Best Places to stay in the albanian Capital- Tirana!
- Mosaic Home. My go-to hostel for the budget traveller in Tirana. Very friendly and near great places to shop, eat and explore!
- Hotel Colosseo. A lovely 4 star hotel with great service and an extensive breakfast selection.
- Mak Albania. A 5 star hotel with a swimming pool and gym in a quiet area of Tirana.
Do they speak English in Albania?
Would I be able to pull off a trip to Albania I thought or would I struggle with the language? After a long discussion with my father about travel, he mentioned Albania to me. That got me thinking about how possible it was I would get by in a place I knew little about and quite frankly, seemed quite mysterious to me. Well of course I was soon researching this fascinating and beautiful country in the Balkans that is so underrated and missed by many! Yes they speak English very well in the capital Tirana. It is spoken to a high standard too! I had no issues conversing at the airport or in most shops, supermarkets and restaurants. Many Albanians speak multiple languages, but try to learn some basic words in Albanian as they will much appreciate your efforts!
Where is Albania?
Albania. if you were not aware, is just to the North of Greece and surrounded to the east by North Macedonia, working up to Kosovo and topped by Montenegro.
The beautiful coastline looks out over the Ionian and Adriatic seas towards Italy. It is a real gem and needs to be on your list of go-to places!
The first thing to note is it is one of the least developed countries I’ve been to, and there were some challenges to get around back in 2021 when I first visited Tirana. However, things are changing fast. In the 4 short years I have been visiting Albania, infrastructure has moved on at a pace and new buildings have been popping up all over the city of Tirana as well as new food outlets, hotels and improved transport facilities.
The Albanian people, in my opinion, are some of the most kindest and friendly people I have ever met. Delicious fresh and local food awaits you, historic sites, great weather, stunning views and coastline as well as accommodation of all levels from high end spas to some very nice budget hostels. All in a very safe environment to enjoy the whole experience!
There is much diversity in Albania in terms of scenery, from the Capital Tirana with it’s colourful high rise structures and communist era buildings, to the beautiful coastline, the city of Vlorë with it’s beaches and laid back atmosphere. Durrës with its huge Roman amphitheater, the tranquility of Ksamil often referred to as the Maldives of Europe. There are parks, mountains, rivers and lets not forget the military bunkers of which there were over 750,000 built during the communist reign.
How do I get to Albania?
Is Albania safe?
I have been to quite a few places in the world, and nowhere has felt safer to be than being in Albania. I have walked the streets of Tirana in the early hours alone, have been out at night when everyone is in the bars and cafes, and I can honestly say I have never seen any trouble, nor felt unsafe. Yes you need to be aware of the normal safety guidelines and be mindful of petty theft like pickpocketing. You will find Albanians treat tourists with the greatest respect. Tirana has lower crime rates than many other Western capital cities.
What is the Albanian currency?
The Albanian currency is the Albanian Lek. It is a closed currency, meaning it can only be obtained within Albania and you cannot exchange it outside of the country. It is easy to understand being divided into coins of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Lek, then notes of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000. Euros are accepted in some hotels and on bus transport from the airport (Luna Bus only) as well as taxis. There are countless banks and cash machines and currency exchange places throughout the major cities and at the airport.
When I first travelled to Albania, it was mainly cash only, with few places accepting credit cards. This however has changed. Most hotels, supermarkets and some bars and restaurants now take card payments, however, many still do only take cash and therefore always ensure you have cash to pay as it is still the most widely used source of payment in Albania.
Getting the bus or taxi from Tirana airport to Tirana city centre.
It is very easy to get the bus from Tirana airport into the city of Tirana. Just head out of the terminal and head into the main car park area , walking past the car hire booths and at the far end you will see a line of buses with the Luna logo on and Tirana in the windscreen. They are usually white buses but not always.
Luna travel take cash, cards and you can also pay on their app. It costs 400 Lek or 4 Euro to travel one way in the city (prices correct Feb 2025). Just hop on and at some point during the journey, someone comes around to take payment. The bus runs 24/7 every hour. The buses have free wi-fi also!
You can also book a private car transfer here
Taxis are everywhere but there is no Uber! Only use official taxis such as Lux taxis where you can book online. Other taxi firms are:
Merr +355 800 5555
Smart Taxi +355 69 702 0002
Tirana Taxi Company +355 45 620 333
Getting your hotel or Airbnb host to organize a pick up or taxi is also a sensible option to explore as they know who best to use.
So don’t delay, book that trip to Albania now and get out there and explore!
Let me know your questions in the comments below or maybe you’ve already been and have some tips to share!
Remember to always have travel insurance in place before setting off on your journey. If somethings goes wrong while you are abroad, it can be very expensive.
Check out my favourite travel insurance when I travel from Worldnomads
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