Tirana: a first-timer's guide to Albania's capital

Why go

Tirana surprises almost everyone. The centre is flat and walkable, the café culture is serious, the food is generous and good value, and the museums tell the story of one of Europe's most isolated twentieth century regimes with real honesty. People are welcoming, and English is widely spoken by younger Albanians.

Top things to do

Start at **Skanderbeg Square**, a huge open plaza with the statue of the national hero, the **National History Museum** with its socialist realist mosaic, the **Et'hem Bey Mosque** and the **Clock Tower**. Nearby, **Bunk'Art 2** is a former interior ministry bunker telling the story of the communist secret police, while **Bunk'Art 1**, on the edge of the city, is a vast nuclear bunker built for the leadership. The **House of Leaves** museum, in a former surveillance building, is one of the most memorable museums in the Balkans.

Walk along the **Lana river** to the **Pyramid of Tirana**, a former dictator's museum now reborn as a tech and youth centre with steps you can climb. Wander **Blloku**, once a closed district for the party elite and now the city's liveliest area for cafés, bars and restaurants. For food and local life, visit the **New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri)**, a restored market hall surrounded by restaurants and fruit stalls.

On a clear day, ride the **Dajti Ekspres** cable car up Mount Dajti for views over the city and fresh air. The **Grand Park** with its artificial lake is where locals walk, run and picnic at weekends.

Day trips

Tirana is a good base for **Krujë**, the hilltop castle town of Skanderbeg with an old bazaar for crafts and carpets, about an hour north. **Durrës**, Albania's main port, has a Roman amphitheatre and a long city beach under an hour away. **Petrelë castle** and the wineries in the hills nearby make an easy half day, and **Shkodër** or **Berat** are both reachable on a long day, though they deserve an overnight.

Where to stay

**Blloku** suits travellers who want restaurants and nightlife on the doorstep. The streets around **Skanderbeg Square** and the **New Bazaar** are central and convenient for buses and walking. Quieter options sit around the **Grand Park** and the **Lake**. There are international hotels, design boutique hotels, apartments and backpacker hostels.

Getting there and around

Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza is in Rinas, north west of the city. An airport bus runs to the centre, and official taxis wait outside; agree that the meter is used or confirm the fare before you set off. In town, walking covers most sights, city buses are cheap and simple, and taxis are inexpensive. Long distance buses and furgons leave from the North and South and East bus terminals on the outskirts, so check which terminal serves your route.

Practical tips

Traffic is heavy and drivers can be assertive, so take care crossing roads, even on zebra crossings. Most museums close one day a week, often Monday, so check opening hours. Cards work in most hotels and restaurants, but carry lek for buses, markets and small cafés. Summer afternoons can be very hot.