2 Days in Albania
DO NOT MISS
Skanderbeg Square and surrounding buildings.
Market in Tirana
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Tirana
Take an evening stroll along Murat Toptani Street or Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard
Day 2: Take a walking tour of Tirana.
Some of the sights worth exploring are: Skanderbeg Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Castle of Tirana, Tabaku’s Bridge, Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Clock Tower. Another interesting sight is Tirana’s Mosaic however it was difficult to find and some locals don’t seem to know its existence. The National Historic Museum might be worth visiting as well but it has unannounced closures.
LODGING
Hostel Albania in Tirana was centrally located and tranquil. The staff was friendly; and there is also a giant Albanian sheepdog on guard.
TRANSPORTATION
Tirana can be explored on foot.
Getting to places from the Albanian capital is fairly simple. There are daily buses to Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro. There is no central bus station but bus companies are niched according to destination.
Road condition in Albanian are not always optimal. The bus to Athens passes through some dirt roads.
FOOD
There are many restaurants that serve Albanian sausages and beer for really cheap in Tirana. Although those places seem to be male-dominated. Another easy cheap meal is getting a byrek (savory pie) from a pastry shop or stand.
TRAVELING WITH LESS TIME…
…is not recommended.
TRAVELING WITH MORE TIME…
- Visit Shkodra, ” the capital of Albanian culture” and Lake Shkodra
- Hike the Albanian Alps (Prokletije)
- See Ottoman/Albanian architecture in Berat or Gjirokastër
- Visit Korca Brewery and check out the Beer Festival (Aug) in Korce
- Head to a beach town to experience the Albanian Riviera