Tirana understand · Tirana tourist information
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Tirana tourist information
Tirana tourist information
Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, a native feudal lord from Mullet, established the city in 1614. His first constructions were a mosque, a bakery and a hamam (Turkish bath). On February 8, 1920 Tirana was made the temporary capital by the Congress of Lushnje, and it was proclaimed the permanent capital on December 31, 1925.
Tourists usually find Tirana a beautiful and charming city, with a lively night life. Tirana suffers from pollution problems, mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city but also due to continuous construction. Tirana used to be subject to power outages almost daily and this made Tirana a noisy city as the lack of power and lack of traffic lights had cars navigating by honking their horns.
Today the situation has dramatically improved regarding power outages. In addition, the central square (Skanderbeg Square) is currently closed off to both cars and pedestrians as it is undergoing a major pedestrianisation. When finished, this will make the centre of town even more tourist friendly. Tirana is undergoing a major renovation from its communist days. Many of the ugly dull buildings have been repainted, but a lot of work is left to be done. The average citizen speaks little English and Italian.
The main business and entertainment area (not by coincidence) has become "The Block" which is the area where in the past, the communist leaders used to live under strict protection. Locals prefer to hang out at the many cafes and main parks. A popular retreat is by cable car to Mount Dajti where one can get a panoramic view of the city from above.
A new tourist information office has recently opened on Rruga Ded Gjo Luli, just north of Skanderbeg Square (behind the National Historic Museum). The English-speaking staff are very helpful and can provide maps and directions to hostels/hotels etc. Also free copies of "Tirana in your pocket" guide, which includes vital information about bus and furgon schedules.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Tirana
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Tirana - updated May 2024
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WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Tirana Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.