Tirana County · Albania
Where to stay in Tirana
Tirana is a city in Tirana County, Albania, home to about 389,000 people.
- Best months
- May and June
- Nearest airport
- TIA13 km · Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa
- Currency
- ALLAlbanian lek
- Time zone
- Europe/Tirane
- Language
- Albanian
About
About Tirana
Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance.
Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, a native feudal lord from Mullet, established the city in 1614. His first constructions were a mosque, a bakery and a hamam or Turkish bath. On 8 February 1920, Tirana was made the temporary capital by the Congress of Lushnje, and it was proclaimed the permanent capital on 31 December 1925. Today, Tirana suffers from pollution problems mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city and continuous construction, compounded by its position in a valley and air pollution blown in from heavy industry in Serbia.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Tirana
See
- Et'hem Bey Mosque
- Mosque 'Kokonozit'
- Saint Paul Catholic Cathedral
- Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral
- Kapllan Pasha Tomb
- The Sheh Dyrri Teqe
- Tanners' Mosque
- National History Museum
- National Gallery of Arts
- National Archaeological Museum
- Natural Sciences Museum of Albania
- Tirana Mosaic
Do
Go for a walk in the evening along the main streets or at one of the several parks and sit for a coffee or drink. Take part in the vibrant nightlife by visiting one of the numerous nightclubs. If you are adventurous and brave enough, try the peculiar experience of driving in the city's streets by renting a car, or rent a bicycle from a bike renting station. You can also cruise the city with a limousine or venture out in the picturesque suburbs either south or northeast/west of Tirana.
- Murat Toptani Street
- Sheshi Skënderbej
- Stroll along Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit
- Taiwan Complex
- Mother Teresa Square
- Grand Park along the Artificial Lake
- Ali Demi Skate Park
- Mount Dajti National Park & Cable Car
- Brar Canyon and Bridge
- Southeast of Tirana
- Dajti Mini Golf
- Lalzi Bay Beach
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Tirana
18 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Tirana International Hotel | 1979 | 0.2 km |
| Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana | 2016 | 0.3 km |
| Hotel Dajti | 0.4 km | |
| Rogner Hotel Tirana | 1995 | 0.9 km |
| Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers | 2003 | 1.4 km |
| InterContinental Hotel Tirana | 0.2 km | |
| Hilton Garden Inn Tirana | 2018 | 2.1 km |
| Rogner Hotel | 0.9 km | |
| Allure Boutique Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Arc Hotel Tirana | 2.7 km | |
| City Hotel Tirana | 0.9 km | |
| Dream Boutique Hotel | 1.2 km | |
| Hotel Areela | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Baron | 4.2 km | |
| Hotel Boka | 0.6 km | |
| Hotel Bonsai | 4.5 km | |
| Hotel Idea | 0.5 km | |
| VH Premier As Tirana Hotel | 1.0 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Tirana
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Tirana are May and June. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; November is the wettest, with about 153 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Tirana: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport (OHD, 79 km) and Podgorica Airport / Podgorica Golubovci Airbase (TGD, 124 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Buses can be used to reach Tirana from other cities in Albania and internationally. There is daily bus service from Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Athens (Greece) and multiple services per day to Pristina, Kosovo (€10, 4½ hr). Schedules change frequently so check the latest info in your place of departure. From North Macedonia, buses come from Skopje, Ohrid and Struga. Definite departure times from Skopje Bus Terminal are 09:00 and 21:00 (as of Oct 2021), ден600. From Montenegro, take a bus or taxi to Ulcinj, then take a bus or taxi to Shkodër in Albania, crossing the border at Muriqan.
Getting around
There are no metros available in Tirana. Feet, buses and taxis are the only options to get around in the city if you do not have private transportation. The city centre is small enough to be explored through walking. Walking is a rewarding experience, but beware that there is no continuity in sidewalk width, construction material or condition. Sidewalks frequently end abruptly, have large holes or are very narrow. Pay attention while walking or you may end up spraining your ankle or falling in a hole. Street names are subject to change, so locals rarely know them.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
TIA · Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa
OHD · Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport
TGD · Podgorica Airport / Podgorica Golubovci Airbase
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Tirana
Eat
Food is generally inexpensive, even in the more upscale places. The Italian influence is everywhere and most places will offer pizza and/or pasta along more elaborate dishes. A good rule of thumb is that the priciest or fanciest places rarely are the best ones, particularly in the Blloku. Notable dishes that exemplify the local cuisine include fërgesë (baked vegetables and cheese) and tavë dheu (fërgesë with the addition of liver). Small shops and roadside vendors throughout the city sell foods such as sufllaqe, doner and gjiro for 200–300 lek. Also try the local speciality originally from Turkey, byrek (50–80 lek), barely haut-cuisine but inexpensive.
Stay safe
You should take some precautions when walking around the city. The main advice is to simply watch your step. Although many parts of the city are maintained, there remain holes and worn-down street parts. Cars also seem to drive more recklessly than in most European cities, and assume a right-of-way, so care is needed in crossing the street. Not even a green light is always a guarantee of safety! Try to see when the locals cross the street and cross with them. Crime, however, is not much of a problem. Tirana is a significantly safer city than most cities of comparable size in Europe, with people happily wandering through the city late into the night.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Tirana: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tirana?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Tirana are May and June. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; November is the wettest, with about 153 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Tirana?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport (OHD, 79 km) and Podgorica Airport / Podgorica Golubovci Airbase (TGD, 124 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Tirana?
Albanian lek (ALL).
Nearby
Destinations near Tirana
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.