Tirana is a city of contrasts. Soviet and Fascist-style concrete housing blocks have been updated in rainbow shades to rival the Central European-influenced architecture in the old town. Nuclear bunkers have been transformed into museums. And a former neighbourhood reserved for the Communist dictatorship's elite is now an achingly cool millennial haunt. Thanks to this as well as a mix of intriguing Ottoman history and incredibly welcoming people it's well worth factoring in some travel time in Albania's capital.
When it comes to accommodation Tirana offers a variety of options to suit every budget. You can stay in an artists' hub with creative works decorating the walls a Tirana hostel with a spacious rooftop terrace featuring views of colourful buildings or an eclectic arty hangout with exposed-brick interiors. Look out for hostels in Tirana with lively courtyard bars so you can easily meet other travellers. A place with its own kitchen (complete with recipe books collected by a local grandmother) will have you trying out home-cooked Albanian fare. For those on a budget there are plenty of cheap accommodation options that don't compromise on comfort or style.
Blloku is Tirana's best-loved neighbourhood for travellers. This is in part because it has a host of cool cafés and bars but it's also due to its intriguing history as a restricted enclave for the Communist party. Rruga Myslym Shyri is the city's main shopping area and Tregu Çam is the older part of town home to the National Historical Museum in Skanderbeg Square. Zona 1 between the square and the Lana River is where to go if you're a foodie. It has the Pazari i Ri food market and seafood restaurants galore.
While Tirana has shaken off its Communist past the history remains fascinating. Find out more by visiting former dictator Enver Hoxha's house in Blloku and his crumbling Brutalist-style Piramida structure that’s now a skaters' hangout. In Tregu Çam make your way to the BunkArt2 bunker a nuclear war shelter transformed into a museum and memorial to the victims of Communist rule. There's also striking architecture like the restored 18th-century Tanner's Bridge and fresco-covered Et'hem Bey Mosque.
You can easily access the city's main sights on foot but buses are on hand to speed things up a little. Just look out
