Best Things to Do in Tirana, Albania

Tirana is one of those cities that you might not have on your radar for a city trip! In this article, I’ll tell you why a trip there is still worthwhile and lots of things to do for one of the new insider spots in Southeast Europe!

Blloku

My first visit to Tirana about ten years ago left me with a bleak impression: a gray, characterless cityscape dominated by countless old German Mercedes sedans and evident poverty. I didn’t pay much attention to the Blloku district; there were a few shops and restaurants, but the overall environment wasn’t welcoming.

My overnight activities were mainly limited to hanging out by the pool of our crew hotel, which, with its luxurious ambiance, made us feel like we were on an island away from the world in the middle of the dreariness. I left the hotel only to immediately realize that there was simply nothing to see. Nothing but everyday life, which was so oppressive that it made me feel guilty with my banal desire for a bit of sightseeing.

Today, Tirana is still not Berlin or Barcelona, and perhaps it never will be. Nevertheless, the change that has taken place in recent years is remarkable. The Blloku district is located in the center of Tirana and is one of the most exciting neighbourhoods to have developed.

Cafés, bars and restaurants in Blloku

Here you will find boutiques, cafés, bars and restaurants in a wild mixture of Albanian tradition and international influences, always well frequented, with the flair of Tirana’s haute volée. By Albanian standards, Blloku is not a cheap spot in the city, but by European standards it is – which has made Tirana extremely attractive to more adventurous city travelers in recent years.

It’s a bit like Italy in general, when the cafés here are full even on a midweek morning and locals and expats sip delicious, creamy cappuccinos as if they were in Milan, Turin or Rome.

Villa Enver Hoxha

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the high-rise district, a notable curiosity stands out in Tirana. It’s a sizable plot featuring a multi-storey, detached villa, fenced in, guarded, yet visibly abandoned: the former residence of dictator Enver Hoxha, who governed Albania with an iron fist from 1944 to 1985. This entire block was once sealed off and designated for top party officials and their families. Now, the villa sits vacant as Albania continues to grapple with its past.

Tirana and its bunkers: Sightseeing tip!

Enver Hoxha was not only the head of state of Albania at the time, but also highly paranoid. In contrast to his Eastern European neighbors, the staunch communist initially aligned himself not with Russia but with China, until he also distanced himself from Chinese Maoism and isolated Albania politically.

This circumstance and the fear of military intervention by other states led Hoxha to have hundreds of thousands of bunkers built all over Albania. Some of them are open to the public in Tirana today:

➜ Click here for the website of the two bunker museums in Tirana

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Skanderbeg Square

Skanderbeg Square is the heart of Tirana. This square is so huge that it is almost unreal. You get a good impression of how architecture was also used as a demonstration of power in Tirana.

Skanderbeg Square is also home to one of Tirana’s two bunker museums.

The Pyramid

You will immediately notice the pyramid in the center of Tirana: Once intended as a museum and eulogy for the late Enver Hoxha, it was used in many ways after his fall, including as a conference center. What will happen to it in the future is still being planned. Until then, the pyramid remains one of Tirana’s most striking buildings and sights.

There are also many interesting city tours that deal with the unusual history of Tirana and Albania:

Where to Stay in Tirana

For those who don’t want to miss out on comfort, there are one or two more luxurious hotels of an international standard in Tirana, such as the Mak Albania*, formerly Sheraton, or The Plaza*. The price level for accommodation in Albania is also rather low, so you can also look for hotels of a higher standard if you want to treat yourself to something more.

With the rise of tourism, a number of boutique hotels have now also opened, such as the Arté Hotel*, with a really decorative ambience, as can be seen in the Arté Café (also a good tip in the Block district!).