Tirana is by far the shrillest capital of Europe, which has changed rapidly since the fall of communism in the 1990s. Today, Tirana is considered to be the city of colourful houses, which, together with the newly designed parks and squares offers a varied picture and a friendly atmosphere. Foreign and domestic visitors can look forward to a lively gastronomic scene with many new, high-quality restaurants and bars. Tirana has recently been enriched with several excellent boutique hotels.
The renovated National Gallery, the new Postblloku monument on the main boulevard and the well-maintained Grand Park are further reasons to visit Tirana. Albania's largest museum is located in Tirana and houses many of the country's archaeological treasures and a replica of the mighty sword of Skanderbeg. The excellent collection takes you chronologically from ancient Illyria to the post-communist era. On the boulevard, which reflects the relatively short history of Albanian painting from the early 19th century to the present day, there is a small but interesting collection of 19th century paintings depicting scenes from the Albanian everyday life. The art in the upper floor takes on a political dimension with some truly fabulous examples of Albanian socialist realism. Further along the boulevard we find the strange building, named Pyramid by the locals and which was completed in 1988. Designed by Enver Hoxha's daughter and son-in-law, this incredibly unattractive building used to be the Enver Hoxha Museum. Recently it has become a convention centre and night club. Inside, it is sometimes open to temporary exhibitions. Surprisingly it is suitable for this purpose. Embedded between the Parku Kombëtar, the Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit and the river lies Blloku, the former exclusive quarter of the Communist Party, which was once was a forbidden area but nowadays it's an absolutely trendy district. When the area was opened to the general public in 1991, the Albanians flocked there to see how their political leaders lived. The city's other attractions include Skanderbeg Square, whose architecture is influenced by Turks, fascists, Chinese communists and the modern age. The Et' hem Bey Mosque, which together with the clock tower is one of the oldest preserved buildings in the city, dates back to Ottoman times.
DAJTI
Dajti (Albanian: Mali i Dajtit) is located at 1,613 m above sea level and is the local mountain of Tirana. The Dajti belongs to the Skanderbeg mountains. In winter the mountain is often covered with snow. It is a popular retreat for the local people of Tirana, who rarely see snowfalls. The slopes are covered with pine, oak and beech forests. The mountains are criss-crossed by canyons, waterfalls, caves and a lake. Also an ancient castle can be found there.
The Dajti National Park was declared a national park in 1966 and has had an extensive area of around 29,384 hectares since 2006. The area is subject to the joint case law of the Albanian Office for Protected Areas (AKZM) and the parks and recreational facilities of the Municipality of Tirana (APR).
Course of the day
08:30 Meet and greet with the local guide.
08:45 City walk in the centre of Tirana (Boulevard Heroes of the Nation, Skanderbeg Square, Pedestrian Zone, Et-hem Bey Mosque)
10:30 Sightseeing tour of the BUNKART 1 museum (a bunker for the government in case of an international nuclear war).
12:00 Funicular ride up to 1,050 meters.
12:30 Arrival and drive with a local transportation to a very good restaurant where there is a variety of local and international dishes.
14:00 Hiking time and adventure park
16:00 Coffee break with panoramic view
16:30 Return to the car by funicular
17:00 Drive to the hotel
18:00 Arrival at the hotel and farewell.