Welcome to the final leg of my Balkan adventure, which takes us to the Albanian capital of Tirana! Read on to explore my recollections and experiences of this vibrant and unforgettable city.
Sections of this article:
Bus from Pristina to Tirana (via Prizren):
Before arriving in Albania, we travelled by public transport through North Macedonia and Kosovo!
We took a rather stressful bus journey from Pristina to Tirana (stopping for the day in Prizren). Once we were on board the coach from Prizren, the journey took just over 3 hours, and we pulled into the Tirana International Bus Terminal at around 20:30. The drive had particularly stunning scenery along the way!
We decided to walk to our hotel to drop our luggage off before heading out for dinner. Tirana didn’t feel particularly unsafe (despite being nighttime) – just take the same precautions you would in any major city, and you will be absolutely fine!
We stayed at “Freddy’s Hotel” for £19.92pp per night. The hotel was in a great location (only several minutes walk from the main squares!) and served its purpose perfectly – we had no issues.
What to see in Tirana:
. Bunk’Art and Bunk’Art 2. Visiting at least one of these museums is essential for anyone visiting Tirana, as they provide chilling context to the nation’s dark history.
. Tirana Park – lovely for a long stroll around the lake!
. Skanderbeg Square – there are many great places to eat around this area.
. National Historical Museum
. Pyramid of Tirana
. Dajti Ekspres cable car up to the top of Dajti Mountain! The cable car journey provides incredible panoramic views and a lovely area at the top of the mountain designed to accommodate tourists. Despite being a higher budget place than usual, we had a fantastic meal at “Ballkoni Dattit” with stunning views of the city and surrounding mountains. The service was impeccable, and the food was delicious – I highly recommend it!
We also met with an Albanian friend, who took us to a local restaurant near Tirana Park. We had a lovely meal and tried some of the infamous Albania Rakia or “rakija” (a home-distilled beverage with alcohol levels around 40-60%, designed to be sipped slowly between meals)!
Public buses around the city were extremely easy to navigate (including back to the airport from the main squares), and there is plenty of information online regarding this.
Where to buy an Albanian flag patch:
I love collecting things. I decided a long time ago that I would attempt to collect a sew-on patch from each new country to put on the bags that I travel with.
I believe I found my Albania flag patch in a souvenir shop nearby to Skanderbeg Square! It cost me around £2.
Unfortunately, we only had time to visit Tirana for a few days before having to head home, so I did not manage to visit greater Albania. I had a great experience in Tirana and look forward to the day I can return to visit the rest of this beautiful place.
