Tirana

“Tirana is the capital of Albania and where the airport is, so you’ll most likely be starting your trip there. Although it’s tempting to leave for the beaches or the mountains straight away, you should dedicate a day of your itinerary to exploring Tirana, as it’s a really important part of Albania’s history. Tirana was founded by an Ottoman general in the 17th century, and was ruled by the Ottoman Empire for several centuries, before it became independent in 1912. During WW2, Albania was invaded by Italy and occupied by Germany, with Enver Hoxha, who later became the communist dictator of Albania, leading the National Liberation Movement to resist their occupation. After the war, Germany withdrew and Albania became a communist dictatorship until the early 1990s. During this time, Hoxha built thousands of underground bunkers throughout Albania as he believed the country was constantly under threat of invasion. Two of these bunkers in Tirana are now museums, called Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2, and visiting them gives you a really good understanding of communism in Albania and how it affected the lives of the people there. If you’re short on time, a walking tour is a great way to see Tirana’s main sights and learn about its history. This one is really highly rated. It’s also worth paying a visit to Skanderbeg Square in the centre of Tirana, which is dedicated to Gjergj Kastrioti (known as Skanderbeg), who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire and stopped them conquering Albania during his lifetime. For panoramic views over Tirana, take a ride on the Mount Dajti cable carMount Dajti cable car, located just outside of the city. But honestly, my favourite thing to do in Tirana was just wander around and explore without a plan. It’s a really interesting place with great restaurants, cafés, shops and a brilliant street art scene!”