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Tirana is the capital of Albania, located in the center of the country, and founded in 1614. The city limits are known to have been inhabited ever since the Iron Age by the Illyrians. This territory was then annexed by Rome and became a part of the Roman Empire. The split of the Roman Empire saw Tirana under control of the Byzantine Empire.

Present day, Tirana is designated as a Gamma city and was given the title of European Youth Capital for 2022. After communist rule of Albania ended in the early 1990s, the city of Tirana and country as a whole, has transformed economically and culturally. Even during our trip, we noticed much construction and investment in infrastructure throughout the country, presumably due to the country’s desire to be a full member of the EU (they are under EU candidate status currently).

Our curiosity of Albania piqued when we kept hearing such good things about it and seeing awesome photos of Albanian beaches while doing trip research. We decided to head there before the country became even more popular in the summer months. We had plans to spend a few days in Borsh and Ksamil beach towns during our trip but we didn’t really know what to expect when it came to Albania’s capital of Tirana.

What we felt was that the city had a trendy, but not pretentious vibe. It was eclectic and within five years, the city will be more known and will therefore grow in popularity among tourists looking to get a slice of the culture and to discover a place off the beaten path. This post outlines some of our favorite places we say in Tirana. There will be a Google Map at the end of this post with the places we will discuss. This list is not comprehensive but places we can personally vouch for and recommend.

How to get to Tirana

Although we took the ferry from Bari, Italy to Durres, Albania, then a bus to get to Tirana, it probably would have been much easier to just fly. You can fly into Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA) with most airlines, or subsidiaries thereof. From here, you can take the bus or a taxi to get to the Tirana city center. The bus company is called LU-NA SH.P.K (also known as the Rinas Express) and runs from 7am to 10 pm, 7 days a week, at a cost of 400 Albanian Lek (about 4 Euro), one way. If you intend to venture TO the airport, you can catch this bus behind the Palace of Opera and Ballet in the center of Tirana. The journey takes 30 min. to 1 hour depending on traffic.

Here are some places that are cool to check out while in Tirana:

Bunk’Art 2

While trying to escape the heat in the Summer of 2023, we managed to stumble onto the underground bunker, so aptly called Bunk’Art 2. This is actually a museum that was recently opened. It was a top secret bunker that is now a museum highlighting the atrocities of the Communist regime under Enver Hoxha. The bunker itself was built to withstand nuclear attack and was one of 175,000 that were built across the country due to Hoxha’s fear of invasion from the US and Soviet Union (it is believed up to 700,000 actually exist). Bunk’Art 2 possesses much footage in the form of video, photographs, and equipment that documents the regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent. It is a sobering place but provides an important understanding of this dark period in Albanian history.

Pyramid of Tirana

This structure provides a great aerial view of Tirana. The Pyramid of Tirana opened as the Enver Hoxha museum back in 1988, then a conference center, but was later used as a NATO base in 1999 during the Kosovo War. Currently, it is hoped that the structure will be revamped into a Youth IT center. It is open to the public and you can climb the stairs all the way to the top. From here, you can get views of other notable buildings in the city like the 4ever Green tower and the Great Mosque of Tirana, also known as the Namazgah Mosque.

The Cloud

This art installation is called ‘The Cloud’ and sits in front of Tirana’s National Gallery of Arts since 2016. It is composed of steel bars, arranged in rectangles that make a semi-transparent canopy which actually protects occupants from the elements. It is currently used for cultural events in the city but is also open to the public whenever. The structure looks quite delicate with its construction, along with its slight transparency, and irregular form, gives the viewer the impression of a cloud, hence the name.

Lost Resto-bar

While looking for some shade in a nice cozy place, we found ourselves walking on Rruga Mustafa Matohiti Street in the Tirana city center and found this place. It was a great vibe as the music was chill and we got smoothie drinks to cool ourselves down and to enjoy the atmosphere. Looking at their website, it appears that this bar holds quite a few club events as well which look like fun. This street has many cool bars like this that we wish we could have explored with more time in the Albanian capital.

Restorant Tymi

One of the best reviewed and most delicious restaurants in Tirana has to be Restorant Tymi. We walked inside and the decor was pretty eclectic, with tvs showing 1980s and 1990s era music videos from MTV. The food was traditional Albanian and the prices were very cheap. Usually with cheap prices you don’t expect much with regard to quality or portion size, but this place delivered on all accounts. We would’ve eaten here for every meal if we discovered it sooner.

Et’hem Bej Mosque

You can find this mosque in the city center of Tirana, on the periphery of Skanderbeg Square. The structure has much history associated with it as it used to host an old Bazaar after being built in the early 19th century. Its facade may not be as impressive as other mosques or places of worship, however it does bear significance in Albania’s Post-Communist history.

The mosque was closed during the rule of the Socialist People’s Republic of Albania until January 18, 1991, when 10,000 people entered the closed mosque in protest. The governing body and police did nothing to stop the protest which eventually triggered the downfall of the regime itself.

You can find the mosque near the Clock Tower of Tirana. In my experience, most mosques in the world are not open to tours to non-muslims, however this one is on a daily basis, just not during prayer time.

National Historical Museum

You cannot miss the facade of the National Historical Museum. Also located along the periphery of Skanderbeg Square in the center of Tirana, this museum was opened in 1981. The large mosaic on the building facade depicts ancient and modern figures that played central roles in Albanian history. Different museum exhibits include: Pavilion of Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Independence, Iconography, National Liberation Antifascist War, Communist Terror, and Mother Teresa.

Skanderbeg Square

As mentioned before, there are quite a few attractions worth seeing within the Skanderbeg Square, located in the center of Tirana. It is named after Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, an Albanian national hero. While checking out places like the Ethem Bey Mosque, Clock Towers, and the National Historoy Museum, what struck our eye most were the water fountains on the edge of the square. Usually children can be seen running through these, but when the weather was as hot as it was for us, we also did the same (two grown adults). Elements of the square are made in a Neo-Renaissance style.

Dajti Mountain and Cable Car

Just outside of Tirana lies the Dajti Mountain. Here you can find a complex where you can ride a cable car to see Tirana from above. It is the longest cable car in the Balkans (4.7 kilometers) and takes 15 minutes from ground to top, taking you over forest, farms, and bunkers. Check out the main website for times and ticket prices.

Other activities you can do at Dajti Mountain include Hiking, Mini Golf, Mountain biking, mountain climbing, and paragliding. There is also a hotel there one can stay at (Dajti Tower Belvedere Hotel), along with a rotating bar and restaurant. For how far the mountain is from Tirana city center, it is nice to know that there are many activities available to you that are worth the trip.

Namazgah Mosque

Also known as the Great Mosque of Tirana, the Namazgah Mosque is the largest mosque in the Balkans. After the fall of communism, the muslim community in Albania wanted their own central mosque after seeing the construction of Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cathedrals beforehand. The mosque construction commenced in 2010 and is currently still being built. I particularly loved filming it from above with my drone to its cool architecture.

This list of what to see in Tirana is nowhere near comprehensive but as someone who has visited all these places, I can recommend them to any tourist looking to see what Tirana is all about.

If you have more time to space in this part of the world, I would highly suggest renting a car and driving to some of the other cities and towns in Albania. You can simply rent a car at Tirana Airport and be on your way. Driving around the country was quite easy and at no point did I feel super stressed about it. Other notable places to visit while in Albania include Theth, Shkodër, Gjirokastër, Berat, Ksamil, and Vlorë. Be sure to check out future blog posts that I will publish on some of these destinations in Albania.

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