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Skanderbeg Square: The city’s huge main square takes its name from the national hero of Albania, and the statue of Skanderbeg, on horseback, looking north, dominates the square. Around it there are various government buildings, as well as the Palace of Culture, an imposing building in the Soviet style. Its foundation stone was laid in 1959, by Nikita Khrushchev, and it now houses the Tirana Opera and National Library.

Et’hem Bey Mosque: The mosque on Skanderbeg Square, decorated with exquisite frescoes, is one of the most important examples of Ottoman architecture anywhere in Albania. Right next to the mosque is the Clock Tower, constructed in 1822 and atmospherically floodlit at night.

National History Museum: This is the country’s biggest museum, with an impressively large mosaic in the entrance representing the history of the Albanian nation, from the Illyrians to the partisans. The exhibits include finds from various archaeological sites around the country, as well as items illustrating the 2nd World War period, the resistance and the Communist era.
Address: Sheshi Skënderbej, 0035542223446

The Great Park: To the south of the centre lies the Great Park, a cool oasis in the heart of the city, the ideal place to walk. Local people come here to fish, swim, take a boat on the big artificial lake or walk along the shore.
Address: Rruga Herman Gmeiner

Bunk’ Art: A multi-space venue, dedicated to memory and the arts, housed in an underground nuclear shelter from the 1970s located on the northern outskirts of Tirana. There are a total of 105 rooms, forty of which host exhibits relating to the history of Albania before and after World War II, bringing to life the Albanian resistance to the Germans and the period of Communism. Of particular interest is the room intended for use by Enver Hoxha when he visited the shelter as Minister for Defence and Commander of the Armed Forces. The other spaces host all sorts of exhibitions, themed events and art installations by Albanian artists.
Address: Rruga e Shish-Tufines, www.bunkart.al

The Pyramid: An iconic building from the era of Enver Hoxha, the International Cultural Centre was designed by his daughter and cost a small fortune to construct.
Address: Rruga Ibrahim Rugova

Petrela Castle: This is one of the best-preserved castles in all Albania, perched on a steep hillside above the waters of a river, just 15km south-east of Tirana. It is a Byzantine castle built on the orders of the Emperor Justinian to strengthen the defences of Dyrrhachium. The Byzantine outer wall is strengthened by buttresses, while the central structure dates from 500 AD. It was used by Skanderbeg in his campaigns against the Ottoman army.
Address: Petrelë, 00355692088138

Kruje: This picturesque town 20km north of Tirana is an excellent place for a day out. It enjoyed its heyday in the mid-15th century, when Skanderbeg made it the base for his operations against the Ottoman army. The most important building in the region is the impressive fort, now restored, which is a symbol of resistance for the Albanian people. The castle is home to the Skanderbeg Museum, with a collection of paintings and weapons from the period of Albania’s national hero.

Cave of Pellumbas: Just 27km south-west of Tirana, follow the path to the entrance to the remarkable Cave of Pallumbas. This is regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania; excavation revealed bones of bears who lived here in 10,000 BC, as well as traces of human occupation in the Mesolithic Era. The cavemen who made their home here probably sharpened their hunting weapons here and had learned how to make fire.

In the main market, Sheshi Avni Rustemi, you will find the authentic atmosphere of Balkan folklore, with a riot of colours and smells, and stalls selling local fruit and vegetables and mountains of olives, local wines and village raki from the Albanian countryside. 

In the city centre – which is relatively small and can easily be toured on foot – there are lots of good shoe shops, selling good quality shoes in Italian designs and leathers. Most of the shops and boutiques are located in the trendy Block district. In the Communist era this district in the heart of the city was a ‘forbidden zone’ for ordinary citizens, only open to high-ranking cadres of the Tirana regime. It is home to lots of stores selling clothes and accessories, and the same can be found along the commercial street Rruga Myslym Shyri. 

In the centre of Tirana, and in the area around the airport, lots of malls, both small and large, are springing up like mushrooms, offering a huge range of shopping opportunities.

Albanian cuisine is a pleasant surprise, with a delightful mix of delicious flavours, a light combination of Mediterranean and Balkan cuisine, with strong influences from Italy and Greece. There is fresh fish to be had in the city, too, with the Adriatic coast only 25km away.

You should sample the qofte Korça meatballs, roast lamb, pasties, tomato pies, baked vegetables, rabbit stew with oil and vinegar, as well as Italian pizzas and spaghetti and ethnic options like sushi, Mexican and Indian food – all available in the fashionable restaurants in the Block district. Since 1991 the ‘forbidden zone’ of the Albanian capital has been opened up to ordinary citizens and has now become the most stylish part of the city, full of restaurants, cafes and bars.

Nightlife in Tirana begins with an evening walk around Skanderbeg Square, and then continues at the cafes, bars and dance clubs in the Block district. There are places playing dance music for demanding clubbers, as well as quieter lounge bars where you can enjoy a glass of local wine and listen to jazz.

The city’s main annual events reflect the local people’s love of the arts, particularly their passion for music.

• International Tirana Film Festival: The festival screens the latest batch of films by Albanian directors, as well as foreign productions – both short and feature length. The themed festival is held in Tirana every year in late November – early December.
• Tirana Jazz Festival: Bands from Albania and Italy, and jazz musicians from the Balkans and central Europe descend on Tirana for four evenings every July to delight music lovers with performances on the open-air stages set up in the city’s parks.
• Tirana International Guitar Festival: Classical and acoustic guitarists from all around the world perform at the Arts University in Tirana and participate in concerts, workshops and competitions to identify new talent. The festival is held every year in late September – early October.
• Rockstock: Every June the city throbs to the sound of heavy metal, hard rock, pop rock, funk and electro, with live appearances by Albanian and foreign performers and groups.

Transport from the airport

Aegean flights land at Tirana’s Mother Theresa International Airport, which is 17km from the city centre. This is the largest airport in the country, with shops selling electronic goods, jewellery, souvenirs, restaurants, bureaus de change, banks, car hire offices and free WiFi. Smoking is permitted only in the Segafredo Bar.

To get into the city you should take one of the Rinas Express buses, which run from the airport to Skanderbeg Square every hour. If you want to hire a cab, the Airport Express Taxi service will get you to the airport in about 20 minutes, and the fares are very reasonable.