About Tirana

Tirana is Albania's capital and largest city, a rapidly transforming metropolis where Italian-era boulevards meet communist-era architecture and a contemporary arts scene centred on BUNK'ART and the National Gallery. The city's centrepiece is Skanderbeg Square, flanked by the National History Museum, the Et'hem Bey Mosque (1793), and the Opera House. Tirana's most distinctive feature is its colour — under mayor Edi Rama, thousands of communist apartment blocks were painted in bright pastels and geometric patterns, turning the city into an open-air art installation. The BUNK'ART 1 and 2 museums transform Enver Hoxha's nuclear bunkers into immersive exhibitions on communist surveillance and political persecution, while the Blloku district — once restricted to Party elites — is now the city's dining and nightlife hub. Tirana serves as the gateway for most international visitors, with Mother Teresa International Airport 17 km northwest of the centre. Dajti Mountain National Park, reachable via the Dajti Ekspres cable car, offers panoramic views and hiking trails just 25 minutes from the centre.