This city reminded me of Vietnam when we first arrived by bus. All the mess, noise and craziness of the traffic, the unorganized urban landscape as well as the hospitality of its people made me really miss Vietnam after more than 5 months of travelling in Europe.
Tirana is located in the center of the country surrounded by mountains and hills, with Dajt on the east and a slight valley opening on the northwest, overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance.
There are not many very special things to see in Tirana but it still has its own charm for tourists to spend a bit of their travelling time there.
Piramida
The Piramida is unique. It’s an unforgettable and culturally-significant building from 1987. It was built to be used as a museum to honour the country’s despotic dictator Enver Hoxha who ruled from 1944-85, but this plan was broken after 1990. Now it’s at the crux of a debate on how to deal with the period after the Second World War, when Albania suffered 45 years of isolation. Some want it to be restored as a monument to that period, while others want it to be torn down. In the meantime it is used by graffiti artists and skaters.
Skanderbeg Square
This is where Tirana’s premier monuments are all assembled, including the Clock Tower, Et’hem Bey Mosque and the National History Museum. It is named after George Castriot, an Albanian national hero, credited with halting the advance of the Ottoman Empire into central Europe. There’s a monument to Skanderbeg in the square, which occupies the spot where a communist-era statue of Josef Stalin once stood. The architecture surrounding the square is neo-renaissance, and there’s a large lawn with flower beds to round off the stately atmosphere. Skanderbeg is the city’s main venue for popular celebrations, such as 100 years of Albanian Independence in 2012.
Taiwan Complex
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.
Sky club
This is a rotating bar high in the air offering 360-degree views across the city. The view from the top is really amazing, maybe the best in Tirana. We can see the view over the city with a breathtaking mountain range in the background. The bar rotates around so you can admire Tirana from every angle while enjoying your drink.
Traditional market
Besides the real market, there are many stores and street sellers along the streets like in Vietnam. It’s amazing to wander around and enjoying the atmosphere. We did spend our Christmas days in Tirana so we bought something to cook for Christmas Eve.
Tirana is also famous for their bunk art, being such colorful city and having most coffee houses per capita in the world in 2016. Or outside of Tirana, you can also visit Petrela Castle, hike Mount Dajti or go sunbathing and swimming at Latzit Bay Beach.
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