Tirana
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I wrestled myself through honking traffic jams, the ongoing noise and commotion raising my stress levels to an alarming high. I tried to breathe in deeply to obtain some mental zen, but the air pollution prevented me from doing so… One could say that my first impression of Albania’s capital Tirana wasn’t superb. However, I decided to open my mind to be wow'ed with a slight delay. I was about to stay for roughly a week, so that should be a sufficient buffer. And guess what… it worked! As it turns out, the charm of Tirana isn’t so easily digestible. It requires patience and attention… but once you get through its rough edges, the affection is irreversible.
Hm, what’s there to see then?
Bunk’Art
Hands down my favorite sight is the Bunk’Art Museum. Which one? Touché… there are two! There’s the original one, Bunk’Art 1, and a new one located in the city center for public convenience, Bunk’Art 2. As I wanted to avoid an overkill, I decided to settle with the biggest and most recommended one: #1. Indeed not the most convenient option: You have to take the blue bus (towards Linza) from Skanderbeg Square until the very last station… but with Tirana’s permanent traffic jam, this takes forever. However, personally I think it’s worth the pain.
This 5-story 2685m² bunker, which was completed in 1972 and inaugurated in 1978, was built for the purpose of shelter for Enver Hoxha and his men, in case of a nuclear attack. If you just arrived in the country and wonder who the hell that guy is: Enver Hoxha is the brutal communist leader that took over after WWII and put Albania in a 4-decade lockdown, while tormenting the country with a thorough genocide of everyone who potentially disagreed or could be considered smart enough to form his/her own opinion. The project, which was inspired by yet another cheerful nation (North Korea), was paired with the construction of 168,000 goofy mushroom-shaped bunkers, which you will spot all over Albania. Today we know that this nuclear attack which Hoxha was so scared of in fact never came… which makes a visit to Bunk’Art simultaneously a journey through the mind of a paranoid dictator. I wonder why they added the word “art” to the title though, as I definitely couldn’t find one single art piece in there… but the exhibitions, exposed in a selection of the 106 underground offices, sheds a light on Albania’s communist history. An interesting and sobering experience!
Similar Museum: House of Leaves.
Hm, what’s there to see then?
Bunk’Art
Hands down my favorite sight is the Bunk’Art Museum. Which one? Touché… there are two! There’s the original one, Bunk’Art 1, and a new one located in the city center for public convenience, Bunk’Art 2. As I wanted to avoid an overkill, I decided to settle with the biggest and most recommended one: #1. Indeed not the most convenient option: You have to take the blue bus (towards Linza) from Skanderbeg Square until the very last station… but with Tirana’s permanent traffic jam, this takes forever. However, personally I think it’s worth the pain.
This 5-story 2685m² bunker, which was completed in 1972 and inaugurated in 1978, was built for the purpose of shelter for Enver Hoxha and his men, in case of a nuclear attack. If you just arrived in the country and wonder who the hell that guy is: Enver Hoxha is the brutal communist leader that took over after WWII and put Albania in a 4-decade lockdown, while tormenting the country with a thorough genocide of everyone who potentially disagreed or could be considered smart enough to form his/her own opinion. The project, which was inspired by yet another cheerful nation (North Korea), was paired with the construction of 168,000 goofy mushroom-shaped bunkers, which you will spot all over Albania. Today we know that this nuclear attack which Hoxha was so scared of in fact never came… which makes a visit to Bunk’Art simultaneously a journey through the mind of a paranoid dictator. I wonder why they added the word “art” to the title though, as I definitely couldn’t find one single art piece in there… but the exhibitions, exposed in a selection of the 106 underground offices, sheds a light on Albania’s communist history. An interesting and sobering experience!
Similar Museum: House of Leaves.
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Other Museums
Besides the Bunk’Arts, there are a few other museums worth visiting. Not the National Gallery, as it’s closed for renovations since it was destroyed in 2019 by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake. Instead, go to the National History Museum, which covers anything from Antiquity to Mother Teresa… who was born in Skopje (Macedonia), but to a family of Albanian descent. The Albanians only learned about her existence in the 90’s, when communism collapsed together with the full-on isolation. If you happen to be in Tirana on Independence Day or the last Sunday of the month (outside of summer season), you’ll have free entrance. If you want to get even further back in history: Visit the Archaeological Museum, covering the Prehistoric Times until the Independence of the Ottoman Rule in 1912. Last but not least, to gain some background knowledge of the local flora and fauna you have undoubtedly encountered in Albania’s no less than 15 National Parks… hop into the Natural Sciences Museum. Museum’ed out yet?
Artworks
What happens if you elect a painter for mayor? Your city will soon be turned into a walk-in artwork! I truly like Edi Rama’s approach, who stood for the tough task to transform grim, post-communist buildings into something… less depressing. Not only did he design a bunch of drawings and patterns himself, characterized by bright colors and polka dots, he also invited many foreign artists and even motivated local students and children to participate in Tirana’s facelift. Mission accomplished!
Besides the Bunk’Arts, there are a few other museums worth visiting. Not the National Gallery, as it’s closed for renovations since it was destroyed in 2019 by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake. Instead, go to the National History Museum, which covers anything from Antiquity to Mother Teresa… who was born in Skopje (Macedonia), but to a family of Albanian descent. The Albanians only learned about her existence in the 90’s, when communism collapsed together with the full-on isolation. If you happen to be in Tirana on Independence Day or the last Sunday of the month (outside of summer season), you’ll have free entrance. If you want to get even further back in history: Visit the Archaeological Museum, covering the Prehistoric Times until the Independence of the Ottoman Rule in 1912. Last but not least, to gain some background knowledge of the local flora and fauna you have undoubtedly encountered in Albania’s no less than 15 National Parks… hop into the Natural Sciences Museum. Museum’ed out yet?
Artworks
What happens if you elect a painter for mayor? Your city will soon be turned into a walk-in artwork! I truly like Edi Rama’s approach, who stood for the tough task to transform grim, post-communist buildings into something… less depressing. Not only did he design a bunch of drawings and patterns himself, characterized by bright colors and polka dots, he also invited many foreign artists and even motivated local students and children to participate in Tirana’s facelift. Mission accomplished!
Another interesting artwork is “The Cloud,” designed by the Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto based on the notion that geometry can blend in with organic natural and human elements. It was transferred over from its original location in London and the space can be rented for events, free of charge.
Earlier in the article I mentioned the funky mushroom-bunkers. In case you don’t have the opportunity to tour around entire Albania and will only stay in Tirana for a short citytrip (which means you have to come back): you can see one at the Postbllok Checkpoints Monument… together with mine shaft columns from Spaç Prison and a piece of the Berlin Wall: Elements representing communism.
Talking about that… Always wanted to see some massive bronze statues of your commie heroes? Well, in Tirana you can! Just behind the National Gallery you can admire a massive Stalin statue, while Lenin is currently in repair. You’ll truly have to look for it, as they’re slightly tucked away now Albania is properly fed up with communism. On the other hand, the Skanderbeg Statue on the main square couldn’t be more prominent. It proudly remembers the glory days of this national hero, who kept the country independent throughout his entire “career.” Tightly related to this representation is the statue of Mother Albania, commemorating the fallen soldiers while simultaneously portraying the new, proud nation.
The Friendship Monument commemorates Albania’s collaboration with Kuwait, a country that has been investing in Albania since 1993. The artwork contains the colors of their flag. A stone’s throw away you can find Kapplan Pasha’s Tomb, a piece of history embraced by modern surroundings.
Earlier in the article I mentioned the funky mushroom-bunkers. In case you don’t have the opportunity to tour around entire Albania and will only stay in Tirana for a short citytrip (which means you have to come back): you can see one at the Postbllok Checkpoints Monument… together with mine shaft columns from Spaç Prison and a piece of the Berlin Wall: Elements representing communism.
Talking about that… Always wanted to see some massive bronze statues of your commie heroes? Well, in Tirana you can! Just behind the National Gallery you can admire a massive Stalin statue, while Lenin is currently in repair. You’ll truly have to look for it, as they’re slightly tucked away now Albania is properly fed up with communism. On the other hand, the Skanderbeg Statue on the main square couldn’t be more prominent. It proudly remembers the glory days of this national hero, who kept the country independent throughout his entire “career.” Tightly related to this representation is the statue of Mother Albania, commemorating the fallen soldiers while simultaneously portraying the new, proud nation.
The Friendship Monument commemorates Albania’s collaboration with Kuwait, a country that has been investing in Albania since 1993. The artwork contains the colors of their flag. A stone’s throw away you can find Kapplan Pasha’s Tomb, a piece of history embraced by modern surroundings.
Churches & Mosques
Sure, I like to hop into a church every now and then, for pure art and architecture purposes… we paid for it with our tax money after all. However, in Albania it’s extra interesting, given that in 1967 Enver Hoxha announced Albania to be the world’s first officially atheist country. And who said communism didn’t have any bright sides? All churches and mosques were demolished or repurposed, and public practice of faith was strictly forbidden. As such, all godshouses you’ll see in Tirana are built from the 90’s and 00’s on… and boy, did we have weird taste back then. The Orthodox Resurrection of the Christ Cathedral looks like some kind of Disneyland-Star-Wars-cross-over, and sorry to break it, but the mosaics on the front of the St. Paul Cathedral are kinda shaped like an abstract penis. Tirana’s most famous mosque, the Et’Hem Bey, contains nothing of this madness. That’s because it was merely closed during communism, not destroyed, and therefore still reflects the (more impressive) style of the early 18th century. The mosque was built by Etëhem Bey Mollaj, who also finished the built of the adjacent Clock Tower. The Namazgah Mosque, nicknamed the “Great Mosque of Tirana” is currently still being built. No penises on that one either: From what we can already see right now it's going to be landmark-worthy.
Sure, I like to hop into a church every now and then, for pure art and architecture purposes… we paid for it with our tax money after all. However, in Albania it’s extra interesting, given that in 1967 Enver Hoxha announced Albania to be the world’s first officially atheist country. And who said communism didn’t have any bright sides? All churches and mosques were demolished or repurposed, and public practice of faith was strictly forbidden. As such, all godshouses you’ll see in Tirana are built from the 90’s and 00’s on… and boy, did we have weird taste back then. The Orthodox Resurrection of the Christ Cathedral looks like some kind of Disneyland-Star-Wars-cross-over, and sorry to break it, but the mosaics on the front of the St. Paul Cathedral are kinda shaped like an abstract penis. Tirana’s most famous mosque, the Et’Hem Bey, contains nothing of this madness. That’s because it was merely closed during communism, not destroyed, and therefore still reflects the (more impressive) style of the early 18th century. The mosque was built by Etëhem Bey Mollaj, who also finished the built of the adjacent Clock Tower. The Namazgah Mosque, nicknamed the “Great Mosque of Tirana” is currently still being built. No penises on that one either: From what we can already see right now it's going to be landmark-worthy.
Pyramid
Albania isn’t that close to Egypt, right? No, but it was dominated by the wacko minds of Hoxha and his offspring. It was in fact his daughter who co-designed this downright bizarre structure, opened in 1988 as the Enver Hoxha Museum after his death. The poor Albanians were obliged to visit… that’s a way to get those visitor numbers up. It’s hard to tell when looking at it, but it’s said to be the most expensive structure ever erected in Albania. When communism finally collapsed, it was shortly repurposed as a conference center and NATO base, after which its demolishment was topic of debate. Anno now, it is decided to actually keep it, repurposed into a Youth IT Center. During my visit, the reconstructions were going on in full force.
To Do
“Free” Walking Tour
Basically all the sights I have described in the previous “To See” section (minus the museums) are chucked into one, entertaining tour of approximately 2-3 hours. Efficient! That, combined with an ongoing stream of anecdotes and (some-not-so-)fun-facts about Albania. Did you know that the 2-headed eagle on the Albanian flag symbolizes the 2 sections of the Roman Empire, Albania belonging to the Byzantine part? Or that every tile on the Skanderbeg Square comes from a different city in Albania? Or that if you look out of the window of Enver Hoxha’s previous residence, the American KFC logo (a.k.a. the “face of capitalism”) smiles right at your face. All stuff I learned on this tour! Which is, needless to say, not free. Not tipping is seriously frowned upon.
Albania isn’t that close to Egypt, right? No, but it was dominated by the wacko minds of Hoxha and his offspring. It was in fact his daughter who co-designed this downright bizarre structure, opened in 1988 as the Enver Hoxha Museum after his death. The poor Albanians were obliged to visit… that’s a way to get those visitor numbers up. It’s hard to tell when looking at it, but it’s said to be the most expensive structure ever erected in Albania. When communism finally collapsed, it was shortly repurposed as a conference center and NATO base, after which its demolishment was topic of debate. Anno now, it is decided to actually keep it, repurposed into a Youth IT Center. During my visit, the reconstructions were going on in full force.
To Do
“Free” Walking Tour
Basically all the sights I have described in the previous “To See” section (minus the museums) are chucked into one, entertaining tour of approximately 2-3 hours. Efficient! That, combined with an ongoing stream of anecdotes and (some-not-so-)fun-facts about Albania. Did you know that the 2-headed eagle on the Albanian flag symbolizes the 2 sections of the Roman Empire, Albania belonging to the Byzantine part? Or that every tile on the Skanderbeg Square comes from a different city in Albania? Or that if you look out of the window of Enver Hoxha’s previous residence, the American KFC logo (a.k.a. the “face of capitalism”) smiles right at your face. All stuff I learned on this tour! Which is, needless to say, not free. Not tipping is seriously frowned upon.
Hiking
Got a taste for walking after that outstanding Free Walking Tour? Why not take it a step further (see what I did there? – okay I’ll shut tf up)? The most common nature-related daytrip is to the adjacent Dajti National Park, characterized by a rugged landscape inviting for adventurous hikes. In summer you’ll find yourself among a lavish sea of wildflowers, and the vigilant observer might spot brown bears, red foxes or wildcats. Most people go up with the Dajti Ekspres Cable Car (about 6 bucks return-trip), and usually I advise against it and tell you to hike your lazy ass up… but in this case it honestly is the best way to do it, as it’s about a 22km-hike 1-way from downtown Tirana. A detailed description of how to get to the cable car station can be found here. Hikes here.
Right next to Dajti lays the Qafshtama (or: Shtamë Pass) National Park. Yet another Albanian beauty! This park mainly consists of pristine pine forest, sheltering brown bears, foxes, wolves and endangered birds. The most prominent water source is the Kroi i Nenës Mbretëreshë, which is believed to have the purest water of the country. As such, this is also the location of a bottling plant, selling “Qafshtama Water.” The area provides for excellent hiking, including the steep trails up to the highest peaks: The Maja e Liqenit (1724m) and Maja i Rjepat e Qetkolës (1686m). The hikes!
A bit further out of Tirana, at about a 2-hour drive, one can find the Karsti i Malit me Gropa. This “Mountain of Holes” is the rarest karst phenomenon in Albania and one of the largest in Europe. With a little detour you can also visit the Shengjergji Waterfall, streaming into the Ezren River. Southeast the Syri i Cikllopit, or Eye of the Cyclops, can be visited at a 50-minutes drive. After a 1-hour walk from the village of Krrabë you’ll reach this astonishing bright blue lake tucked in between the rocks. No car at your disposal? You can simply head to the visitor-friendly Grand Park and adjacent lake, right in the city of Tirana!
Got a taste for walking after that outstanding Free Walking Tour? Why not take it a step further (see what I did there? – okay I’ll shut tf up)? The most common nature-related daytrip is to the adjacent Dajti National Park, characterized by a rugged landscape inviting for adventurous hikes. In summer you’ll find yourself among a lavish sea of wildflowers, and the vigilant observer might spot brown bears, red foxes or wildcats. Most people go up with the Dajti Ekspres Cable Car (about 6 bucks return-trip), and usually I advise against it and tell you to hike your lazy ass up… but in this case it honestly is the best way to do it, as it’s about a 22km-hike 1-way from downtown Tirana. A detailed description of how to get to the cable car station can be found here. Hikes here.
Right next to Dajti lays the Qafshtama (or: Shtamë Pass) National Park. Yet another Albanian beauty! This park mainly consists of pristine pine forest, sheltering brown bears, foxes, wolves and endangered birds. The most prominent water source is the Kroi i Nenës Mbretëreshë, which is believed to have the purest water of the country. As such, this is also the location of a bottling plant, selling “Qafshtama Water.” The area provides for excellent hiking, including the steep trails up to the highest peaks: The Maja e Liqenit (1724m) and Maja i Rjepat e Qetkolës (1686m). The hikes!
A bit further out of Tirana, at about a 2-hour drive, one can find the Karsti i Malit me Gropa. This “Mountain of Holes” is the rarest karst phenomenon in Albania and one of the largest in Europe. With a little detour you can also visit the Shengjergji Waterfall, streaming into the Ezren River. Southeast the Syri i Cikllopit, or Eye of the Cyclops, can be visited at a 50-minutes drive. After a 1-hour walk from the village of Krrabë you’ll reach this astonishing bright blue lake tucked in between the rocks. No car at your disposal? You can simply head to the visitor-friendly Grand Park and adjacent lake, right in the city of Tirana!
Nightlife
Finished the hike? You deserve that drink! Luckily, there’s plenty of opportunity for that in the vibrant capital! Most of Tirana’s nightlife is concentrated in the Blloku area, with hotspots such as Librería, Whiskey and the Radio Bar. During communist times, this district served as a residential area strictly reserved for the members of the Albanian Politburo, inaccessible for normal folks just like us. Nowadays, it’s a purely capitalist upmarket quarter, unfortunately charging corresponding prices.
When I visited, during Covid-times, unfortunately all nightlife establishments closed at 11PM. Therefore, you’ll have to make some local friends to guarantee yourself some after-parties!
In The Area
Krujë
No time to visit the country’s folklore hotspots (and UNESCO Heritage Sites) Berat and Gjirokastër? A true shame, but as a modest consolation prize you can still go to Krujë, just around the corner of Tirana. It’s definitely not matching up with mentioned destinations, the photo-worthy area consisting of just 1 short street of the Old Bazar swarmed with loud, pushy vendors ruining the overall experience… but the local architecture and location shouldering the Qafshtama National Park nevertheless make for a satisfying visit. While there, pop into the Skanderbeg Museum, dedicated to the national hero and liberator keeping the country Ottoman-free for 4 long decades. The location of this museum in Krujë, the epicentre of resistance, is suiting. Other sights include the Krujë Castle, Ethnographic Museum and George Bush Statue (yes, he visited).
Finished the hike? You deserve that drink! Luckily, there’s plenty of opportunity for that in the vibrant capital! Most of Tirana’s nightlife is concentrated in the Blloku area, with hotspots such as Librería, Whiskey and the Radio Bar. During communist times, this district served as a residential area strictly reserved for the members of the Albanian Politburo, inaccessible for normal folks just like us. Nowadays, it’s a purely capitalist upmarket quarter, unfortunately charging corresponding prices.
When I visited, during Covid-times, unfortunately all nightlife establishments closed at 11PM. Therefore, you’ll have to make some local friends to guarantee yourself some after-parties!
In The Area
Krujë
No time to visit the country’s folklore hotspots (and UNESCO Heritage Sites) Berat and Gjirokastër? A true shame, but as a modest consolation prize you can still go to Krujë, just around the corner of Tirana. It’s definitely not matching up with mentioned destinations, the photo-worthy area consisting of just 1 short street of the Old Bazar swarmed with loud, pushy vendors ruining the overall experience… but the local architecture and location shouldering the Qafshtama National Park nevertheless make for a satisfying visit. While there, pop into the Skanderbeg Museum, dedicated to the national hero and liberator keeping the country Ottoman-free for 4 long decades. The location of this museum in Krujë, the epicentre of resistance, is suiting. Other sights include the Krujë Castle, Ethnographic Museum and George Bush Statue (yes, he visited).
I visited the Skanderbeg Museum on Liberation Day, which truly added to the experience. The downside of this museum is that it’s a bit all over the place (lots of off-theme artworks and artefacts), plus it exhibits replicas of which it isn’t mentioned they’re actually replicas. Alternative: Ethnographic Museum.
Durrës
Visiting in summer? I bet you’re in need of a little beach break! Luckily, Durrës isn’t far away. Personally, I don’t believe it’s Albania’s most attractive coastal resort, but it contains a sandy coastline combined with a good nightlife scene and some quick history-stops (Amphitheatre), so it’s definitely worth a bit of your time. Careful though for the weever fish! Thanks to those vicious bastards I know what an Albanian hospital looks like from the inside.
Read more about Durrës in my Albanian Coastal Towns Blog!
Durrës
Visiting in summer? I bet you’re in need of a little beach break! Luckily, Durrës isn’t far away. Personally, I don’t believe it’s Albania’s most attractive coastal resort, but it contains a sandy coastline combined with a good nightlife scene and some quick history-stops (Amphitheatre), so it’s definitely worth a bit of your time. Careful though for the weever fish! Thanks to those vicious bastards I know what an Albanian hospital looks like from the inside.
Read more about Durrës in my Albanian Coastal Towns Blog!
Tirana truly makes for a great city trip, but the experience isn’t complete without a visit to its stunning surroundings described in the article. Luckily, renting a car is an affordable affair in Albania! The most convenient option is in my experience Rental Car Shkodra, who have pick-up and drop-off locations in both Tirana and Shkodër (convenient if you’re just coming from or heading to Montenegro!). Renting a car allowed me to not limit my visit to just the country’s capital… Instead, it allowed me to explore the more off-the-grid and special locations of Albania, including Korçë, Ksamil and the country’s highest peak: Mount Korab! Have a look and get a quote now:
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Albania Facts
History Recap
1000BC: Illyrians (Indo-European tribesmen). Country name from an Illyrian tribe: Arber / Albanoi. 165BC: Illyria under control Romans. 44BC: Caesar began building a colony at Butrint. 1-100: Christianity. 300-700: Goths, Huns, Avars, Serbs, Croats, and Bulgars successively invade Illyrian lands. 395: Division of Roman Empire à present-day Albania under Eastern Byzantine Empire. 700-800: Slav tribes settle. 1054: Roman and Orthodox Churches split (Orthodox don’t accept papal authority Rome). 1100-1200: Serbs occupied parts of Albania. 1204: Venice won control over most of Albania, but Byzantines regained control of south. 1385: Albanian ruler invited Ottoman forces to intervene against a rival in Battle of Savra. Start of slow expansion Ottoman Rule. 1403: Gjergj Kastrioti born: Albanian hero known as Skanderbeg who organized resistance to Ottomans in Krujë (repulsed 12 invasions) and kept Albania independent for 20+ years. ’68: Skanderbeg died and the Turks absorbed Albania into the Ottoman Empire. Conversion to Islam. 1614: Ottoman general Sulayman Pasha named Tehran (later Tirana) as the capital, after Iran’s. 1822: Albanian leader Ali Pasha was assassinated by Ottomans for promoting autonomy. ’61: First school known to use Albanian language opened in Shkodër. ‘78: Treaty of San Stefano / Treaty of Berlin: Ending Russo-Turkish War (Ottoman Empire lost numerous territories) & Divided Balkans among European powers. 1910: Mother Teresa born to an ethnic Albanian family in Skopje, Macedonia. ’12: First Balkan War (Balkan countries against Ottomans). Nov 28: Independence of Albania declared. ‘13: End First Balkan War with Treaty of London, beginning of Second Balkan War. Albania recognized as independent state: Demographics were ignored, half Albanian inhabited territories divided among Montenegro, Serbia and Greece. 1914-’18: WWI - Italian occupation. ’28: Albania kingdom under Zogu / parliament dissolved.’37: Italian occupation. ’39: WWII: Italian invasion and annexation (King Zogu fled to Greece). ‘41: Enver Hoxha becomes head of new Communist Party. ’43: German forces invade à ’44: withdraw after Communist resistance. Hoxha new leader: Brutal Stalinist rule for 40 years, mass murders, people being unable to enter or exit Albania. SU and China ties broken over ideologist ideas.’67: Limitation religious activity; Albania declared world's first atheist state. ’85: Hoxha dies. ’89: Communist rule in Eastern Europe collapses. ’90: Albanians granted right to travel abroad. Many flee. ’98: Kosovaran refugee exodus into Albania. ’03: First talks towards EU membership. ’09: Joins NATO and formally applies for EU membership --> rejected in ’10.
Albania Facts
- Capital: Tirana (Tiranë)
- Population: ± 2.8 mln (Tirana: 512,000)
- Language: Albanian
- Sq km: ± 28.748 (Tirana: 41.8)
- Currency: Lek (ALL - L)
- Electricity Outlet: C /F /E, 230v, 50Hz (standard European – check here)
- Country Code Phone: +355 4
- Emergency Phone: 112 (general), 127 (ambulance), 128 (fire), 112 (police)
- Visa: Check out the visa requirements here
- Vaccinations: Covid / Hep-A / Hep-B / Routine Vaccines
- Climate: Dry-Summer Subtropical (Csa)
- High season: Summer
History Recap
1000BC: Illyrians (Indo-European tribesmen). Country name from an Illyrian tribe: Arber / Albanoi. 165BC: Illyria under control Romans. 44BC: Caesar began building a colony at Butrint. 1-100: Christianity. 300-700: Goths, Huns, Avars, Serbs, Croats, and Bulgars successively invade Illyrian lands. 395: Division of Roman Empire à present-day Albania under Eastern Byzantine Empire. 700-800: Slav tribes settle. 1054: Roman and Orthodox Churches split (Orthodox don’t accept papal authority Rome). 1100-1200: Serbs occupied parts of Albania. 1204: Venice won control over most of Albania, but Byzantines regained control of south. 1385: Albanian ruler invited Ottoman forces to intervene against a rival in Battle of Savra. Start of slow expansion Ottoman Rule. 1403: Gjergj Kastrioti born: Albanian hero known as Skanderbeg who organized resistance to Ottomans in Krujë (repulsed 12 invasions) and kept Albania independent for 20+ years. ’68: Skanderbeg died and the Turks absorbed Albania into the Ottoman Empire. Conversion to Islam. 1614: Ottoman general Sulayman Pasha named Tehran (later Tirana) as the capital, after Iran’s. 1822: Albanian leader Ali Pasha was assassinated by Ottomans for promoting autonomy. ’61: First school known to use Albanian language opened in Shkodër. ‘78: Treaty of San Stefano / Treaty of Berlin: Ending Russo-Turkish War (Ottoman Empire lost numerous territories) & Divided Balkans among European powers. 1910: Mother Teresa born to an ethnic Albanian family in Skopje, Macedonia. ’12: First Balkan War (Balkan countries against Ottomans). Nov 28: Independence of Albania declared. ‘13: End First Balkan War with Treaty of London, beginning of Second Balkan War. Albania recognized as independent state: Demographics were ignored, half Albanian inhabited territories divided among Montenegro, Serbia and Greece. 1914-’18: WWI - Italian occupation. ’28: Albania kingdom under Zogu / parliament dissolved.’37: Italian occupation. ’39: WWII: Italian invasion and annexation (King Zogu fled to Greece). ‘41: Enver Hoxha becomes head of new Communist Party. ’43: German forces invade à ’44: withdraw after Communist resistance. Hoxha new leader: Brutal Stalinist rule for 40 years, mass murders, people being unable to enter or exit Albania. SU and China ties broken over ideologist ideas.’67: Limitation religious activity; Albania declared world's first atheist state. ’85: Hoxha dies. ’89: Communist rule in Eastern Europe collapses. ’90: Albanians granted right to travel abroad. Many flee. ’98: Kosovaran refugee exodus into Albania. ’03: First talks towards EU membership. ’09: Joins NATO and formally applies for EU membership --> rejected in ’10.
FREE Recommended Sights / Activities*
PAID Recommended Sights / Activities*
* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend.
Evening Entertainment
Local Festivals
Event Calendar of Tirana here.
- Sights: Skanderbeg Square / Skanderbeg Monument; Piramida / Enver Hoxha Pyramid; Peace Bell; Clock Tower; Et’Hem Beu Mosque; Great Mosque of Tirana; Enver Hoxha’s Former House; Tanner’s Bridge; The Cloud; Rruga Murat Toptani (street); Fortress of Justinian / Tirana Castle; Communist-era Statues; Orthodox Autocephalus Church; St. Paul Cathedral; TID Tower; Postbllok Checkpoints Monument; Friendship Monument; Kapplan Pasha’s Tomb; George Bush Statue (Krujë); Castle (Krujë); Old Bazar (Krujë).
- Hikes / Nature: Mount Djati National Park; Qafshtama National Park; Grand Park & Lake; Shengjergji Waterfall; Syri i Cikllopit; Karsti i Malit me Gropa.
- Day Trips: Krujë; Durrës.
PAID Recommended Sights / Activities*
- Museums: Bunk’Art 1; Bunk’Art 2; National History Museum (Free on Independence Day / last Sunday of month outside of summer); National Gallery of Art; House of Leaves; National Archaeological Museum; Natural Sciences Museum of Albania; Armed Forces Museum; Mezuraj Museum; Bektashian Museum; Ethnographic Museum(Krujë); Skanderbeg Museum (Krujë).
- Other: Dajti Ekspres (cable car); Tirana Free Walking Tour (not free, tip expected).
* A relatively complete overview of all sights and activities can be found on TripAdvisor… these lists include the ones I personally recommend.
Evening Entertainment
- Nightlife Areas: Blloku District. During covid-times the bars close at 11PM.
- Theatres: National Theatre / Teatri Kombetar Shqiptar; Opera & Ballet Theatre; Turbina Theatre; Experimental Theatre Kujtim Spahivogli.
Local Festivals
- Nyou Festival (jazz) – June.
- Jazz in Albania – July.
- Peza’n Fest (music) – September.
- Tirana International Literature Festival (TILF) – October.
- Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF) – November.
Event Calendar of Tirana here.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Bigger Supermarkets: Conad, Aldi, Big, Spar, Viva, Extra, COOP, UniCoop,
- Markets: Pazar i Ri.
- Local Dishes: Fërgesë (stew); Byrek (stuffed pastry); Tavë Kosi (baked lamb/chicken in yoghurt); Kackavall Në Furrë Me Domate (baked cheese with tomatoes); Speca Me Gjize (cheese-stuffed bell peppers); Speca te Mbushur me Oriz (stuffed bellpeppers with rice); Gjel Deti me Përshesh (baked turkey with bread mash); Peshk Dhe Pherime Ne Tave (fish and veg); Flija (baked crepes); Jani Me Fasule (white bean soup); Qofte (lamb meat balls); Tave Mishi (mixed grill); Sarme (cabbage rolls stuffed with rice and meat); Qifqi (fried rice balls); Pispili (cornbread with leek); Trilece (cake); Ashure (dessert); Petulla (fried dough).
- The Veg Situation: Going vegetarian is rather easy in Albania, but going vegan is next to impossible as milk / egg is in all that remains. There are luckily quite some local vegetarian dishes, some already explained above. Local veg dishes: Fërgesë verorë (summer version); Byrek (choose cheese or spinach); Kackavall Në Furrë Me Domate; Speca Me Gjize; Speca te Mbushur me Oriz; Flija; Jani Me Fasule; Tave Mishi (vegan); Jufka (pasta cooked in butter); Ima lam Bajalldi (eggplant cooked in oven - vegan); Turli (vegetables stew - vegan); Tarator (cold soup); Salce Kosi (yoghurt sauce); Qifqi; Pispili; Trilece; Ashure; Petulla. You can find the vegetarian restaurants of Tirana here.
- National Drink: Rakia. Some local beer brands include Birra Korca, Bira Tirana and Birra Stela. Albania has wine production, but not as prominent as in Montenegro or Macedonia.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels: are relatively cheap in Albania compared to the rest of Europe, although more expensive than in other Balkan countries such as Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. I personally found the best deals on Booking.com, which is generally cheaper than Air BnB listings here. If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. A nuisance in Albania is that once you booked, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s actually confirmed: In my case, often the booking was immediately denied by the owner (or you’re not informed at all and show up in front of a closed door): Always call/email to confirm 100%. Payment generally happens on-site in cash. Writer’s choice: Guesthouse Bela, good and affordable, although slightly annoying they charge extra for aircon/heating. In Durrës I stayed in Shtepi Pushimi, which was very basic. However, it was quietly located in an orange tree garden, had friendly service and a little kitchen inside (and it was very cheap!).
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your potential host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). Tirana has a big Couchsurfing scene.
- Housesitting: is an amazing exchange allowing you to stay short- or long-term in somebody’s house, while looking after their property and pets. There are many different websites, most of them paid, the main one being Trusted Housesitters… but once you landed a sit, the subscription fee pays itself back quickly. ‘ AFFILIATE LINK
Mama Said
- Safety: Don’t believe the gossip of people who never actually been here: Albania is safe! Crime rates are low and the level of hospitality is heart-warming. People go out of their way to make you feel welcome and assist you in any way they can. Of course, like everywhere in the world, use your common sense: Don’t walk alone in remote areas after sunset, don’t take valuables along etc. In Tirana, pickpocketing can happen on publica transport and busy areas.
- Tap Water: is officially drinkable. However, personally my travel partner and I got stomach issues by drinking the tap water in Tirana, whereas we had already stayed a month in Albania and didn’t experience any issues with drinking tap water so far. We switched to bottled water.
- Don’t speak Albanian? Your Italian language skills might help! Due to long, recent occupation periods by Italians (check the History Recap) many Albanians speak some basic Italian.
- The only bank that doesn’t charge an ATM fee is Credins Bank.
- Be ethical, avoid “attractions” such as the Tirana Zoo, where animals are kept in captivity outside of their natural habitat.
Transport
- Walking: The centre of Tirana is rather compact, and most sights can be reached on foot.
- Cycling: Cycling is possible in Tirana. In fact, Dutch engineers were employed to develop the best possible bike lanes in Tirana. Well, in that case. There’s a public bike sharing system called Ecovolis giving very cheap daily rentals, with offices in Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard, Ded Gjo Luli Street, Ibrahim Rugova Street and Gear Bike Albania (Grand Park Lake). You need an ID to subscribe.
- City Buses / Tram / Metro: Tirana is served by city buses which operate from 6AM-11PM. Google Maps doesn’t work here for public transport options, however, Moovit does. You have to pay the driver in exact cash (anno 2022: 40 lek) and the bus halts at every stop, no need to push any buttons. To get into town from Tirana International Airport and back, take the Rinas bus service leaving from Bay 1 in the airport’s parking lot, headed to Skanderbeg Square (40min).
- Taxi / Uber: Taxis can be hailed down on the street and are affordable. Negotiate the price in advance, or asked to have the meter turned on.
- Intercity Buses: Bus schedules vary constantly and online info is unreliable, so I recommend buying bus tickets a day in advance at the bus station to be certain of the available departure times. Tirana’s main bus station is located at Zogu Zi roundabout… however, there are several depending on your destination! The international bus station is located at Rruga Ali Kolonja, the minibus-station serving most of Albania next to the Casa Italia Mega Outlet (other side of the road). However, there are more! Google first where to go, and the correct bus station should pop up.
- Train: There is a train from Tirana to Durrës, departing from the Kashar Station. It’s very cheap but incredibly slow.
- Car Rental: Rental Shkodra is strongly recommended. Cars can be picked up and dropped off in both Tirana and Shkodër. Be aware of the traffic situation in Tirana… it’s pretty mental and you’ll be locked in a permanent traffic jam.
- Airport: Tirana International Airport (TIA).
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Albania, and especially in the countryside you can see even locals doing it. However, it’s a bit complicated to get out of the big city of Tirana first to be on the right road. Find more info on Hitchwiki. Take into account that English is not widely spoken (Italian is!), so chit-chat might be complicated. https://hitchwiki.org/en/Albania
Next?
- National Destinations Close By: Krujë, Dürres, Mount Korab – Radomirë, Berat, Apollonia, Vlorë, Shkodër.
- International Destinations Close By: Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Greece, Italy.
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