A Solo Traveler’s Guide to Tirana

Tirana is an ideal destination for any type of traveler, with friendly locals, great hospitality and safety for visitors. The capital city of Albania is a lively and vibrant town perfect to be visited in one weekend. From a tour through the Communist landmarks of the city to a relaxed afternoon at the lake, here’s a list of top things that Tirana has to offer for travelers.
Enjoy the famous Albanian coffee culture
One of the reasons why Tirana is so famous in the Balkan area, is the great coffee culture that offers. The town is plentiful with gorgeous cafés and bars that line every street and square of the centre. From chain-cafés to cozy bars, you have a plethora of choices. One of the best of Tirana is Çoko Bistrot & Bar, a beautifully decorated café located in the heart of Blloku, the liveliest district of the capital. Once here, order eggs benedict and a fresh orange juice. Then, before you start your tour, sip a coffee.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcNMDc4nxpe/?taken-at=264023134
Walk through Blloku to Admire Tirana’s Street Art
Blloku is known to be the most exciting area of Tirana, plenty of cool bars, restaurants and places to spend the night out with locals. But this district, once forbidden to ordinary people and reserved only to the communist elite, is also famous to host great graffiti works. Just in front of Çoko there are gorgeous pieces of art, including a giant mural made by FRANKO, one of the most famous street artists of Albania.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGwOS17yE-2/?taken-by=franko_street_art_
Visit Galeria FAB
Tirana is a great destination for art-lovers: The town has many interesting museums and art galleries that are worth a look, including the famous National Historical Museum, located in Piazza Skanderbeg, which is the largest and most important museum of the country. But, if you love contemporary art and want to discover the works of local artists, avoid the main museums and head into Galeria Fab, the beautiful art gallery that is part of the University of Arts of Tirana. Throughout the year, some local artists displays their works.
Enjoy a Relaxing Afternoon at the Park
Tirana might be chaotic; it is the largest town of Albania and the political, cultural and economic centre of the country. To escape the crowds, locals used to spend their free time at Parku i Madh, the great park of Tirana, located on the southwest of the town. It is the lung of Tirana and the perfect place to spend some time in relaxation, walk and admire the beautiful lake views that offers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhZdUgLgFAs/?tagged=liqeniartificial
Book a Communist Tour through the City
A cool way to explore Tirana, is to take part of the Communist History Tour, organized by Good Albania. This tour shows you the other side of Tirana and leads you to explore the historical communist landmarks of the town. The journey includes tours of the BunkArt, the contemporary museum located inside the majestic coveted bunker built by Enver Hoxha in the outskirts of Tirana, Pyramid, the former mausoleum dedicated to the dictator, House of Leaves, the museum of surveillance with archives of the Sigurimi, the secret police during the regime, among others.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfse4wWBpFr/?taken-by=goodalbania
Find Excellent Local Cuisine
Tirana has a fantastic gastronomy scene: The town is full of great restaurants that offer various kinds of meals, from typical food to vegetarian options, from sea dishes to ethnic menus. But if you want to eat excellent local cuisine go to Mullixhiu, a beautiful restaurant located near the Grand Park of Tirana, in front of the lake. The chef, Bledar Kola, has worked at the famous Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, has reinvented typical tasty Albanian foods in a modern way.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhj_qUtHsvV/?taken-by=mullixhiu
Enjoy the Lively Atmosphere of Tirana at Blloku
It’s time to come back to Blloku. Here, you can spend a gorgeous night out in one of the several bars frequented by locals and chat and have fun. Albanians are very friendly and hospitable and will be happy to talk with you. One of the greatest places to enjoy the night in Tirana is Nouvelle Vague, a colorful and lively bar with a great selection of cocktails.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOpzcjncr5/?tagged=nouvellevaguetirana
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.