This is a Tirana travel guide.
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I’ll be honest with you, Tirana was the least of my priorities when organising a multi-country 1-week trip with my partner. In fact, we had zero time to plan the trip at all so did it on the fly as we went along. We were going to Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro. The latter was my real priority as I’d been wanting to visit for years!
I’m glad we explored it though. Tirana had a similar vibe of that I get in Brazil, especially Rio. It’s colourful, a little chaotic in a fun way, WARM, incredibly affordable (ok, not so much like Rio…) and people are super friendly and WANT to share their culture with you. It’s also changing fast. New bars and restaurants are opening constantly and the city has an energy that feels like something is always happening.
Here’s the Tirana travel guide I wish I’d read before my trip:
Quick Guide to Tirana
- Where to stay: City centre for walkability; Hotel Bonsai near the bus station if you have an early departure
- Getting there: Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA), about 30 minutes by taxi from the centre
- Getting around: Walking is best in the centre; taxis are cheap but always agree a price first. Be warned: Google Maps directions for driving are unreliable
- Currency: Albanian Lek (ALL). Cards are accepted in many places but you also need cash for many things
- Language: Albanian, but English is widely spoken especially among younger people
- How long do you need: One full day is doable; 1.5 to 2 days is better
- Don’t miss: Bunk’Art 2, a walking tour, Pazari i Ri market and the Dajti cable car
READ MORE: Ultimate Albania Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Best Things to Do in Tirana
Do a Walking Tour First
This is my number one tip for Tirana and honestly for any city where you don’t know the history. Tirana has so many layers! Ottoman, Italian, communist, post-communist. And a lot of what you’re looking at makes a lot more sense once someone has explained it to you. The colourful buildings, the bunkers, the pyramid… it all clicks into place with context.
I always recommend doing a walking tour on your first day and Tirana is no exception. There are free tours available (tip-based), which I always recommend and several paid ones.
Book a Tirana walking tour on GetYourGuide
Skanderbeg Square
This is the heart of the city and your natural starting point. The huge equestrian statue of Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero who led the resistance against the Ottoman Empire, dominates the square. Surrounding it you’ve got the National History Museum (hard to miss, with its enormous mosaic facade), the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the old Clock Tower.
The mosque is beautiful and well worth going inside. Just dress appropriately. I had shorts on because I wasn’t thinking and didn’t go in, which I still regret. Cover your legs or bring a wrap. I noticed midi and maxi skirts were very popular among the locals!
House of Leaves (Shtëpia me Gjethe)
This is the one I’m still annoyed at myself for missing. The House of Leaves is housed in the former headquarters of the Sigurimi, Albania’s communist-era secret police, and covers nearly five decades of surveillance, repression and fear. We’re talking bugged rooms, spy equipment, interrogation rooms and the personal stories of people who were monitored, arrested and worse. It won the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2020 and by all accounts it’s one of the most powerful museums in the Balkans.
I didn’t go in because it’s cash only and I had no Lek on me and not much time left to go get some. Genuinely one of my biggest regrets from the trip. Don’t make the same mistake – sort your cash before you go.
If you want even more communist history, Bunk’Art 2 is nearby and covers similar ground from a slightly different angle. It’s set inside an actual underground bunker beneath Skanderbeg Square and also tells the story of the Sigurimi. Many visitors do both in the same day.
The Enver Hoxha Pyramid
One of the strangest and most fascinating landmarks in Tirana is this abandoned concrete pyramid in the middle of the city. It was built as a museum and mausoleum for communist dictator Enver Hoxha after his death in 1985 and has had many lives since: a NATO base, a nightclub, a refugee shelter. It’s now partly restored and you can actually climb up the sides of it. Very weird, very Tirana, very worth seeing. Also, one of the best spots for sunset watching!
Pazari i Ri (the New Bazaar)
The New Bazaar is actually one of the oldest parts of the city, recently renovated into a vibrant open-air market. You’ll find fresh produce, local cheese, olives, spices, honey and all kinds of Albanian food products. It’s the perfect place for a wander, a coffee and some people-watching. Also for souvenir shopping if you want to grab yourself something to remind you of this lovely city. Surrounding the market are loads of good cafes and restaurants too.
The Dajti Cable Car
Another great attraction we missed due to poor planning and lack of time. The Dajti Ekspres cable car takes you up Mount Dajti, which sits just above the city and the views over Tirana are supposed to be spectacular. There’s a restaurant and a small amusement park at the top, but honestly the ride and the panorama are the main draw. Put it on your list.
The Blloku Neighbourhood
Blloku (or “The Block”) is Tirana’s trendiest neighbourhood and its history is fascinating. During the communist era it was completely off-limits to ordinary Albanians. It was where the party elite lived, including Hoxha himself. Today it’s full of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques. A great place for an evening drink or dinner.
Tirana travel guide.
Where to Eat in Tirana
We had a really lovely meal at a traditional Albanian restaurant – Oda – and I’d really recommend seeking out proper Albanian food while you’re here. Traditional dishes we loved were byrek, tavë dheu, fergese, flija and pispili. The food is hearty, flavoursome and very affordable.
The Pazari i Ri area has lots of good options around it if you want something more casual and Blloku is the place to go for a more modern dining or drinks scene.
Important Tips for Tirana
I’ve actually written a post just about things you need to know about Tirana before heading there but here are some of the main tips you need to know.
Carry Cash
I can’t stress this enough. While cards are accepted in many restaurants, hotels and shops, you will need cash for the bus, for some museums and for smaller local spots. Get some Lek out when you arrive and keep it on you.
Google Maps Driving Directions Don’t Work Properly
If you’re hiring a car in Albania, which I’d recommend for getting around the country, be aware that Google Maps can be genuinely unreliable for driving directions in Tirana specifically. Our taxi driver had a hard time finding our hotel because of this. When we drove around the city, I had to navigate following the map but not the instructions. Don’t rely on sat nav blindly and have a backup.
Getting Around
Walking is the best way to see the centre. Taxis are cheap and widely available, just agree a price before you get in or make sure the meter is running. Uber doesn’t work in Tirana. We were advise to use Patoko instead which we downloaded but ended up not needing.
Don’t Wear Shorts to Mosques
As I mentioned, I made this mistake and couldn’t go inside the Et’hem Bey Mosque. Bring a wrap or light trousers if you want to keep your options open. To be honest, it’s a safer bet to not wear shorts at all!
Where to Stay in Tirana
For most visitors, staying in or near the city centre is the obvious choice. You’re within walking distance of Skanderbeg Square, Bunk’Art 2 and most of the things listed above.
However! If you have an early bus out of the city (like we did, heading to Ohrid in North Macedonia), it’s worth considering a hotel near the bus station instead. We stayed at Hotel Bonsai which is near the bus station and made the early morning departure completely stress-free and was genuinely a great stay.
I can’t recommend it enough! We arrived late and were leaving early in the morning. Because we didn’t know about the issue with Google Maps yet, we thought we could easily walk down to the bus station, that’s why we didn’t get cash for the bus. Turns out it wasn’t possible and it was too late to get cash. Our hotel concierge very kindly exchanged money for us AND let us leave the big suitcases there so we didn’t have to lug them around Ohrid. Made sense as we were going back to the same hotel the day after!
Breakfast was delicious, everyone was so friendly, rooms were delightful and we had this gorgeous view in the morning:
You can book Hotel Bonsai here of search other hotels in Tirana on Booking.com
Tirana travel guide.
Day Trips from Tirana
We didn’t manage any day trips from Tirana as our priority was visiting different countries in this instance, but there are some genuinely brilliant options nearby:
Berat is probably the most visited! A UNESCO-listed city of a thousand windows, with well-preserved Ottoman architecture climbing up a steep hillside. Beautiful and very photogenic. You can book a tour with Viator here.
Kruja is closer and easier to do as a half day. Another tour you can book with Viator and not worry about figuring out how to get there by yourself.
Lake Shkodër was actually on our way to Montenegro, which shares the lake with Albania. It’s the largest lake in Southern Europe and absolutely worth a visit if you have time. The scenery is stunning (think glassy water + mountains in the background). It’s about an hour from Tirana and easily combined with a visit to Shkodër city itself, which has a fascinating history and a great castle. If you end up hiring a car to drive onward to Montenegro as we did, this makes a perfect stop along the way.
This was a Tirana travel guide.
