So what’s Tirana Like?
The vibrant capital of Albania is Tirana and it’s is an intriguing city filled with culture, great food, friendly locals and above all it is great value for money compared with many western destinations.
I immersed myself within the café culture of this city, it abounds with coffee shops and Albanians love to sit with their friends and drink coffee! Well when you can get a cup of coffee from just 60 Lek! (around €0.60) why wouldn’t you? Local cafes are everywhere you look and there are also some decent chains such as Mon Chéri, and Mulliri i Vjetër.
So what can you expect in Tirana? You can’t really get lost for a start. I found it a very walkable city and because of the Dajti Mountain that overlooks the city and the river lana that flows down through the city, if you take a wrong street, just look for those or head for the main square, Skanderbeg Square, and anyone can point you in that direction. In fact one of my favourite pastime’s in Tirana is just walking up random streets seeing where they go and what delights are to be found, You’ll find more local shops and cafes this way off the main city streets and prices are cheaper!
Tirana is a real mix of old communist apartments and run down buildings that are literally crumbling before your eyes, to brand new colourful tall buildings , hotels and luxury apartments.
Check out a walking tour of Tirana to orientate yourself and learn the fascinating history of this amazing city!
What about green spaces in Tirana?
Now this is where Tirana really comes into its own. Tree lined streets help keep you cool in the hot summer so there is plenty of shaded areas, (as well as cooling stations) but Tirana has a huge artificial lake the Grand park of Tiarna. It’s just stunning! Immaculately kept, you can walk it’s entire circumference and stop for a coffee, take your kids to the play area, or just sit on the many benches and look at the view. It’s a great place to relax!
Albanians are kind, warm and very friendly people and you will find English widely spoken in Tirana particularly by the younger generation. It’s only in very recent years that tourism has started taking off in Albania, and I’ve been asked many times by locals, “why have you come to visit?” My answer has always been “Because I love Tirana!” It’s so vibrant and different! Albania was cut off from the world during communisum and many remnants remain. That’s what makes it so interesting and I’m always blown away by the rapid changes that have taken place between my visits.
Food in Tirana.
Now if you love food you are in for a treat, because there are so many culinary influences in Tirana you will be spoilt for choice. Local freshly made food is everywhere from meat, fish and fresh vegetables to freshly made pizza. Yes the chains have also arrived so if you need your Pizza hut, Burger King or KFC, you will find them here too. However, just try out what Tiarna has on offer. Many small cafes don’t serve food and operate with QR codes on the table for menus. I found it confusing looking for menus at restaurants because there were often none outside in recent years which made it hard to know what was available. I’m pleased to say that has now changed and many places now have menus in English and Albanian on display outside the venue! Phew!
You can get coffee for very early morning and party late into the night here. In fact I think Tirana in my experience really comes alive at nighttime! Smartly dressed and out with their friends, Albanians love to be part of the evening culture here. You will not likely see any trouble though like in many major cities in Western countries. I have never seen drunken disorder yet in Tirana! I travel alone many times and have always felt safe here, whatever the time of night or day.
Traffic in Tirana.
One thing you are going to have to get used to is the huge number of cars on the road in Tirana. Traffic jams are daily occurrences, police pop up at junctions to manage the flow at peak times and the air quality isn’t great because of this, plus it is very noisy as Albanians like to use their car horns a lot! Taxis are everywhere and are usually the latest electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 cars such as Lux taxi company. with their stand out green and white livery.
Shopping in Tirana.
There are supermarkets in Tirana such as Spar and Conad as well as others, they have pretty much everything you need, however it is much better to buy produce from the smaller shops you will find on all side streets and some smaller markets as the prices are much lower. Fruit and veg can be bought from many street traders and bread is mainly available from local bakers. There is actually very little bread in supermarkets compared to western shops as it is the local bakeries that are the norm here. Again, I recommend you explore some side streets for the smaller mini supermarkets as savings really add up using these. I always head to stock up with bottled water, fruit juices and snacks at the smaller side street shops and do it on a daily basis.
Clothes and shoe shops are everywhere. Beware a lot of items are fake brands though. If you want to be sure of getting the real deal stick to the known branded shops within the shopping centres such as the Toptani centre near Skanderbeg square.
Skanderbeg Square.
This is the main square in Tirana. It is huge and really comes alive at night when the locals head out! Live events are often held in Skanderbeg square on a regular basis. walking through you will see students chatting, cyclists passing through, tour guides with their customers, children playing. People just sitting and reading a book or chatting. there is a children’s ride, local musicians playing and the vibe is relaxed! The square is surrounded by the National Historical Museum, The clock tower of Tiarna and the huge International Hotel and conference centre overlooks the square. From Skanderbeg square, you can head in any direction to explore places such as Bunkart2, Toptani shopping centre or maybe check out the nearby cafes and restaurants.
How long do I need in Tirana?
Well that depends on what you like doing. I mean you can do all the main sites in a couple of days easily. I stay for longer though. Why? Because Tirana needs exploring and why not soak up the culture and explore what it has to offer. Sit and people watch, check out the clothes shops, try some bars and cafes day and night. What about the cinema, the park, the churches, the cable car up to Dajti mountain and head up to the restaurant for lunch. Book stores, French cafes, the house of leaves, jewellery shops ,footwear, cake and ice-cream shops galore! Go on a day trip somewhere and keep Tirana as your base and head out on the town at night. I always stay for 5-7 days, just to enjoy the uniqueness that is Tirana.
Check out Radio Bar Tirana for an unusual venue for drinks while surrounded by vintage radios and beautiful decor.
Relax at the Nobis wellness spa. A huge spa right in Tirana with Jacuzzis, a huge swimming pool as well as treatments and relaxation areas and a gym!
Take a walking tour of Tirana and learn it’s history form a guide or head out for a tour to a nearby town.
let me know if you are heading to Tirana, or maybe you’ve already been recently and have a great tip or place to eat to share. Send me a comment below!
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