Tirana is by far one of the weirdest European capitals I’ve ever visited. It’s funky, it’s quirky, and it’s a great place to spend a few days. There isn’t a huge, overwhelming list of attractions to visit. But that’s all part of Tirana’s charm! I loved getting to visit so many different places around the city. If you’re headed to Albania, Tirana is the main transportation hub so you’ll probably pass through at some point. I’d definitely give yourself a couple days here to chill out and explore! Here are 13 things you must see in Tirana, Albania, both in the city center and outside it!

1) House of Leaves

Albania has only opened up some of the classified files from the communist era in the past few years. One of the best places to learn about the dark side of Albania’s communist past, and Enver Hoxha’s reign of terror, is at the House of Leaves. This new museum is located in the former headquarters of the Albanian secret police from 1944 to 1991. I learned so much about this part of Albania’s history. It’s horrifying and very sobering to learn how much people suffered under this brutal regime. It costs 700 lek (~£5.20 // $6.40).

2) Resurrection of Christ Cathedral

Right across from the House of Leaves is the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral. This beautiful, Orthodox cathedral was only completed in 2012. The outside is very much a blend of modern and religious architecture, and the interior is beautiful but understated. The cathedral was consecrated in 2014.

3) Tirana Pyramid

If there’s one monument to symbolize just how weird Tirana is, it would be the Tirana Pyramid. It was originally designed by the daughter of the former Albanian communist leader, Enver Hoxha, to commemorate and Hoxha. After the fall of communism, it was repurposed to a convention center. Today, it’s falling apart and covered in graffiti. You used to be able to climb to the top, but it’s fenced off now for obvious safety reasons. You can’t visit Tirana and not see the pyramid!

4) Bunk Art 2

Have you ever visited a museum housed in a former communist-era bunker? Well, you can in Tirana! There are two bunker museums (Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2), with Bunk Art 2 in the city center and probably the more popular of the two. It focuses on the Albanian secret police during the communism period, and the complete power they had over the country. While a lot of the basic information is the same as you’ll learn in the House of Leaves, the underground setting in an old bunker gives you a whole different experience. You can even see Enver Hoxha’s bedroom! (He never actually spent the night in this bunker through.) It costs 500 lek per person (~£3.70 // $4.55).

5) Skanderberg Square

The heart and center of Tirana is Skanderberg Square. One of the most notable landmarks is the National Historical Museum, with the huge mosaic on the front. There’s also a big statue of Skanderberg, the national hero in Albania who helped resist the Ottomans. There’s also the National Opera and the National Bank, quite a few government buildings, and Ethem Bey Mosque. Unfortunately,  the mosque was under construction when I was there, but it’s a huge square and really nice to wander around. There’s also a carousel in the square, because Tirana is weird and why not!

6) National Arts Gallery (Soviet Statues)

Another one of Tirana’s museums is the National Arts Gallery. As it’s the main art museum in Tirana, it has lots of different exhibits on a variety of subjects. The museum costs 200 lek per person (~£1.50 // $1.85). But my favorite part is actually free—head around to the back of the museum and you’ll see Tirana’s last Soviet statues! There are two big statues of Stalin, one of Lenin, and a few other symbolic Soviet statues.

7) Enver Hoxha’s Former Residence

Enver Hoxha was the communist dictator who ruled Albania for decades following World War II. Although it’s closed to the public, you can still see the outside of his house in Tirana. It really surprised me—it looks just like a large house! It wouldn’t be out of place in 1970s suburban America.

8) Postbllok (Checkpoint)

The Blloku neighborhood is where the elite used to live, work, and play. During the communist era, it was off-limits to any normal Albanians—you had to be someone important to even be able to walk the streets. On the corner across from one of the main government buildings is a cluster of three pieces. One is a piece of the Berlin Wall, one is concrete supports from the mine at the notorious Spaç concentration camp, and one is the entrance to a bunker. This bunker connected to an underground tunnel that would access the government building—that’s all closed off today and you can’t go any further than the bunker, but it’s still cool to see.

9) Great Mosque of Tirana (Namazgâh Mosque)

This beautiful mosque is unfortunately still being built at the moment. But even if you can’t go inside, I still recommend stopping by just so you can see it from the outside! It’s a gorgeous building and will have the capacity to host nearly 5,000 worshippers. It is set to be finished in 2019, although who knows if it will actually be done by then.

10) Tanner’s Bridge

This old bridge dates back to the 18^th-century and the period of Ottoman rule. Today, it’s a pedestrianized bridge, but it used to be used for farmers and livestock to cross the stream coming from the east into Tirana. The bridge was restored in the 1990s and while it’s not necessarily imposing enough to merit going out of your way, if you’re passing through the area certainly stop by.

11) Bunk Art 1

The original Bunk Art is Bunk Art 1, which is located about 25 minutes by bus outside the center of Tirana. This museum is much larger than Bunk Art 2, and encompasses a much bigger area of the bunker that you can explore. They have a slew of information on Albania and the history of both the bunkers and Hoxha, and the country in general. Additional, you can visit Enver Hoxha’s office and bedroom (although he never actually slept here, either), a room with a simulation of a border crossing, and a room with a simulation of a mustard gas attack.

But by far the coolest part of Bunk Art 1 is seeing the giant Assembly Hall, which was large enough to house the entire Albanian parliament!! At the end of the museum, they have an exhibit on the bunkers themselves—thousands died building them, another poignant reminder of Hoxha’s brutal regime. Bunk Art 1 costs 500 lek per person.

To get to Bunk Art 1, take ‘Porcelain,’ the blue bus, from behind Skanderberg Square/the Opera House (on maps, it’s Rruga Luigj Gurakuqi). Tell the driver or the guy who does tickets that you want to go to Bunk Art 1—they will make sure you get off at the right stop, which is literally right in front of the entrance to the tunnel you walk under to get to the Bunk Art 1 entrance. The bus costs 40 lek.

12) Dajti Express

By far one of my favorite things I saw in Tirana was the Dajti Mountains, via the Dajti Express cable car!! This is the longest cable car ride in the Balkans, taking you up to the mountains in 15 minutes. The views from the cable car are gorgeous, the views from the top are even better! You can see all of Tirana spread out before you. At the top there is a hotel, restaurant, and revolving bar at the very top of the hotel. Even if you don’t go to the bar, make sure to go up to the 7^th floor to the observation deck at the top. There’s some fun stuff here for kids, and a mini golf course too. But it’s really the views and the cable car experience that make this one of the top things to see and do in Tirana.

The cable car is more or less around the corner from Bunk Art 1, so it makes sense to combine a visit to both on the same day. It’s a 10-minute walk from Bunk Art 1 to Dajti Express. Cable car tickets cost 1000 lek per person (return), which I thought was well worth it. You can get the ‘Porcelain’ blue bus back to the city center from the same street as Bunk Art 1.

13) Lots of fun and cool bars!

Tirana has one of the best (and weirdest) bar scenes I’ve experienced in a hot minute. There are a LOT of cool bars to visit—so many that I wrote a whole post on them! But don’t miss Hemingway, Radio, and Komiteti.

The Basics

Tirana is the capital of Albania and has a population of about 419,000. Albania as a whole has a population of about 2.8 million people. The official language is Albanian, and the official currency is the Albanian Lek (ALL). Albania is not a member of the European Union or part of the Schengen Zone.

Getting Around Tirana

There is a good bus network for public transportation around Tirana. It costs 40 lek per ride, and you buy the ticket on board. Quite a lot of Tirana’s city center is walkable though—most of the attractions here are easy to get to on foot. If you’re traveling by bus out of Tirana, or arriving by bus in Tirana, check which bus station you’ll be need. There are multiple bus stations: the International Bus Station, the North Bus Station, the South Bus Station, and the Southeast Bus Station. International buses leave from the International Bus Station, buses to the north (ie. Shkoder) leave from the North Bus Station, etc. There is a shuttle bus to Tirana Airport (which costs 300 lek), which leaves every half hour from the area behind the Opera House.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at two different places during my time in Tirana: Tirana Backpackers, and Buff Hostel Tirana. Tirana Backpackers is an excellent hostel, great free breakfast, friendly staff, big garden with a bar in the evenings, and a great location about a 10-minute walk to Skanderberg Square. My only qualm is that I stayed in a 6-bed dorm and paid extra for one with air conditioning, and the A/C was broken during my stay.

Buff Hostel Tirana was in a much more residential neighborhood, but still only about a 15-minute walk from Skanderberg Square. I stayed in a private room which was excellent value for money. This was a much smaller place, and the staff here were really friendly too. The air conditioning in our room was amazing and so needed! I’d stay at either hostel again.

Planning Your Trip

Albania is a great destination in its own right, but also convenient if you’re heading from Greece north through the Balkans. There is only one airport in Albania, Tirana Airport. I always use Skyscanner to find the best deals on flights. You can search for hostels in Tirana here, and hotels here! You can also sign up to and book accommodation on Airbnb here. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

A lot of people skip out on Tirana for beaches in the south or mountains in the north, but it’s a great city and definitely worth of a visit. There are plenty of attractions to keep you busy for a few days, and the city is home to some pretty fantastic bars! I hope this helps in planning your trip to Tirana!

Have you been to Tirana before? What were your favorite places in the city?

You might like my other post on the Balkans:

The 8 Best Bars In Tirana, Albania

What To Do In Skopje, North Macedonia’s Funky Capital

What To See In Pristina, Kosovo: One Of Europe’s Coolest Cities

Visiting Berat As A Daytrip From Tirana

Hostel Review: Tirana Backpacker Hostel, Tirana

Why You Should Visit Shkoder, Albania

A Daytrip From Shkoder To Lake Koman And Blini Park: The Craziest Day In Albania!

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