Tirana is the capital of Albania. Located in Southeastern Europe, between Greece in the south, Montenegro and Kosovo to the North, and Macedonia in the Northeast. Tourists usually find Tirana a beautiful and charming city, with a lively night life. Tirana suffers from pollution problems, mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city. There are many excellent, inexpensive restaurants in Tirana serving all kinds of food (but good luck finding a taco!). Tirana also features many historical buildings, and a strange sensation of the meeting between Europe and the Orient. About 70% of Albania's population are nominally Muslim, but very few practice their religion. The BBC called Albania a rich blend of cultures and religions with breathtaking natural beauty and pristine beaches.
The city and country are very friendly to tourists. They are completely closing the central square to autos soon which will make the center of town even more pedestrian and tourist friendly. The average citizen speaks little English.
There are two main rivers that run through the city: the Lana and the Tirana. The city also contains a total of four lakes: Tirana Lake, Kodër-Kamëz Lake, Farka Lake, and Tufina Lake. Tirana's highest point measures 1,828 m. The city is on the same parallel as Naples, Madrid and Istanbul and on the same meridian as Budapest and Krakow.
PLACE TO VISIT
Sheshi Skënderbej (Skanderbeg Square). Tirana's city center. The Opera, National History Museum, Mosque and clock tower are all right off this square. A statue of Albanian hero Skanderbeg, stands in the square. Planned renovations will make the square a sight to see.
Kulla e Sahatit (Clock Tower). 09:00-13:00, 16:00-18:00. Closed Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday. Positioned in the city center, this tower has become a symbol of Tirana. It is one of the oldest constructions in Tirana, built in the 1820's. 10 lek.
Et'hem Bey Mosque. 08:00 - 22:00 (summer), 08:00 - 19:00 (winter). Construction of this mosque took about 28 years and finished in 1821. It is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Albania with very interesting decorations and art-work within it.
Martyrs' Cemetery. This is the cemetery where the remains of partisans that fought for Tirana are buried. Here one can also find the 12m statue of Mother Albania.
National History Museum. The main museum in Tirana, it is located in the center of the city, easily recognizable because of a huge mosaic standing on top of its front facade. It contains many artifacts ranging from ancient times through Hoxha's regime.
Petrela Castle. This is one of Albania's best preserved castles, found a short distance south of Tirana.
Mount Dajti. A very relaxing area, mount Dajti can be reached through an Austrian-built express cable car. The view along the route is worth the cost even if you don't stay atop the mountain. The area has a limited number of hotels and restaurants, but it is great for taking a breath of fresh air, mountain sports, or to just get out of the city for a while. Unfortunately, litter is becoming a problem on Mount Dajti. This detracts from the experience somewhat, but the beautiful scenery still makes the trip worthwhile. 500 lek.
Piramida (International Center of Culture). The pyramid was built in 1987 according to the design of Enver Hoxha's daughter and was originally a museum of her father. Today it's a venue for many conventions and art events. US president George W Bush gave a speech in front of this building. The building was the most expensive erected under communism, and there are plans for future changes into it. The new designs are worked by architectural firm associated with Hoxha's daughter.
Ish-Blloku (The Block). This area, prior to the fall of communism, was reserved solely for government officials. It has since become the number one spot for Tirana's youth. Among the apartment blocks, one can find some of Tirana's best cafés, shops, and restaurants. The streets, especially in summer afternoons, are filled with Tirana's citizens. You can also find here the villa of the former dictator, Enver Hoxha.
Kopshti Zoologjik Tiranë (Tirana Zoo). 09:00 - 18:00. Visiting this zoo is an odd experience; there are few animals but you will see them at remarkably close range. 50 lek.
Rruga Presidenti George Bush (Bush Street). This street was named after US President George Bush in honor of his recent visit.
WHAT TO DO
Tirana International Film Festival (Tirana Film Fest). This annual film festival highlights the work of ethnic Albanian artists.
Tajvani (The Taiwan). This beautiful place in the heart of downtown Tirana. It includes restaurants, casinos, bars, a club, etc. It is surrounded by a huge lit water fountain with a glowing bridge that reaches to the restaurant, and is an ideal place for all ages. Children enjoy gourmet ice cream and iced European soft drinks, whilst adults and teens can enjoy fun casinos. This is an excellent tourist attraction, and many Albanian celebrities can be found in the area. edit* Take a ride on top of Dajt mountain, known for its breathtaking view of all Tirana. Travel there is both easy and affordable.
Biblioteka Kombëtare e Shqipërisë (National Library of Albania). The library holds over a million books and is known for its ancient collections.
There are many parks in Tirana worth going to. People have picnics and have fun, and the natural beauty allows it because of the huge trees, open spaces, and mountains surrounding them.
There is an artificial, yet very beautiful lake in the heart of Tirana that shines during the day and sparkles during the night. It is popular with locals and tourists as a place to walk around and enjoy a lunch or coffee at one of the restaurants or cafés.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Tirana is served by Mother Teresa Airport (TIA), 25 km from the center of town. Flights arrive from many European destinations, so in many cases if you are coming from Europe or even other continents, flying may be the most common and certain way to arrive in Tirana. There is no public transportaion from Rinas to Tirana - you have to hire a taxi, which costs about 15 Euros, but you can try and bargain with the drivers. This is a bit expensive, but other options are generally not available. Some times ago a private company have established a regular bus line Rinas-Tirana-Rinas. The buses part every hour till 18:00 after that usually you have to take a taxi. The ticket costs 200 lek (1,60 euros - All above information regarding bus service was valid in summer 2007 do check upon your arrival for changes). The journey last 1/2 hour normally.
By train - Railway service in the Balkans (former Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria) was drastically reduced in the 1990s. Albania, which never had a particularly good railway service, is left with just about nothing these days. International train service does not exist. So, you can only reach Tirana from another Albanian city, and, until now, train service only operates to Durrës, Shkodër (Shkodra), Elbasan, Vlorë and Pogradec. Even though train services are very poor, when compared to West Balkan stadards, they are strangely frequent - with up to 8 services a day to Durrës.
While slower and perhaps more worn than the bus, the train ride from Tirana to Shkodër(or vice versa) makes up for this not only in cost (120 lek) but also in scenery. The 3 1/2 hour ride north enables you to enjoy the scenery of this unique country, sometimes even without the hindrance of glass between you and the world.
By bus - You can travel by bus to Tirana from other Albanian towns, or from Turkey, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Greece by international roads. There is usually one service per day from the afore-mentioned countries, in addition to several early evening departures from Pristina bus station that arrive in the Albanian capital at around 5am. Get current information about Tirana at the bus station before you leave that country. There is no regular bus service to Tirana from other parts of Europe.
What may be the best crossing from Montenegro are the buses from Ulcinj, crossing at Muriqan to Shkodra. They depart at least twice daily, and drop you off at the Shkodër furgon station before entering the centre. There will always be a waiting furgon for Tirana. Buses to and from Kosovo depart from downtown (behind museum where one also can find buses to Rinas airport)
Buses are generally the best method for traveling in Albania, but the traveler should note that they are not in the best of shape. There are few bus companies - buses are usually private coaches. There are no set schedules - coaches depart when they are full, or at the whim of the driver (usually at 6AM).
By boat - Tirana is not a port, so you can't get there directly by boat. There are, however, reasonable sea routes from Italy (from the ports in Bari, Trieste, and Ancona) to Durrës, from where you can take the train (which comes approximately every two hours) or a bus to Tirana. You could also rent a car and be in Tirana in about 20 minutes. Traveling by boat is a pretty good alternative to traveling to Tirana, especially if you are arriving from Italy.
