What to do in Tirana?

Daytrips

Tirana is in a perfect position to explore some of the most interesting cultural, archaeological monuments found in Albania. Durres, Kruja, Lezha, Shkodra, Berat, Apollonia are easily reachable within 2 hours drive from the capital. Two of the most popular options are;

Day trip 1. Tirana - Kruja – Durres - Tirana
After early breakfast we will take a driven tour of the major landmarks of Tirana including, Ethem Bej Mosque, Clock Tower, Scanderbeg Square, Castle of Tirana, Main Boulevard with ministerial and University buildings and drop by to visit the oldest Tirana houses of Ottoman architecture. We will pay a visit to the National Museum of History which will give you an introduction into Albanian culture and history from antiquity to present day. Afterwards drive to Kruja – a small characteristic town perched on a hill, centre of Albanian resistance against the Ottoman Turks under our national hero Scanderbeg. He kept them from crossing into Western Europe for 25 years, thus earning the title “Champion of Christ” given by the Pope of the time. We will visit the Castle of Kruja, Scanderbeg Museum, one of the best kept museums in the country, a very rich Ethnographic Museum situated on an original house of the 17th century and the Old Bazaar. Traditional Albanian lunch in Kruja. Afterwards we depart for Durres one of the oldest and most important cities in Albania. It was established under the name Epidamnus in the year 627 B.C. by Korintha and Korkyra colonists on the area of an ancient settlement of the Illyrian tribe of Taulant. It was one of the causes of the Peloponnesian War in the 5th century BC. Later, as Dyrrachium it became a very important staging post for the Roman Empire. During this time it also became a major trading centre and the main port on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. In the middle ages it was coveted by many different intruders from all over Europe. The fact that this city has been inhabited throughout its history, means that very little of the ancient city has been excavated, as it exists under the newer buildings. However the archaeological museum is well stocked and presented. The famous Roman orator, Cicero called Durres an admirable city, while the poet Catullus called it the tavern of the Adriatic. We will take a sightseeing tour of the Amphitheatre situated in the middle of the modern city, and the Archaeological museum rich in artefacts found in the city and its suburbs. Return toTirana.

Daytrip 2. Tirana – Berat - Tirana
After breakfast we depart for Berat one of the most fascinating Albanian towns with a mixture of cultural influences. Being more than 2400 year old the town it is one of the most attractive towns in Albania. Established in the 3rd century B.C by an Illyrian tribe of central Albania with a protective castle, it was known as the fortified city of Antipatrea. In 1417 the town was occupied by the Turks who build quite a few mosques in the area below the town’s old castle. Berat is situated at the foot of Tomorri Mountain and on the shores of River Osum. Built almost all, in white on a slope of green with the river at its feet, it offers a striking view as soon as it becomes visible. It is famous for its white-washed houses with their many windows which, seem to have been build on top of each other, that give it the nickname “town of a thousand windows”. Because of these the town retains a unique style of architecture, with narrow and stone paved streets. The castle is the only one in Albania and perhaps one of the few in the World that still has houses and inhabitants within its walls, going about their daily life in exactly the same place their predecessors did centuries ago. We will visit the Fortress, Onufri Museum and several churches and mosques. In the downtown we visit the Leaden Mosque, the King's Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke. Onufri was an Albanian master painter of the 16th century who painted many church icons in Albania and Greece and is famous for its red colour named after him. After visits at the castle we make our way down to the scheduled place for lunch, where we will sample the delicious cuisine of this town. After lunch we will have some more visits to the Kings Mosque, Alvati Teke, Bachelors Mosque etc. On the way back to Tirana we stop at a famous local winery for some wine and special Raki tasting.

Daytrip 3. Tirana - Lezha – Shkodra - Tirana
After breakfast we depart for Shkodra the ancient capital city of Illyria. We stop in the small town of Lezh known as Lisus in ancient times. This is the town rendered famous by the Albanian Oath Document in 1444, which was an agreement where the most powerful Albanian feudal lords of the time pledged alliance to each other and to Scanderbeg as their leader in the war against the ottoman Turks. Here we will be able to admire the symbolic tomb of Scanderbeg within the Illyrian walls of the town inside an old chapel.

Afterwards proceed to the northern city of Shkodra with the most important town of north Albania and the Illyrian capital, in the 3rd century BC. We visit the Marubi Museum (Master photographer of the end of 19th century). It has an exposition of old prints starting with the oldest photograph in the Balkans in 1856. We will also visit the House of Oso Kuka a traditional Shkodra house that hosts the town’s archaeological museum. Afterwards we visit the Mesi Bridge an old bridge built in the mid 18th century with beautiful mountain scenery as backdrop. Lunch in Shkodra by the lake of Shkodra the largest in the Balkans wher the local carp is absolutely delitious. Afterwards we wisit the Castle of Rozafa where Queen Teuta of the Illyrians had her seed during the Illyro-Roman Wars of the III century B.C. After the visit to the castle we head back to Tirana.

Daytrip 4. Tirana - Apollonia – Ardenica - Durres– Tirana
After an early breakfast we depart for the ancient city of Apollonia one of the most important ancient centres in Roman times on the famous Via Egnatia. The Roman Emperor Augustus Octavian himself studied there, a testimony to the development of this city in general and its cultural importance in particular. We will be able to visit the ruins, including the library as well as a nearby Monastery of the 14th century turned into the archaeological museum where objects from the excavations are displayed.

After the visits to Apollonia we head back to Durres. On the way we will stop for a visist to the Monastery of Ardenica. Ardenica Abbey (church) it was in the Middle age argued by a stone in entrance dating back to the 1417, but the first building belongs at the beginning of XVIII century. Today inside the church you can admire pictures of 1743-1745 years, by Albanian artists such as Konstandin and Athanos Zografi, as well as Konstandin Shpataraku. It is also said that our national Hero Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeu married at the chapel of this monastery.

Afterwards we depart for Durres one of the oldest and most important cities in Albania. …. See description on daytrip 1.