📓 Tirana 📖 📸 🎥 📎

Safety/cleaning

★★★★

★★★

★★★

★

★★★★★

Welcome/€

Attractions

Daytime Life

Nightlife

Evaluation of Tirana

Choosing Albania as an autumn destination might seem unusual, but it turned out to be an intense journey full of discoveries and contrasts, between an advancing modernity and still living traditions. Contrary to what many might think, I found an extremely safe country, both day and night, and a city that looks to the future with enthusiasm, as shown by the many towers and new buildings rising on every corner; Tirana is also an incredibly affordable destination: I spent an entire week there without giving up any comforts, spending just over 200 euros, allowing myself every little luxury while fully enjoying the daily life of the capital; I truly believe that many tourist destinations could take inspiration from Albania, which, thanks to this accessibility, is attracting more and more visitors every year.

One of the aspects that impressed me the most was the food: the local cuisine is rich, tasty and above all accessible to everyone. Each meal is a little journey into the authentic flavors of Albania.

On the other hand, the nightlife, which I describe in detail in the dedicated article, was quite disappointing: although the city is lively during the day, at night it becomes rather quiet, and finding interesting places or lively clubs is really difficult.

However, what makes Tirana unique, is its people: friendly, cheerful and always ready to welcome you with a smile.

I easily found people who spoke Italian or English, which made every interaction even easier and more pleasant.  Before visiting, it is important to know that, since Albania is a non-European country, it is advisable to get health insurance and buy a local SIM card, as the Italian/European telephone rate does not work in Albania and the costs for roaming can be very high.

The center of Tirana completely won me over with its energy: during the day it is full of life, markets, shopping centers, people walking and always crowded clubs.

Among the most fascinating places I recommend visiting the "BunkArt", the old bunkers transformed into interactive museums that tell the dramatic and fascinating history of the country. I also recommend the very modern Air Albania Stadium,  with its unique design that rises above the city as a symbol of a new era.

I was also impressed by the artificial Liqeni lake with its dam and the large park that surrounds it, a perfect place for a relaxing walk away from city traffic.

One of the most exciting experiences was being there during a national holiday : on November 28, 2022 I was lucky enough to join  the celebrations for the 110th anniversary of Albanian independence together with thousands of people and to attend a free concert in the square of pop star Dua Lipa, moments that are difficult to forget.

Tirana does not lack fast food, 24 hour casinos, markets and modern shopping centers, making the city perfect for those looking for variety and dynamism. Yet, the overall feeling I brought home is that of a "half-holiday" marked by a truly non-existent nightlife and rather disappointing compared to expectations. I invite you to read the article dedicated to Tirana's nightlife and watch the Vlog to discover every detail of this surprising capital full of contrasts.

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