Overview
We started our two-week Albanian exploration in Tirana, which is easy to explore in one full day.
A great thing about exploring Tirana is that almost all the attractions, except Bunk Art 1 and Dajti Mountain, are within the city’s relatively small center. This makes it easy to walk between the main attractions in a very short time.
- Read next: Two Weeks in Albania (day-by-day itinerary)
Albania trip
MUST-HAVE ✔
💳 Save money when changing currencies or taking out cash by bringing a backup travel card. Oh, and in case an ATM swallows your card. Yes, it happened to us. 🤦♂️
🔌 Bring a Universal Travel Adapter with fast-charging capabilities (45W and Power Delivery).
Things to do in Tirana
1. Skanderbeg Square
Start your exploration in the city center, around Skanderbeg Square, the heart of Tirana.
Around the square, there are many iconic and important Tirana buildings, like the National Historical Museum, the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet, the Equestrian statue of Skanderbeg, and the most unique, the Skanderbeg Head Building.
2. Et’hem Bej Mosque and the Clock Tower of Tirana
On the south-east corner of Skanderbeg Square is Ethem Bey Mosque, an 18th-century mosque with a beautiful interior featuring colorful frescoes. The mosque is a place of worship, but you can visit it outside prayer times for a small donation.
It’s one of Tirana’s most impressive and significant landmarks, and the frescoes inside are quite a unique addition, as it’s completely uncommon to see inside mosques elsewhere.
Right behind the mosque is the Clock Tower of Tirana, which you can climb for a better view (costs 200 Lek, about 2 euros). Although it’s not that high, so the view isn’t that spectacular.
During the regime of Enver Hoxha and communist rule, they wanted Albania to become the first Atheist country in the world.
That’s why many religious institutions were disbanded and buildings destroyed.
So, having places like Et’hem Bej Mosque still standing in Tirana is almost a miracle, as many old buildings (some centuries old) were destroyed under the plan to make Tirana a “new city”.
This, combined with poor or nonexistent restoration efforts in the following decades, meant that much of Albania’s and Tirana’s history is simply lost to time.
In recent years, as Albania’s massive international tourism boom has grown, restoration has become more important than ever, so hopefully this will help preserve what’s left and uncover a few hidden gems in the country.
3. Albanian Night
On your first evening in Tirana, you must attend the Albanian Night show, a nightly performance showcasing Albanian culture through music, acting, and dancing.
We loved the Albanian Night, and it was the perfect way to finish our first day in Albania! You can read our Albanian Night Review or reserve your ticket right here.
During the Albanian Night show, you can see dance styles from the three main regions of Albania: south, central, and north. In addition to captivating music, singing, and dancing, the Albanian Night follows a storyline that engages all spectators in learning about various aspects of Albanian culture up close.
Albanian Night is designed to be an interactive cultural show, where you are encouraged to participate in the performance and dance, and follow the storyline closely. You also get to dress up in traditional clothes (we chose the full outfit).
It was the perfect start to our Albanian adventure, and it’s great to see young Albanians preserving their culture in this cultural center. And of course, sharing it with all of us.
4. Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2
Right in the heart of Tirana, just down the street from Skanderbeg Square and Et’hem Bey Mosque, you can descend into Bunk Art 2, an entire underground complex (bunkers).
Inside the bunkers, you can learn about their history and about Tirana and Albania.
Bunk Art 2 is a museum housed in bunkers built during the communist regime in the 1980’s. These bunkers are found across Albania and are evidence of Albania’s dark history.
In addition to Bunk Art 2, you can visit Bunk Art 1, an even bigger bunker further away from the city center.
Both Bunk Art 2 and Bunk Art 1 are a must-visit in Tirana, but if you don’t have the time to visit both, choose Bunk Art 2 if you only have one day. It’s right in the city center, and easy to access.
To get to Bunk Art 1, take bus 11 from right next to Skanderbeg Square, close to the Et’hem Bej Mosque. It takes about 30 minutes by bus to get to Bunk Art 1, about the same as by taxi.
The thing that we took note of the most while visiting Bunk Art 1 and 2 in Tirana was the level of control and surveillance that was done during the communist regime. Honestly, it was borderline insane.
Food tip: After visiting Bunk Art 1, we found Mix Pizza, a simple pizzeria with reasonable prices just down the road from the entrance, where we ate tasty mushroom pizza. It’s a perfect spot for before or after Bunk Art 1.
Our favorite Albania eSIM
Fast Speed and Reliable Signal
Ever since we got phones that support eSIMs, we have been hooked and never looked back. 📶
We always get the best value-for-money eSIM we can, based on reliable signal, fast internet speeds, and coverage across the country. 🌐
Now that eSIM plan prices are more than reasonable compared to regular phone plans (which are more of a hassle to get), we really see no reason not to get one for each trip.
5. House of Leaves Museum
Continuing on the topic of surveillance in communist Albania, a must-visit in Tirana to learn more about surveillance and control techniques is the House of Leaves Museum.
Inside, you can see electronics like cameras and microphones used by Sigurimi, the secret police and intelligence service from 1944 to 1991. There are even examples of bugging – hiding small microphone devices in rooms that were targets for surveillance.
We can’t imagine what it was like for the people of Albania to live through such times. We come from countries that were part of the former Yugoslavia (Croatia & Slovenia). It also carried out many similar surveillance operations to control people and prevent opposition. But it was probably not even close to Albania’s. We are too young to know about that time, as we were born right after the fall of Yugoslavia, but our parents did experience parts of that.
6. Try traditional Byrek (Burek)
We didn’t have time to try many restaurants in Tirana, but we did have the chance to visit Lakror TeEla, a place serving delicious traditional Byrek (Burek) from the Pogradec area.
It’s a simple dish, but the fillings are delicious, especially the tomato one. Topped off with drinking Ayran, it’s a fantastic option for a quick bite while exploring Tirana. Yum!
7. Walk the area near the Mosque of Namazgah
A 10-minute walk from the Et’hem Bej Mosque brings you to the newly built, large Mosque of Namazgah.
We didn’t have time to visit the inside of this mosque, but it looks amazing from other people’s photos!
Instead, we walked around the area, which is more peaceful than the area around the main square, and we also stopped by Tanners’ Bridge (although it’s nothing special, really).
8. Pyramid of Tirana and Komiteti Bar
By following the Bajram Curri Boulevard from the Mosque of Namazgah, or the big boulevard south of Skanderbeg Square, you will soon reach the Pyramid of Tirana.
Tirana’s Pyramid is a unique building, which you can climb to the top for better views of the city. Some years ago, the way up the abandoned Pyramid building was on steep, slippery concrete slabs, but it’s now completely restored, and you can use the stairs to get up.
Once up, there’s not much to do beyond looking out to each side to observe the cityscape, or sitting down for a chat, as it’s a popular spot for locals to come and hang out with their families.
The Pyramid of Tirana was originally a museum dedicated to Enver Hoxha, then a conference center, and during the Kosovo War in 1999, it was even a NATO base.
Across the street from the Pyramid is Komiteti Bar, a famous bar decorated in a nostalgic style, almost like a museum, with pieces from the communist era displayed. There are many different cool spots inside Komiteti Bar that you can chill at, and there’s also an outdoor space right behind it.
Additionally, Komiteti Bar is known for its large selection of Raki (a strong traditional alcoholic drink). We didn’t have Raki on our visit because we needed a caffeine boost, and they had Salep on the menu, a fantastic, creamy drink we absolutely love.
Please note: While Komiteti Bar looks amazing and is practically almost a museum, it’s not a place where we would spend time slowly enjoying our drinks and food. That’s because smoking is allowed, so it’s possible you will have smoke going towards you from all directions. As we don’t smoke, this was incredibly disturbing and made us cough.
9. Day trip to Bovilla Lake and Kruje Historical Town
Tirana is perfectly located for some amazing day trips that are absolutely worth your time.
Two great places to visit from Tirana are the stunning Bovilla Lake and the historical town of Kruje. You can see both in just one day, especially if you rent a car or book an organized tour.
We recommend visiting both in one day if you visit Albania during the summer, as the long days give you more than enough time for both.
Bovilla Lake requires a short hike to reach the viewpoint for the best views, but from the top parking lot, it’s only about 15 minutes and doable for everyone. And on a visit to Kruje, you must stroll through the Old Bazaar and visit the Fortress of Kruje.
Best way to explore Albania?
RENTING A CAR
We love exploring places at our own pace and on our own time, especially to avoid crowds at popular destinations we visit. Plus, watching sunrises and sunsets at epic locations is a must. ☀
That’s why renting a car for us is a no-brainer, and an unmissable part of most trips. 🚗
We love having the choice to compare prices, choose different pick-up and drop-off locations (one-way rentals), and pay for a reasonable full insurance policy without going broke. 🤑
10. Dajti Mountain
Something we haven’t done ourselves, as the weather didn’t cooperate during our Tirana visit, is going up to Dajti Mountain.
Dajti Mountain is easily accessible via the 15-minute cable car, which departs from the station located directly above the tunnel through which you enter Bunk Art 1. That’s why visiting Dajti Mountain is best combined with a visit to Bunk Art 1.
The best time to visit Dajti Mountain is for sunset, as you get fantastic views over Tirana, but keep in mind that the last return of the cable car is around 5:30 PM, which means if you’re visiting in the spring or summer, you won’t be able to see a sunset at the mountain, since it’s much later in the day. In that case, we recommend renting a car.
You can use the same blue bus number 11 (Dajti Ekpres) to get to the cable car station, just as you would for Bunk Art 1.
Best trips from Tirana
Tirana is perfectly located for day trips to destinations within Albania and to many nearby countries, like North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.
From Tirana, you can do a day trip to the historical towns of Berat and Gjirokaster, as well as the Albanian Alps (Theth area or Komani Lake & Shala River), plus the Albanian Riviera (Sarande, Ksamil, and Blue Eye).
You can do day trips from Tirana independently by renting a car, but there are also fantastic organized tours you can join if you want a guided experience, or don’t want to drive.
Best tours and activities
- 😋🚶♀️ Food Experience & Walking Tour
- 🚠 Organized Dajti Mountain Visit (pick-up from hotel plus cable car tickets)
- 🚲 Bike & E-Bike Tour (city & park)
- 🍇 Winery Guided Tour & Tasting (outside of the city)
- 👩🍳 Cooking Class (with wine & raki tasting)
- 🌄 Zipline near Tirana (ages 10 and up)
- 🏁 Quad/ATV at Bovilla Lake
- 🚤 Boat Cruise near Vlore (with pick-up in the city)
- 🌄 Theth National Park & Blue Eye (day tour with a local guide)
Where to stay in Tirana
Since Tirana is a walkable city for tourists, we recommend staying in the city center. Two great options are the Faces and Places Hotel and the Metro Hotel.
For couples like us, we highly recommend Sunflower Rooms, where we stayed (or the suite next door). It’s super centrally located (just across Rinia park), clean, and well-equipped.
Best restaurants in Tirana
- Kantina Binjaket (unique winery experience with food)
- Era Blloku (traditional food in the Blloku area – vegetarian-friendly)
- Floga (mix of traditional and modern – lots of vegetarian options)
- Smoke House (grill, steakhouse)
- Berlin Restaurant (mix of Albanian, Italian, and Greek – vegetarian-friendly)
Best time to visit Tirana
The absolute best time to visit Tirana and Albania to experience it at its prettiest and most fun is during the summer months.
Visiting Tirana in June, July, and August, which are also the busiest months, means you’ll have great weather, long summer days to explore, but it’s also going to be hot.
Off-season travel to Tirana (spring or fall) means less crowded locations, but less time in the day, as the days are much shorter than in the summer.
Winter can also be a good time to visit Tirana, as most things aren’t weather-dependent, but again, the days are quite short.
How to get to Tirana
To get to Tirana city center from the airport, we recommend taking the Airport Bus Transfer (5 eur), as it’s the most convenient and affordable way. It brings you right to the city center.
Taxis from Tirana Airport can bring you into the city for about 15-20 euros. On our first visit, we used the SpeedTaxi company because they have a practical taxi app. We could see the price upfront, set the pick-up point, and see exactly where our driver is and how long it’ll take.
From other parts of Albania, you can reach Tirana easily by bus, as it’s well-connected.
From other countries, beyond direct international flights, there are also frequent buses from Montenegro (Podgorica, Ulcinj, Budva, Kotor), Kosovo (Pristina, Prizren), North Macedonia (Skopje, Ohrid Lake), Greece, and Dubrovnik (Croatia).
Final thoughts and how long to spend in Tirana
Tirana is easy to explore in one full day, and if you’re strapped for time or want to enjoy other parts of Albania (we get it), you can even explore most of Tirana’s highlights in half a day.
That’s what we did on our first visit, since we had a packed itinerary of fantastic places in Albania that we wanted to dedicate more time to.
While there are fewer sights in Tirana than in some other European capitals, there’s more than enough to get an introduction to Albania, especially to learn about its history. Top it off with the Albanian Night, and you’re ready to explore the rest of the country with a bit more knowledge!
Continue your Albania trip planning
- ⭐ What Not To Miss in Berat (best places and experiences)
- ⭐ Shkoder Attractions & Activities
- ⭐ Guide to Theth in Albanian Alps
- 🏰 How to visit Kruje Historical Town
- 🌞 Best Attractions and Beaches in Himare
- 🌊 Osumi Canyon River Tubing (one of the best things we did in Albania!)
- 🌄 Bovilla Lake (stunning lake viewpoint)
- 💃 Albanian Night (fantastic show with traditional dancing and singing)
- 🛌 Riverside Komani (fantastic riverside hotel for visiting the Shala River)
Must-read - 🇦🇱 Best of Albania in Two Weeks (day-by-day itinerary)
- 🌄 North Albania in One Week (rivers, lakes, hikes, swimming spots)
