Tirana

Gillfitz

Hi everyone
My boyfriend won a weekend to Tirana in Albania(I know :rolleyes:). I'm just wondering if anyone has ever been there and what can I expect? Also what is there to do?
Thanx

dory

Don't scoff at it!! Albania is a fantastic place. I live in Kosovo and everyone here is only waiting for the holidays so we can all head straight to Albania.

I haven't been there yet myself but from what I've heard the white sandy beaches are not to be missed. I'll try and get some names of places for you. Even if he has accommodation in Tirana he really should just get out and go south of the country. It's like Greece but with less tourists.

It's meant to be difficult enough to get by with no Albanian though.
If I get more info I'll let you know.

This is one such Albanian beach:
It would be a much more popular European destination but flights there are expensive. So he's lucky to get a free flight.

LiamMc

One of the best Museums I was ever in was in Tirané.
It's the National Museum on the large main square. It goes chronilogical from pre-History, Roman on the ground floor up to the political situation on the top floor.
There was an exhibit showing accused giving testimony during Enver Hoxha's reign. With an example of the size of a prison cell. But the look on the faces of the accused was quite awesome.

The is probably one walk a tourist can do from the Main square follow the red and yellow Government Department buildings over a drain of a river/overflow dyke. Past the Soviet style Hotel Djati (Named after a nearby mountain, previously the only proper place to stay). I once read a spy novel (1970's) and the Hotel Djati was mentioned as a Hotel with survellience devices placed in the rooms.
Big lobby area and old-style reception, if you are into some of the interiors of Soviet Hotels.
There's a square in front of the Qemal Stafa Football Stadium with a square in front. This 18,000 cap. statdiumis where Albanis (Shpire) play their matches. There are club games played here aswell.
After the Stadium there's a park, nature walking.

I stayed in Hotel Stela, two minutes from the centre. Directed to it by asking for good, cheap hotel. When I was there Hotels were not good value. I stayed in this 2-star for neg.$30 a night.

Dúrres is the port of Tirana and is worth a day trip.
I don't know if it is wise to head to far away from Tirana on a weekend as the roads are very poor and it is asking alot to get back again.

If anybody does have time, Saranda and Vloré are on the coast. Butint is a roman site. Gyrokaster is a old town built into a hill with a fortress and small USA fighter plane on the top.

There is a bus station north of the centre of Tirana, I'm sure buses go to all the major towns. There's a Taxi rank in the centre. I'm sure it's possible for a group to negotiate a price, even as far as Kosovo.
I don't know if there are specific shared taxis plying certain routes.

The Northern part of the country has it's own identity and history.

Albanian Tourist website
http://www.united-albania.com/albanian-hotels/hotels-in-albania/hotels-in-tirana.html