April 2024

Our journey in Albania started with landing in Tirana after midnight. We were in that delightful state of arriving in a country about which we knew almost nothing, yet its everyday life carried on unaffected. Albania is one of those countries whose true treasures lie beyond the capital, but that doesn’t mean Tirana isn’t worth some attention. In this article, I’ll share our impressions, some of the places we visited, and, of course, some recommendations.

In the first article with the road trip in Albania itinerary, I mentioned that Albania was undergoing significant changes throughout the country, but Tirana is where this is most evident. New buildings, new roads, and a cityscape covered with cranes – clearly, things are moving in Tirana (and I hope in a good direction). We spent two full days there, which was more than enough, considering that we take time to sketch as well – an activity that significanly slows down our pace.

Skanderbeg Square

First things first (after eating our first byrek with dhal), we went to Skanderbeg Square – the heart of the city. It is a public square named after Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, a national hero who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. You will see him pretty much everywhere throughout the country. In the square, there is a large statue of Skanderbeg on horseback, surrounded by important buildings like the National Historical Museum, the Opera House, and various government offices. When we visited, it was lively and full of locals and tourists, and I was quite shocked to learn what it looked like not so long ago (an empty field, basically).

National Historical Museum

Et’hem Bey Mosque

Ismail Kadare Museum

Before coming to Albania, we started reading “Broken April” by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. I talked about it in the first article, so I won’t go into details. One thing is sure – it’s a must-read for any traveler to Albania and an amazing piece of literature. Visiting the Kadare museum was a priority for me, which is why we went there straight after Skanderbeg Square. Located in his former residence, the museum offers a glimpse into Kadare’s life and work. Visitors can explore his personal belongings, manuscripts, and books, as well as learn about his literary journey and contributions to Albanian culture. It’s a beautiful museum and very well done, although finding it was not easy – there’s no sign outside the building indicating the museum’s existence…

Et’hem Bey Mosque

Et’hem Bey Mosque was the second mosque we have ever visited (after La Grande Mosquée de Paris), and once again, I was amazed at how relaxed the rules and conditions were for visitors. Even though the communist regime did everything it could to eradicate religion from society, one of the first things Albanians did after Enver Hoxha fell was gather at their mosques and churches. The mosque’s interior is beautiful, with gorgeous motifs and decorative elements – don’t miss it if you are ever in Tirana!

As sketchers and architecture enthusiasts, we were looking forward to experiencing Albanian architecture, and we were not disappointed. Tirana is a peculiar mix of old Ottoman buildings, utilitarian communist structures, heavy Italian influences, and modern glassy skyscrapers that are growing at an astonishing speed. The state and quality of these buildings vary, but we enjoyed everything we saw, including the Tanners’ Bridge – an 18th-century bridge that may not make much sense now but is a perfect part of the unique Albanian mix. We also visited the modern Orthodox Resurrection Cathedral from 2012. I was very impressed by its size, though not as much by its exterior appearance.

Resurrection Cathedral

Tanners’ Bridge

After a full day in Tirana, it was clear that love at first sight didn’t happen. As the capital of a country emerging from an authoritarian communist regime, it looks like a child learning to walk on its own. I say this with tenderness, as my own country went through similar patterns. New modern buildings are mixed with dilapidated communist ones, large avenues of medium quality, and clumsy bicycle lanes – I’ve seen it all in Ukraine too. Still, the more you walk through Tirana – and its size allows you to discover it on foot – the more you feel a cozy attachment to its streets and its striving for improvement. In the meantime, we had a big program planned for the second day in the Albanian capital.

Leaving our Airbnb in the morning

Park morning reunion

The Pyramid of Tirana

One of Tirana’s most famous points of interest is the Pyramid of Tirana, also known as the Enver Hoxha Pyramid. Built in 1988 as a museum to honor the late communist leader Enver Hoxha, its distinctive shape and design makes a perfect example of “communist” brutalism. After the fall of communism, the pyramid was used for various purposes, including its role as a conference center and a broadcast facility. When I first learnt about the Pyramid from the blogs, it appeared to be half-abandoned and in quite a lousy state. Tirana surprised us again – now it is a perfectly renovated multifunctional cultural and educational center. It hypnotized us completely – such an inspiring place for drawing and photography (kids love it too!). We spent quite a while exploring steps, platforms and viewpoints from this amazing landmark.

Bloku

Next point on our plan was Bloku (or “the Block”). Once a restricted area reserved for the communist elite, it has transformed into a bustling district known for its lively nightlife, trendy cafes, and stylish boutiques. Bloku is also famous for its colorful houses and buildings. Not long ago, Tirana former mayor Edi Rama decided to revive the communist gray buildings, bringing colors to the monotonous gray mass. It could have been a disaster from an aesthetic point of view, but actually it looks very good! There is no special need to search for those buildings, as you are bound to see them while exploring Tirana, but here is an excellent article with more precise spots, if ever you don’t feel like roaming around without a clear destination.

One of many Tirana painted houses

As mentioned above, Tirana is a city where everything can be reached on foot (and to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend any other way of moving about the city due to the very hectic traffic), so quite soon we ran out of places we wanted to visit. Of course, there are some museums that we would have loved to see, but cramming too many visits into one day is never a good idea, especially considering that the main museum we had planned for our Tirana exploration would be intense and time-consuming.

Namazgah Mosque

Bunk’Art 2

The communist regime of Enver Hoxha was as sick and twisted as any other in the 20th century, and learning about it helps to understand Albania and the path it took to become what it is today. To this end, we took our place in the (endless, long, and boring) line for the Bunk’Art 2 museum. Housed in a former underground bunker, originally intended to protect the interior ministry’s officials in case of a nuclear attack (duh), it has been transformed into an immersive exhibition space. The museum explores Albania’s political history, focusing on the period of Enver Hoxha’s dictatorship. It’s an excellent museum. Although it’s not the only museum on this subject in Albania and Tirana (the House of Leaves Museum is another major recommendation), Bunk’Art 2 was more than enough for us on this trip. I’m happy that the days of this nutter are over.

Sky Tower

There’s no better way to bid farewell to Tirana than watching the sunset from Sky Tower. This bar on the top floor of an office building spins slowly around itself (at a snail’s pace!), offering a true 360° view. The cocktail prices might be a bit steep, but the overall atmosphere is worth it. We spent a long moment in Sky Tower, watching as it gradually filled with tourists and locals alike, and took an unreasonable amount of pictures until the sun disappeared completely, leaving everything in darkness. It was time to return to our Airbnb and prepare for the road-trip adventure starting the next day.

The Cloud

Tirana Tips:

Finally, some of our favorite spots in Tirana:

Era. Albanian food at its best. Probably a notch more expensive than in regular restaurants outside the capital, but we are also into aesthetic presentation, so it was worth it.
Kastrati Tradicional Restorant. Albanian food in a sort of a simple canteen for very friendly prices. It was a perfect introduction to the local cuisine.
Sky Tower. I made a whole paragraph about this place in the article, didn’t I? 😀
Vila Lule. Our beautiful Airbnb that I would recommend everyone.

Time to move to the next article, let’s go to Berat, Cape Rodonit and Shkoder!