Tirana

Understand

thumb|300px|A view of downtown Tirana from Skytower Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, a native feudal lord from Mullet, established the city in 1614. His first constructions were a mosque, a bakery and a hamam or Turkish bath. On 8 February 1920, Tirana was made the temporary capital by the Congress of Lushnje, and it was proclaimed the permanent capital on 31 December 1925.

Today, Tirana suffers from pollution problems mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city and continuous construction, compounded by its position in a valley and air pollution blown in from heavy industry in Serbia. Long gone are the days when Tirana used to be subject to power outages almost daily and this made Tirana a noisy city as the lack of power and lack of traffic lights had cars navigating by honking their horns. The situation has dramatically improved regarding power outages. Tirana is undergoing a major renovation from its totalitarian days. Many of the ugly dull buildings have been repainted (including many crossings), but a lot of work outside of center is still to be done. English is the second language of many younger population, with many older residents speaking Italian.

The main business and entertainment area (not by coincidence) has become "The Block" (Blloku), which is the area where in the past, the communist leaders used to live under strict protection. Tirana is a youthful and lively city of 528,000 people (2024) resonating constant energy. The city was the European Youth Capital…

Get around

thumb|Tirana’s colorful pedestrian crossings (zebras)

There are no metros available in Tirana. Feet, buses and taxis are the only options to get around in the city if you do not have private transportation.

See

thumb|Et'hem Bey Mosque inner walls

Do

thumb|Skanderbeg Square in downtown Tirana

Go for a walk in the evening along the main streets or at one of the several parks and sit for a coffee or drink. Take part in the vibrant nightlife by visiting one of the numerous nightclubs. If you are adventurous and brave enough, try the peculiar experience of driving in the city's streets by renting a car, or rent a bicycle from a bike renting station. You can also cruise the city with a limousine or venture out in the picturesque suburbs either south or northeast/west of Tirana.

A "free" walking tour starting daily at 10:00 (10:00 and 18:00 during the summer period) in front of Tirana's Opera house is a good start to discover the city and learn more about its history, art and daily life.

Below are some venturing suggestions:

thumb|View from the cable car

Eat

Food is generally inexpensive, even in the more upscale places. The Italian influence is everywhere and most places will offer pizza and/or pasta along more elaborate dishes. A good rule of thumb is that the priciest or fanciest places rarely are the best ones, particularly in the Blloku. Notable dishes that exemplify the local cuisine include fërgesë (baked vegetables and cheese) and tavë dheu (fërgesë with the addition of liver).

thumb|Streetside restaurants

Stay safe

thumb|Car traffic and pedestrians at dusk You should take some precautions when walking around the city. The main advice is to simply watch your step. Although many parts of the city are maintained, there remain holes and worn-down street parts. Cars also seem to drive more recklessly than in most European cities, and assume a right-of-way, so care is needed in crossing the street. Not even a green light is always a guarantee of safety! Try to see when the locals cross the street and cross with them.

Crime, however, is not much of a problem. Tirana is a significantly safer city than most cities of comparable size in Europe, with people happily wandering through the city late into the night.

Go next

Zall-Bastar – For hiking near Bovilla Lake and a hot sprint near Perkola village. The bus runs from the Myslym Keta bus stop in the northeast of the city, the latter which of can be reached by L7 or L15. About 100 lek to Zall-Bastar. Shkodër – Fourth largest city in Albania, close to Montenegro's border. Albanian Alps Gjirokastra – Famous for its mulberry raki. Berat – City of the thousand windows with old Turkish buildings and a fortress. Saranda – Ferry to Corfu. Përmet – An interesting town with popular thermal springs nearby. Krujë - A fascinating historical town close to Tirana

There are also many direct connections to nearby countries, like Prizren, Pristina, Skopje, Athens and Podgorica.