Why Tirana?
Robbin and a friend wanted to go somewhere they hadn’t been before and that wasn’t too expensive. A great offer came along and so they opted for five days in Albania. They stayed in the capital Tirana, visited the city, and made day trips to Durrës and Berat.
What immediately caught your attention in Tirana?
Robbin does not have to think about it for a second and immediately says: “The internet is super bad, that was really a drama.” Fortunately, there are also lots of positives. “It has a lot of nature and beautiful, old buildings. And there were lots of poppies and mosques. The people are warm and friendly.”
What did you not know about Tirana?
“We knew it was a pretty cheap country, but not that the same applied to taxis.” That is nice, especially if you don’t have a car of your own.
“Tirana has a lot of nature and beautiful, old buildings. And there were lots of poppies and mosques. The people are warm and friendly.”
What are your top recommendations?
- Walk through Tirana park. “The park is right in the centre, but because it is spacious it was quiet. There is also a big lake. You can have a nice relaxing walk there.”
- Go to the Pyramid of Tirana. It was opened in 1988 to commemorate the late dictator Enver Hoxha. This man, for instance, closed Albania off from the outside world for years and built 170,000 bunkers. When Albania left communism behind a few years later, the pyramid became a symbol of everything the young democracy would rather leave behind. It fell into disrepair and it was even suggested that it could be demolished. But the pyramid remained, serving as a conference centre, nightclub and even a NATO base. As of 2021, it has been renovated. Fun fact: this was done by Rotterdam-based architecture firm MVRDV. It is now an education centre and a tourist attraction. “We didn’t go inside because there was a very long queue, but it’s a beautiful building to see and climb.”
- Visit the hammam of Durrës. This hammam gives you an idea of what such a bathhouse used to look like. Robbin had not been to a hammam before. “We are tall, so everything was quite low for us. And it was narrow. It wasn’t very big, but it was nice to see this.”
- Head to Skanderbeg Square. It is Tirana’s central square, on which, for example, a large opera and ballet theatre is located. You will also find another building designed by Rotterdam-based firm MVRDV: Skënderbeu Building, also known as the ‘Rock of Tirana’. In the 15th century, commander Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu fought against the Ottoman Empire. Not only is the square named after him, there is a statue and a building sculpted in the shape of a bust of this national hero.
- Head to the hip Blloku district. During the communist era in Albania, the Blloku district was the residence of the communist elite. As such, it was virtually inaccessible to the general public. After the fall of communism in the early 1990s, that changed. It became a bustling district that became known for its modern bars, restaurants, nightlife, and chic boutiques.
- Stroll through the New Bazaar to shop for souvenirs and good food.
- Take day trips from Tirana to Durrës and Berat. According to Robbin, you can see Tirana in a fairly short time, so he definitely recommends taking day trips to places nearby. “We don’t really like organised trips, but we didn’t have a car ourselves. So we were taken there and then split up and did what we wanted. We walked around the centre and in Durrës we walked to the sea, of course.”
- Visit Berat castle. That’s where Robbin and his friend went for a nice walk. Fun fact: should you have a 10 cents coin, you will see this castle depicted on it.
- In Durrës, you will find King Zog Villa, which is an old villa you can visit.
What is your fondest memory?
Robbin regularly goes on holiday with this friend. Why they do that? “Just to eat good food, enjoy ourselves, and have fun together.”
