14 Things to do & see in Tirana

As we said in our two-day Tirana itinerary, this city is fantastic and has many things to do. We have tried to put the most exciting things to do in Tirana on a list so you don’t run out of ideas when exploring the beautiful capital of Albania. The city is filled with fantastic museums and important and impressive landmarks. These are the top 14 things to do in Tirana.

Where to stay in Tirana?

If you stroll around Tirana and visit different places to find things to do and see, you need to be well-rested. These are the best places to stay in Tirana.

1. Visit Skanderbeg Square

Skanderbeg Square is a beautiful square in the center of Tirana. If your accommodation is close to the center, you should have no problem reaching this square. Big modern flats, communist-style flats, and beautiful architectural buildings surround the square. The I Love Tirana sign is another popular attraction where tourists can take great pictures. This square is the main square of Tirana and one of the biggest squares in the world. Depending on the season, there are small stands, festivals, the Christmas tree, and markets if you come in November and December. Suppose you are into history or want to learn more about Albania’s fascinating history. In that case, the National Museum of History is also here, and the BUNK’ART 2 Museum is a short 5-minute walk away.

some of the cool things to see at Skanderbeg Square

2. Learn the dark but important history of Albania at the BUNK’ART 2 Museum

One of the most interesting experiences in Tirana is definitely the BUNK’ART 2 Museum. This museum takes a deep dive into the important and dark history of Albania’s past.

Until 1992, Albania had a communist regime. A regime that is not talked about much in the rest of the world: under dictator Enver Hoxha, who had Cold War Paranoia, a lot of bunkers were built. More than 750,000 across Albania.

In one of these bunkers in Tirana lies the BUNK’ART 2 Museum. It is a museum that is filled with interesting and highly saddening facts about how Albanians had to live during this period. The museum shows you presidential rooms, the names, and experiences of people who have tragically passed away in the concentration camps, as well as video interviews with survivors.

At the point that the picture was taken in the museum, we had no idea about the tragedies that happened

3. Get a caffeine buzz at one of the many coffee shops in Tirana

Tirana has made a fantastic recovery from the time that they were under the communist regime until now. They have put a lot of the communist past behind them, and many streets give off a North American/Southern European vibe. You can also see this in the city’s many great coffee shops. If you like to have a strong coffee, this is the place for you. Many coffee shops have specialty Java beans and lovely terraces on which to sit.

Drinking a cappuccino in the morning with a big smile on our face and a smile on our coffee

4. Enjoy a meal at one of the many fabulous restaurants

Not only is the city filled with fantastic coffee shops, it also has some fabulous restaurants. As the sea surrounds Albania, you can eat at many fish restaurants here. However, if you prefer meat, there are also more than enough different traditional and non-traditional meat restaurants. Because of Albania’s proximity to Greece and Italy, the city has more than enough Greek and Italian restaurants, and the pizzas are excellent.

Some of the delicious food at the restaurant we went to

5. Explore Tirana’s nightlife

Tirana is also an excellent option for having a drink or two when you visit cities. The city is entire of buzzing bars and has a great clubbing scene. Tirana has multiple zones where you can go out and enjoy the evening. One of the zones is at the AirAlbania stadium, which is the calmer zone to go out of. You can visit sports bars in Tirana here or drink at one of the many shisha lounges in Tirana. Another place to go out is Blloku, where all the famous and high-end spots are.

6. Take a stroll in Tirana’s Grand Park

Tirana has a Grand Park; it is so grand that it resembles a forest. If you want to relax and spend time with nature, this is the best place in Tirana. The Grand Park even comes with a lake, albeit an artificial one. In this artificial lake, you can go fishing; in the park, you can rest on one of the benches or have a picnic. The traffic in Tirana can be insane, so if you need an escape from all the cars, this is the place.

7. Climb up Tirana’s pyramid for some fantastic views of the city

This might come as a surprise to many, but Tirana has a pyramid. Although it is not as ancient as the pyramids in Giza, it is a must-do and must-see to visit the Pyramid in Tirana. The Pyramid was only opened to the public in May 2023, so the construction is relatively modern. We recommend you go to this pyramid before sunset and walk the 250 steps up. The pyramid has multiple balconies to enjoy a beautiful sunset and an even more amazing city view. When you are done and walk back down, you can visit some great coffee bars here.

The pyramid of Tirana

8. Visit the biggest mosque in the Balkans – The Namazgah Mosque

Not that many people know that Albania was the only predominantly Muslim country in mainland Europe until 2008 when Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. It is not strange that the biggest Mosque in the Balkans is located in the capital of Albania. The Namazgah Mosque is an impressive building that opened in 2022 and cost about $30 million. You can visit the mosque as a tourist, which is worth it. To respect the Islamic religion, it is important to know that women and men go to separate parts of the Mosque and that you take off your shoes before entering. The building is beautiful; we think it is a must-visit when visiting Tirana.

The beautiful mosque

9. Don’t be a knight, but spend the night at Tirana Castle

We hope you liked that wordplay as much as we did because Tirana Castle is not that far from the Namazgah Mosque. Although it might sound like you will see a lot of history here, which you do in the architecture, this place is filled with cute bars and excellent restaurants. So, if you are a bit tired from your walk through Tirana, this is the best place to go, as you can eat, drink, and relax in this city area.

10. Explore the Block

We mentioned the name earlier in this article, but visiting the Block doesn’t refer to visiting a hood in Tirana. It means the polar opposite. The Block, in Albanian, called Blokku, is a neighborhood that hasn’t been open to the public for that long. This area is where Enver Hoxha (The communist dictator to whom we referred earlier in this article) used to live, and no one could visit this area except for the Communist Party’s inner circle. Today, it is one of the high-end areas of Tirana. You can find some of Tirana’s most fancy hotels, designer cafés, restaurants, and stores in this area. Sky Club, one of the famous bars that offers a 360 view of Tirana, is also located in this area.

11. Go to the nearby beach of Durrës

Although Tirana is not directly by the beach, Albania is not a big country. If you have some time, and the weather is nice (often in Albania), you should visit one of the nearby beaches. The nearest beach to Albania is actually in the city of Durrës. A motorway from Tirana directly connects this city, and it takes about 40 minutes to get there by car. If you don’t have a car, this city is accessible by bus and will take about 50 minutes. However, first, you must get to the Dogana roundabout, about 3 miles outside the city center. When you reach the roundabout, you can take line 7 or 2 to Dürres. The bus trip should cost you about $1 (130 LEK). Finally, you can also take a taxi, which will cost you about $23 to $25. There are also many other beaches in Albania, such as Vlora and the pretty coastal city in the south called Saranda. Both are worth the visit if you are staying longer in Albania. However, if you are spending a few days or a week in Albania, then Durrës is the best option to travel to see the beach.

12. In a city that is so walkable – Don’t forget to take a walking tour

You might have seen it online or read it from this blog because of how close things are to each other. Tirana is an incredibly walkable city. Most things are just a five—or ten-minute walk from each other. The city is mostly flat, and some parts, like the park and Skanderbeg Square, can not be accessed by cars. This makes it the perfect city to follow a nice walking tour and discover the many hidden gems this city offers. We took this walking tour when we visited Tirana.

Outside on the door of AirAlbania Stadium

13. Bovilla Lake & Gamti Mountain

Although the city might be mostly flat, it is surrounded by some beautiful mountains and some of them you can visit. Gamti Mountain is one of the mountains that you can visit from Tirana. If you are an experienced hiker, you can visit Gamti Mountain yourself. However, we recommend going with this guided tour, which takes about six hours. This tour will also take you to the beautiful Bovilla Lake next to Gamti Mountain.

14. Go shopping in one of the many malls

As discussed earlier in the article, Albania also has some North American influences. You can see this by the number of malls in the city. When you leave the BUNK’ART 2 museum and walk upward for about ten minutes, you will arrive at one of these American-style malls. Here, you can shop, drink coffee, or eat at one of the restaurants and go to the supermarket if needed. This mall is called the TopTani Mall, which is just one of Tirana’s many malls.

Other things to do in Tirana

If you are still unsatisfied with the things to do in Tirana, we have a short list below of other things you can see and do when you visit this city.