) along with the new Pyramid
In the same square where the Pyramid stands is the Peace Bell, cast from bullet cartridges used during the 1997 civil war.
A series of massive Ponzi schemes that evaporated the earnings of many Albanians triggered unrest that developed into a civil war. Armed groups took control of large parts of the country and the government could barely stop them – criminal gangs from the South of Albania aligned with the opposition, while those from the North supported the government.
The government resigned and called for a snap election and peace was restored, but Albania was in the brink of a full-scale civil war, something that this monument reminds us should happen again. In 2023, the bell cannot be seen because of works in the Pyramid…
Across the Boulevard starts Blloku, once the forbidden city of the People’s Party of Albania, now the trendiest neighbourhood of Tirana. But for now let’s just continue walking down the Boulevard…
Just after the Pyramid you will find the residence and office of the prime minister of Albania and, on the other side of the Boulevard, the former headquarters of the Central Committee of the People’s Party.
On the next block is Hotel Rogner, one of the best in Tirana, where we celebrated our wedding. It has a wonderful courtyard and swimming pool inside.
Palace of Congresses
The Palace of Congresses is the next large construction in the Boulevard. It is one of the most interesting examples of Communist-era architecture in Tirana. It was built as a multifunctional building between 1982 and 1986, in a symmetrical futuristic style.
In front of the Palace of Congresses is the residence and office of the President of the Republic of Albania. At night there is a colour lighting on the building and its fountain.
National Stadium
Further down the Boulevard, you will arrive in some massive rectangular arcades. On on side of them is the Archaeological Museum of Albania. In front, the modern National Stadium (Arena Kombëtare) was opened in 2019, on the side of former Qemal Stafa stadium.
With a capacity of nearly 22.000, it is the largest stadium in Albania. It hosts the games of the Albanian national team, as well as those of local clubs Partizani and Dinamo (KF Tirana, the other big club in the city, plays in its own stadium).
The stadium has a unique rectangular shape with long convex corners. On one of these corners rises Hotel Marriott’s 24-storey tower. The stadium’s façade is made of red and black convex panels (the colours of the Albanian flag) and traditional geometrical motifs. There are some shops and restaurants in the stadium building.
The Boulevard ends in a wide square whose main feature is the Dean’s Office of Tirana Polytechnical University (Rektorat).
This is actually another Italian fascist architecture work – it was built in 1939-1942 as Casa del Fascio. Its lines are inspired in Albanian mediaeval towers and closes the new monumental axis of the Boulevard.
Behind Rektorat the Tirana Lake Park extends towards the South – a large green area in a city with not many of them. The lake is man-made, but beautiful and pleasant. It is a very popular place to go for a walk or jogging, but it also has nice cafés and good restaurants like Mullixhiu.
Tour #2: Tirana Castle, Ottoman Bridge and New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri)
Pedestrian Street (Calle Peatonal)
This walking tour starts again from Skënderbeu Square. This time, instead of taking the Boulevard, turn left and you will arrive in Shëtitorja Murat Toptani, known by locals as Pedonalja (Pedestrian Street).
Until 2020, here stood the National Theatre, a great example of 1930s Italian architecture – it was demolished in spite of the opposition of many citizen’s and artists and the protection of Europa Nostra.
Despite this loss, Pedonalja is still a very pleasant street to walk by, and takes you to Tirana Castle.
Tirana Castle
Today Tirana Castle is basically a modern shopping centre that tries to look mediaeval, with local and international shops, bars and restaurants.
There are some remnants of the original castle, namely a courtyard, a wall and some of its foundations. A primitive fortress was built here during the Byzantine era, probably under Emperor Justinian in the 6th c.
In the 18th century, the Toptani family, one of the most powerful in Albania, occupied and rebuilt the castle, using it as a fortress. In 1832, the Ottomans ordered its demolition and remained in ruins thereafter.
The Toptani are still the owners of this castle, as a sign on the entrance makes clear, and have now rebuilt it as a tourist attraction. As such, it opened its doors in 2018. It is a nice place, but too artificial and touristic for our taste.
House of Parliament and the new Namazgjasë Mosque
Upon leaving the castle through the opposite exit you will see the white building of the Albanian Parliament, hidden behind a fence and gardens. Next to it, the massive Namazgjasë Mosque, a new mosque under construction that imitates Ottoman architecture from the 16th-18th centuries.
The construction project for this Mosque has been controversial since the transition to democracy in Albania. Finally, the state ceded the ground to the Muslim community and its construction was financed by the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).
There were only 8 mosques remaining in Tirana, down from 28 in 1967, when Hoxha declared Albania an atheist state and started the destruction of a significant part of the country’s religious heritage. Even if Albania is not a religious country nowadays, the capacity of Tirana’s mosques was not enough in Muslim holidays.
The Namazgjasë Mosque was inaugurated in 2015, with Turkish president Erdogan attending the ceremony, although works are ongoing. It is the largest mosque in the Balkans with a capacity for 4500 worshippers. Its maximum height is around 50 metres.
Ura e Tabakëve (Tanner's Bridge)
Further East of the castle, next to river Lana, is another of the few Ottoman constructions remaining in Tirana – The 18th-century Tanner’s Bridge.
This bridge connected the old city of Tirana to the road that led to the highlands, and its main users where tanners and butchers (tabakëve in Albanian) that came and went with their livestock.
In the 1930s the course of river Lana was diverted and the bridge lost its sense and was abandoned.
From 1990, the bridge has been restored and revalued as one of the most important Ottoman constructions in Tirana. Now there is a pond below the bridge so it actually crosses some water.
If you actually cross river Lana, you will find the 17th-century Tanner’s Mosque (Xhamia e Tabakëve).
Pazari i Ri (New Bazaar)
The New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri) was built in 1931 on the site of part of the old Ottoman bazaar, which reached what now is Skënderbeu Square. Its current appearance is due to the full renovation carried out in 2016. As in other areas in Tirana, some buildings are painted with geometrical designs in bright colours.
There is a fresh produce market open every day and several bars and restaurants, which serve mostly traditional Albanian cuisine. There is also a Reka, the best confectionery in Tirana.
Like in the rest of Tirana, nothing reminds us of the bustling Ottoman market, as it has given way to a modern and international space – only the Kokonozi Mosque, built in 1750, reminds us of what once was.
Hotel Plaza & Ottoman Tomb of Kapllan Pasha
Walking back towards Skënderbeu Square from Pazari i Ri, stop by Hotel Plaza’s skyscraper.
Next to it, there is a modern building that rises about the tomb of Kapllan Pasha, an Ottoman administrator of Tirana, built in 1817. Actually, a corner of this building was cut to make way for this Ottoman relic.
This was one of many Ottoman tombs that stood around Sulejman Pasha Mosque, the oldest in Tirana. This mosque, and the rest of the tombs, were lost during World War II.
Tour #3: Blloku
South of river Lana and West of the Boulevard is Blloku, a kind of forbidden city og Enver Hoxha’s government, cadres of the administration and the Communist Party and their families.
We are not exaggerating – in fact, most Albanians were not allowed to enter this part of the city!
In Blloku, they could lead a lifestyle similar to that in a large Western European city, including good international restaurants. They made an exception to Hoxha’s rigid stalinist and autarkic ideology, in sharp contrast to the ordinary dwellers of Tirana.
Now, Blloku is an elegant and trendy neighbourhood, where everyone can go, but few can pay a rent. In Blloku you will find the best jewellery shps in the city, bars with beautiful outdoor areas, great restaurants (from traditional to international haute cuisine) and a fantastic nightlife in its pubs and clubs.
That’s why, even if you only have a night in Tirana, you should go to Blloku… after checking our recommendations of restaurants and bars in Tirana.
As you may have imagined, Enver Hoxha’s residence was in Blloku. It is a rationalist house with a small garden. Hoxha lived here with his wife and three children for decades. As he didn’t travel much, he spent much time in this house smoking and reading when he had some spare time.
Enver Hoxha’s residence has been closed to the public for a long time, but recently the Albanian government and Tirana city hall anounced plans to renovate it and open it as a multi-purpose venue, keeping the original furniture and decoration. Actually, you can already visit it partially.
Blloku also offers you the best views in Tirana! Go to the bar in the top floor of Sky Hotel. Its round panoramic platform turns slowly so you can enjoy a 360º view of Tirana and the surrounding hills sitting comfortably on your chair.
Tour #4: Mount Dajti and the largest bunker in Albania
Northeast of Tirana, Mount Dajti is the most representative of the hills that surround the city. Its summit is at 1613 metres above sea level and all the area is a protected National Park.
In 2005 a modern cable car was opened (Dajti Ekspres) to take you from the city to a flat area on the hill (not the summit). The cabins’ floor is transparent so you can enjoy the view better.
Once there, you can enjoy a forest sprinkled with bunkers, where snow is common in winter. There are some hiking routes to explore Dajti and reach the summit. You can also eat in one of its restaurants.
Bunk'Art
Before going up Mount Dajti, we recommend you to visit Bunk’Art, one of the most interesting places in Tirana. Even if you are only staying one day in Tirana, it’s a good idea to come here. Bunk’Art is very near the cable car station to go up Dajti.
Bunk’Art is a museum in the largest bunker in Albania, a massive work designed to give refuge during months, even years, Hoxha’s government, his collaborators and members of parliament. It was even prepared to resist nuclear attacks and it had a radioactiva decontamination room at the entrance.
Despite Hoxha’s paranoia (or maybe thanks to it, who knows), no enemy ever tried to invade small and poor Albania and this bunker never served its purpose, although some military exercises were held in it – and Enver Hoxha took part in at least two of them.
Now Bunk’Art is a museum that has kept the original furniture and used some of the bunker’s many rooms to show how everyday life was during the Albanian communist regimen, as well as Hoxha’s repression.
Don’t mistake Bunk’Art and Bunk’Art 2. No.2 is in Tirana city centre, very close to Skënderbeu Square. It is also interesting, but not as large and amazing. The exhibits in Bunk’Art 2 focus mostly in the repression and prisons during Hoxha’s dictatorship.
It seems Hoxha came up with the idea of building this bunker after a visit to North Korea in 1964. What is certain is that its construction started in 1972 and it was opened in 1978.
The bunker is made up of five tunnels at different levels – only from the longest one you can access the other four. It has 106 rooms over 2685 m2.
After crossing the heavy entrance door of the bunker (now always open, the visit starts at the decontamination room. Then, we walk through t.he long corridor – the noise of alarms make it more terrifying.
The first interesting room is the office and bedroom of the supreme commander Enver Hoxha himself. It’s far from luxurious, but it is the largest and best furnished in the complex. It has a table for the commander and another one for his secretary. A door leads to his bedroom, with double bed and ensuite bathroom.
Later we will see the offices and bedrooms of the prime minister and cabinet chief, quite similar to the commander’s.
Some of the halls we visit exhibit different aspects of the regimen. The military, with drawings of Chinese artillery (they were Hoxha’s allies when he broke with the USSR after Stalin’s death), historical photos of Albania in the 1930s, representations of the border surveillance to control Albanians didn’t escape the country…
Other halls talk about everyday life in Albania under Hoxha – popular culture festivals, the furniture manufactured by the state company in different sizes, the same design in every house, regimen propaganda signs, its industrial development, etc.
Towards the end of the visit, we go down some stairs to the deepest level and find the largest space in the bunker – the assembly hall, designed to host the 250 members of parliament and 15 members of the presidium (government).
The hall was actually multi-functional – works of art could be displayed… or maps of Albania to prepare military operations.
Tour #5: Colourful Tirana
The destruction of great part of Tirana’s historical architecture and the fast urban development of the Communist era made it a city of grey and depressing neighbourhoods.
Edi Rama, then mayor of Tirana, politican and artist, decided to paint the façades of many houses with bright colours. Designs are quite varied, some geometrical and purely decorative, but also political. Rama won the World Mayor award in 2004 for his transformation of Tirana.
You can see some great examples of these houses by river Lana, in Sheshi Wilson (Wilson Square) and in Muhamet Gjollesha Street, next to the Zogu i Zi roundabout. If you go there, it is worth visiting Tirana’s Roman mosaic, very close to the roundabout.
The most interesting museums in Tirana
Museum of Secret Surveillance (House of Leaves)
The Museum of Secret Surveillance – House of Leaves (Shtëpia me Gjethe) is the most unique museum in Tirana, along with Bunk’Art in Dajti.
The House of Leaves was the actual building where Sigurimi agents (the notorious secret police under Hoxha) spied Albanians and foreigners who lived in Tirana, especially those pointed out as opposed to the regime or external enemies (like the embassies).
Enver Hoxha’s Albania was one of the most closed regimes in the world, much like North Korea. Being allowed to enter or leave was very difficult for most people. Hoxha saw enemies everywhere, also among his people, so he needed a secret police well prepared for surveillance.
In the House of Leaves you will see the equipment they used to listen covertly their targets and some ingenious inventions to hide microphones anywhere in homes or clothes.
Shtëpia me Gjethe (House of Leaves) is in Rruga Ibrahim Rugova, just across the Orthodox Cathedral, very close to Skënderbeu Square (behind the Bank of Albania).
Opening hours of House of Leaves: Tue-Sat 9 am to 4 pm, Sun 10 am to 3 pm. Mondays closed
Ticket prices are 700 lek (€5.90 / US$6.10). Entrance is free on the last Sunday of every month (except June, July and August), and on some other special dates.
National Gallery of Arts
The collection of the National Gallery of Arts (Galeria Kombëtare e Arteve) spans all history of Albanian painting – from the Middle Ages to contemporary art. It also contains a few foreign pieces.
But the most important and unique part of its exhibit are the socialist realism works, mostly created as propaganda of Hoxha’s regime.
There are many paintings from this period that show an ideal socialist country, highlighting the country’s industrialisation and emancipation of women.
Other frequent topics are the partisan’s fight and Albanian culture.
The Albanian realist school from the early 20th century also has some remarkable pieces.
The National Gallery also host temporary exhibitions, mostly dedicated to modern Albanian and international art.
Don’t leave the National Gallery of Arts without checking out the Communist-era public monuments in its backyard.
The National Gallery of Arts is located in the very beginning of the main Boulevard (Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit), just South of Skënderbeu square, before crossing river Lana.
The National Gallery of Arts opens every day 9 am to 7 pm (last access 6:40 pm). Tickets cost just 200 lek (€1.70 / US$1.75).
National History Museum
The National History Museum (Muzeu Historik Kombëtar) covers all Albanian history (even more than its mosaic): from the Upper Paleolithic to the 20th century.
Even though the building is large and spans a long period of time, the exhibition is not as big as you may imagine (you can visit it in 2 hours without haste).
The Antiquity section is the most extensive. There are many Illyrian steles – the Illyrians were an ancient people considered the ancestors of modern Albanians, although their actual language is not known, as they always wrote in Greek – Greek art and, mostly, Roman mosaics and statues.
The Beauty of Durrës (Bukuria e Durrësit), a Roman mosaic from the 4th c. is probably the most famous piece in the museum collection.
From the Middle Ages, there are Byzantine objects, stone emblems from the Albanian principalities and a whole section dedicated to Skënderbeu – there are books about him in several European languages, showing how important his figure became in Christian Europe during the Renaissance.
The final halls in the museum are dedicated to important events in contemporary Albanian national history – the “national awakening” in the last decades of the 19th c., Albanian independence, the Antifascist Liberation War and Communist Terror.
There are also some Orthodox Christian icons on display as well as a hall dedicated to Mother Theresa, who was an Albanian from Skopje.
In this museum you will learn quickly the most important features and events in Albanian history. It is interesting as many travellers who arrive in Albanian don’t really know much about the country’s history, apart from Hoxha and his bunkers. Then you will understand much better what you see in Tirana and in the rest of Albania.
We have to admit that some explanations can be improved and some translations are missing, but we hope this improves soon, as many other things in Albania. Anyway, the museum offers guided tours in English.
The National History Museum is one of the most representative buildings in Skënderbeu Square, on its Northern side. Its mosaic makes it unmistakeable.
The National History Museum opens every day from 9 am to 7 pm. Tickets cost 300 lek (€2.50 / US$2.55).
Tirana Roman Mosaic
The Mosaic of Tirana (Mozaiku i Tiranës) is the only Roman archaeological site in Tirana. It was discovered in 1972.
This site was part of a Roman villa rustica from the 3rd-4th c. Back then, the main city in the region was the port of Dyrrachium (Durrës), starting point of via Egnatia (that went all the way to Byzantium), 40 km West.
In the Byzantine period (5th-6th c.) a Christian basilica was built in this place.
Some of the mosaics are considerable well preserved and are mostly made of geometric designs.
The 21 Dhjetori neighbourhood, a 20 minute walk West of Skënderbeu Square, very close to the elegant embassies’ street and Zogu i Zi roundabout (where there are some painted houses). Entrance is free.
Around Tirana
Petrela Castle
Petrela Castle is located 15 km South of Tirana (a 25-minute drive).
Although its origins can be traced to the Byzantine period, the current construction dates from the 15th century.
This fortress was part of the defensive system of Kruja, which served Skënderbeu well against the Ottoman invasion of Albania.
The castle is on top of a hill that overlooks river Erzen and provides a beautiful panoramic view.
Inside the wooden structure of the main tower there is now a restaurant.
Eating in Tirana
Albania has, along with Greece, the best food in the Balkans. Located between the mountains and the Mediterranean, splitting the Adriatic and Ionian seas, Albania’s version of Mediterrean cuisine is laden with Turkish, Levantine and , Greek influences and, more recently, also Italian.
To know more about Albanian cuisine and know what to order in Albania, we recommend you to visit our post 10 Albanian dishes you really have to taste. You can’t leave Albania without trying some of them!
Certainly, in Tirana you can also find good Italians, as well as modern and international restaurants, that we also include in our guide. But if it’s your first time in Albania, you should definitely taste its traditional cuisine.
Tirana has a surprising food and growing food scene. In this section we will tell you about our favourite restaurants, but there are many more good places to eat, and we still have some left to try!
Tradition
Era is usually our first recommendation for newcomers, because they serve many Albanian traditional dishes, well prepared and with quality ingredients. It is a great place to try fërgesë, a delicious dish typical from Tirana, made with liver or beef, peppers, feta cheese y gjizë (a kind of ricotta), and tavë kosi (oven-roasted lamb with yoghurt).
There are actually two restaurants, with a slightly different menu: Era Blloku (Rruga Ismail Qemali, very close to Enver Hoxha’s former residence) and Era Vila (Rruga Papa Gjon Pali II, very near the National Stadium). The latter has a very pleasant outdoor area and serves a beautiful grilled thrush (mellenjë).
Another traditional restaurant that has become very popular lately is Oda, in Pazari i Ri. In our opinion, it is overvalued (we prefer Era), but they do serve traditional dishes from different regions of Albania.
Albanian slow food
Mullixhiu is the main representative of the slow food movement and contemporary Albanian cuisine in Tirana.
Its creator, Bledar Kola, fled to London from the violence Albania lived in the 1990s. He started washing dishes and then became a chef in Le Gavroche, with 2 Michelin stars. He also did a stage in Copenhagen’s Noma, one of the best restaurants in the world. Then he returned in Albania and opened Mullixhiu.
In Mullixhiu, you can eat à la carte or try one of their tasting menus: Metamorphosis 1 for 2500 lek, (€21.50 / US$21.80) or Metamorphosis 2 for 3000 lek (€25.50 / US$26.10).
Mrizi i Zanave has become one of the greatest foody destinations in Albania… but you had to travel 2 hours from Tirana, to the hamlet of Fishtë (Lezhë County). The restaurant has its own farm, where they produce cheese, jam and even wine. Most of their other products are grown in the region.
Recently, Mrizi i Zanave has opened a restaurant in Tirana (Bulevardi Zhan d’Ark, near Ura e Tabakëve) – so now you can enjoy one of the best foody experiences in Albania without leaving its capital. It’s not the same without the farm and the countryside, but it’s still delicious and it has a great price (around US$16 per person).
Altin Prenga is the name of the chef who created Mrizi i Zanave, and he comes from the area of the original restaurant. After working in Italy, he returned home to dignify Albanian cuisine, with homemade quality products.
Contemporary international cuisine
Padam (Rruga Gjon Pali II, just behind the Pyramid) is the closest to a Michelin star experience you can find in Tirana. They offer a tasting menu comprising 5 courses and desserts for 4900 lek (around €42 / US$43) designed by chef Fundim Gjepali, who also manages Antico Arco in Rome. You can also order à la carte.
Salt (Rruga Pjetër Bogdani, in Blloku) is one of the most elegant restaurants in Tirana. This is the best place to eat sushi in the Albanian capital, but also serves some other delicious international dishes.
Albanian fast food
The most popular fast food in Albania is sufllaqe (Albanian adaptation of Greek souvlaki). It is a pita with pork gyros (or döner kebab, in Turkish), chips, tomato, onion and sauce. Trust us, once you have tried this “pork kebab” you won’t want lamb kebab any more.
Our favourite sufllaqe places are:
– Ola (Rruga Skender Luarasi), simply best sufllaqe in Tirana a purely local place (not a fancy franchise), a secret for dwellers of Komuna e Parisit neighbourhood, just West of Blloku, although more and more known in all Tirana.
– Original Greek Souvlaki in Rruga e Elbasanit, behind the National Stadium.
– Opa, in Blloku (Rruga Sami Frashëri) or in the National Stadium.
We have also tasted some mediocre sufllaqe in Tirana, but if you go to one of these places it won’t disappoint you.
Grilled meat is also very traditional in Tirana: qofte (meatballs), sausages and beef and pork cuts. You can taste it in restaurants like Era and also in local eateries called zgara (literally “grill”).
Pizza
Modern Albanians are greatly influenced by Italy, also when it comes to food. In Tirana there are several good Italian restaurants, managed by chefs who have learned on the other side of the Strait of Otranto.
Specifically, there are great pizzerias. Our favourite are Golosa (Rruga e Barrikadave, North of Skënderbeu Square), Saporita (Rruga Emin Duraku, in front of Selman Stërmasi Stadium) and Apulia (Rruga Gjik Kuqali, very near Saporita).
Going out in Tirana
Tirana has a surprising nightlife, one of the most interesting and bustling in Europe, even if it’s not a big capital. The good thing is that all places to go at night are quite close to each other. There are two main areas to go out: Blloku is the largest, but Mustafa Matohiti street and the surrounding area is becoming more and more crowded.
There are also many great bars in different areas of Tirana city centre. Here is a list of our favourite bars, but things are moving so fast in Tirana that we will have to update it soon!
Before dinner, we advise you to start in Komiteti Kafé-Muzeum (Rruga Fatmir Haxhiu, behind the Pyramid, just two streets from bustling Mustafa Matohiti). This beautiful café is decorated with all kind of old furniture and farming objects. Taste their lovely clove-infused raki (karafil is Albanian for cloves).
The best pubs and clubs in Blloku
Radio (Rruga Ismail Qemali): One of Anida’s favourite bars. Very charming, its walls are decorated with classic film posters and weirder things. Great cocktails and great music. It has a pleasant open courtyard. Very LGBT-friendly.
Within two blocks of Rruga Pjetër Bogdani are some of the trendiest places in Blloku. Nuestros favoritos son. Our favourites here are:
Kino: It probably has the most charming garden in Blloku, perfect for beers when the weather is nice or for a coffee on a Sunday morning.
Colonial: Undoubtedly the best cocktail bar in Tirana. It serves a wide variety of drinks and fabulous cocktails starting from 700 lek (€6 / US$6.10).
Nouvelle Vague: A smaller and cocktail bar, its atmosphere is more alternative and laid-back but very cool anyway. Pets allowed.
Charl’s: a pub with live music, mostly rock. Beer and pub food. If you want a table a night it’s better to book.
Rruga Mustafa Matohiti
Rruga Mustafa Matohiti is a small street behind the Pyramid of Tirana that hosts around 10 pubs and restaurants in barely 200 metres! It is becoming more a more popular in Tirana’s night.
Meduza: The most popular Irish pub in Tirana. They serve draught Guinness, Schneider Weisse and Paulaner. Great atmosphere and crowded decoration related to beer and football.
City Art: One of the most elegant bars in Tirana. Huge place with high ceilings and modern decoration. They also serve pub food, in case you get hungry.
Tampoco te pierdas...
Hemingway (Rruga Kont Urani, a side alley of Rruga e Durrësit): The best jazz club in Tirana. Every year they stage a swing train travelling from Tirana to Shkodër!
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