Tirana Extended Walking Tour - Essential of the Albanian Capital

This is where the tour starts. Here the travelers will hear about the history of Tirana, and the history of the buildings around the square like the Opera House, National History Museum, National Bank, City Hall, etc. After the square we will walk to the New Bazaar area for some shopping and local experience.

This is the only remaining mosque from the 19 century in Tirana. Beautifully decorated it is a gem of architecture and art in the heart of Tirana.

The Clock Tower is a cultural monument that has shown the time in Tirana since 1822. It stands beside Et’hem Bey mosque, built by the same person. You can climb its 90 stairs and on reaching the top have a magnificent view of the main square in Tirana and beyond. The Clock Tower comprises a major part of the emblem of Tirana Municipality and together with the mosque forms a unique architectural ensemble.

The atomic bomb shelter of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was built between 1981 and 1986 and it can be considered as one of the latest “great works” carried out by the communist regime within the project of bunkerization which started in the early 70s and led to the building of 175.000 bunkers of various sizes across the country. This bunker, in code named “Objekti Shtylla”, consists of 24 rooms, an apartment reserved for the Minister of Internal Affairs and a large hall dedicated to intercommunications. Like many other bunkers of this size, this too was built to withstand a potential chemical and nuclear attack. Actually the bunker was never even used for trainings. The entrance and the exit of the bunker were built only recently, because on the initial project the entrance into the tunnel was possible only from within the Ministry.

Built near the old Justinian fortress, one of the few archaeological remains still present in the heart of the Albanian capital, the Castle is owned by the Toptani family. Toptani is one of the richest families in Albania and the Balkan area, originating from the beautiful city of Kruja. This family moved to Tirana in the seventeenth century. Some members of the prestigious family, during the years of Ottoman rule, were ordered by the Empire to govern the then Ottoman territories in the Albanian land.

Café-Museum located inside one of the communist era apartments. Communist era artefacts like old radios, furniture, tools, kitchenware, silverware, cups and glasses are only some of the objects that can be seen. Here the travelers will have coffee, refreshments, or rakia the Albanian famous spirit.

This iconic building was a museum dedicated to the Albanian communist leader (dictator). After the fall of the communist regime in Albania, the building was used as a discotheque, cultural center, radio station, and fair exhibition area. Now, the pyramid has been reconstructed with a modern architecture and will be the largest technological center in the Balkans focusing on Information and digital technology.

This is the main boulevard in Tirana, build in 1930s. Along this boulevard the travelers will see the main government buildings and will learn about the modern history of Tirana and Albania. At the end of the boulevard we find the Mother Theresa Square: This is the second largest square in the center of Tirana. Here the travelers will get to see the Tirana University Building, Art University, Air Albania Arena, and other iconic and historical buildings.

Leafy, residential Blloku is an upscale nightlife and shopping hotspot, with hip bars and cafes, and trendy global restaurants alongside luxury boutiques. During the era of Communist rule, it was a closed-off precinct for the party elite, and the villa of long-ruling dictator Enver Hoxha still stands.

The Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral in Tirana was inaugurated in 2012 and is one of the largest cathedrals in the Balkans. It is beautifully decorated with mosaics and paintings and has become one of the most visited attractions in Tirana.