"Tirana 2008" Top 5 Page for this destination Tirana by maykal

Tirana Travel Guide: 353 reviews and 988 photos

WORK IN PROGRESS! CHECK BACK LATER!

Tirana is odd. Strange. Bizarre. Quirky. Off-the-wall. I quite liked it.

Trilby hats and mosques...go-karts and green-pink-purple apartment blocks...miniature train stations and macchiato...potholes and BMWs...bridges to nowhere and glass pyramids...burek me gjize and dysfunctional clock towers

Skenderbeg Square, Tirana

I didn't have long to spend in Tirana, but as usual, I managed to walk myself to a hobble, exploring the boulevards and backstreets, taking photograph after photograph of all the painted apartment blocks, fuelled by cheese bureks and macchiatos in the hundreds of cafes.

Painted Apartment Blocks, Tirana

Much much more to say, but that'll have to wait...for now, just a photo or three...

Pros and Cons

Pros:Quirky. Unusual. Colourful painted buildings.
Cons:Opening hours mean nothing. There is no bus station.

Last visit to Tirana: Apr 2008
Intro Updated Jun 16, 2008
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Reviews (17)

Communist Slogans Off The Beaten Path (1)

These slogans built into the brickwork may explain why some buildings have been painted over in such lurid colours, but... more travel advice

Colourful Tirana: Bulevard Zogu i Pare Things to Do (13)

North from Skenderbeg Square, Bulevard Zogu i Pare takes you up to Tirana's modest train station. This street is a busy... more travel advice

Colourful Tirana: Rruga Punetoret e... Things to Do (13)

Head east instead of west, and things are no less colourful. Rruga Punetoret e Rilindjes has its fair share of bright... more travel advice

Colourful Tirana: Bulevard Bajram Curri... Things to Do (13)

It gets better...just keep on walking, and you'll need sunglasses to look at this next building! If I become mayor of... more travel advice

Transportation (2)
See All Trains...

Hotels (1)
Tirana's only hostel?

Comments (6)

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ynzel Mar 22, 2012 at 12:04 PM

I just booked a roundtrip in Albania and Macedonia for the summer 2012. By watching and reading your Albania pages I'm already in the mood for the summer.
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HORSCHECK Jun 23, 2011 at 1:18 PM

Fabulous little page about Tirana. We also took the train to Durres and it took me some time to find out that the windows were all brokend due to some kids throwing stones at the train.
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antistar Sep 4, 2010 at 3:11 PM

Great info and pics. Shame you didn't get to see the museum, that was my favourite part. It was open on the Tuesday I visited, but that was a public holiday so maybe that's the reason :).
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Arkeolog Aug 27, 2010 at 2:11 PM

Michael, another good page here. BTW I saw those go-cart children too at the front of National Museum :)
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craic Feb 24, 2009 at 3:37 AM

i love this city - it even has kangaroos
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DAO Jun 16, 2008 at 4:47 PM

The dog sounds scary. Great tip!