By air
Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA), ~17 km by road
Europe · Albania
Tirana, Albania
A colourful capital of cafes, squares and mountain views
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June or September to October — warm and pleasant
Don't miss
Skanderbeg Square
Et'hem Bey Mosque
The Pyramid of Tirana
Mount Dajti
Things to do
Cafe hopping
Museum visits
The cable car up Mount Dajti
Evening strolls
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Pudelek · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes, light layers, sunglasses
A quieter corner
The Blloku district, once closed to ordinary citizens and now full of cafes
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tirana?
April to June or September to October — warm and pleasant. What to pack: Comfortable shoes, light layers, sunglasses.
How do I get to Tirana?
Fly into Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA), ~17 km by road.
What is there to do in Tirana?
Cafe hopping, museum visits, the cable car up Mount Dajti, evening strolls. A quieter find: The Blloku district, once closed to ordinary citizens and now full of cafes.
What should I eat in Tirana?
Tavë kosi, fërgesë, byrek, grilled meats and strong coffee.
About Tirana
- Inland
- Hills
Where it is
Tirana is the capital of Albania, set on a plain in the centre of the country with Mount Dajti rising to the east.
History
Tirana grew from an Ottoman-era town traditionally said to have been founded in the early 17th century. It was chosen as the capital of Albania in 1920. During the communist era much of the centre was rebuilt, and since the 1990s the city has grown quickly, with brightly painted buildings, new parks and a busy cafe culture.
People
Albanian is spoken in Tirana, a young and fast-growing city where people from all over the country have settled, and the evening walk, known as the xhiro, is a popular habit.
Known for
- Skanderbeg Square
- Brightly painted buildings
- A lively cafe culture
- Bunkers turned into museums
Did you know?
Tirana became the capital of Albania in 1920, after a national congress held in the town of Lushnjë.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.