Albania

Background

Albania is a small country on the southeastern side of Europe. Sharing land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east, Greece to the south, and almost entirely by the Adriatic Sea to the west, it is a stone’s throw from Italy, and a good base to start if you plan to explore other Balkan countries or the rest of Western Europe.

Its capital and largest city is Tirana, and that is where most tourists begin their journey into the country.

Visas

A visa is required for Philippine passport holders, but as we have valid multiple-entry US visas, we were exempted. This US visa allows us to stay for up to 90 days within a 180 day period, and is a multiple entry visa.

Getting to Albania

We took a bus from Kotor, at the central bus station, for EU27 each one-way, plus an additional EU2 for our luggage, which was stowed underneath the bus. The journey was 200 kilometres south, and lasted about six hours.

Passing through immigration was a breeze and didn’t take more than 20 minutes before we were back on the bus on the way to Tirana.

Money Matters

The local currency is the Albanian Lek, which can be bought at one of the many money changers scattered throughout the city. We would strongly suggest that you change your Euro or Dollar as soon as you’re able, as many businesses still do not accept credit cards, unlike Montenegro, Serbia or North Macedonia. The exchange rates are fair, and you shouldn’t find it difficult to locate money changers as they seem to be in almost every corner of Tirana.

Places we visited

We spent only three nights in Tirana, so we were determined to see as many places as we could pack into the time we’d allocated. Here’s the full list below…

Skanderbeg Square

Skanderbeg Square is probably where most tourists flock, as a starting point, not only because it is right smack in the middle of bustling Tirana, but also because it is where most of its important monuments are located. The Clock Tower, Et’hem Bey Mosque and the National History Museum are all assembled in the square, which makes it a very convenient first port of call. The square has a huge open area which is always buzzing with activity, from kids on electric scooters, to office workers, and of course tourists. The area is also surrounded by many cafes and restaurants.

Skanderbeg

It might be prudent, for a bit of clarity and perspective, to devote a paragraph or two to talk a little bit about who Skanderbeg was, what he means to Albanians, and why he has a whole square (in the capital city, no less) named after him.

Skanderbeg (full name: Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, 1405 to 17th January 1468) is an Albanian national hero, who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. He is renowned for successfully defending the town of Kruje from multiple sieges from the Ottoman army until his death.

Skanderbeg was sent as hostage to the Ottoman court in 1415 (and once again in 1423), where he received military training at Enderun – a palace school for princes of the court, as well as Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire.

After his graduation, the sultan granted Skanderbeg lordship over territories near those controlled by his father. However, in November 1443, during the Battle of Nish, Skanderbeg deserted the forces of Sultan Murad II, along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army. He led his men towards the city of Kruje, becoming lord of the city that very day.

Skanderbeg abandoned Islam and reverted to Christianity, while ordering others to convert to Christianity or face certain death.

Skanderbeg’s legacy is largely tied to halting the Ottoman empire’s expansion. To this day, he is credited as one of the main reasons for delaying Ottoman incursion into Western Europe. He is considered today as a leading figure in raising the national consciousness of Albanians, along with the rest of 15th century Europe.

After his death, Skanderbeg’s reputation exploded across Western Europe, with books, plays, and operas extolling his exploits and captivating audiences around the region. To date, his name has been immortalised in many museums and monuments in Europe and even in the United States.

Dajti Ekspres

The Dajti Ekspres is almost always included in many lists of top things to see/do in Albania – and for good reason.

Perhaps the favourite part of our trip to Albania, mainly due to the amazingly long cable car ride, that seemed to last forever, that took us up Dajti Mountain, overlooking the entire city of Tirana and neighbouring towns.

The easiest way to get to Dajti Ekspres, especially if you’re coming from Tirana centre near Skanderbeg Square, is on the Porcelan bus. It takes you almost all the way to Dajti Ekspres, with only a short uphill walk, to the cable car station. Depending on traffic, the journey to the cable car station should take no longer than 30 minutes. If you’re uncertain where to get off, tell the driver you’re going to Dajti, and he will inform you when to alight.

It is cheap, only costing us 40 Lek each. You can pay at the bus, but make sure to have small change if not the exact amount. To get back into the city, you can get ON the same bus, at the same stop, as it loops back to the city.

To get video instructions, you can check their web site here.

Once you get to the Dajti Ekspres building, you can purchase your tickets right away, then make your way upstairs on the right of the ticket kiosk. Round trip tickets cost 1000 Leke or EU8.

The cable car ride up Mount Dajti is unexpectedly long and quite literally breathtaking. And if you’re afraid of heights, you might want to think twice before boarding, for the ride lasts 15 minutes each way (but seemed much longer), and goes up 800 meters to the top of Mount Dajti. You will “fly” over fields, forests, and at certain points, almost vertically up the mountain to get to the other end. The whole ride is completely silent save for the humming of the car as it slides along the cables, which makes the ride a little eerie, and gives you time to reflect, away from the noise and life’s constant distractions.

About halfway through the ride, I turned around and exclaimed as I beheld the whole city of Tirana in front of me.

When we finally reached the end of the line, we found ourselves at a complex where visitors can play mini golf, go roller-blading, dine, or just gaze at the majestic views from the top of mountain.

We had lunch at Ballkoni Dajtit restaurant, which is built right at the edge of the Dajti Mountain. At over 1000 meters above sea level, you get amazing views while feasting on local dishes.

Bunk’Art 1

Immediately after Dajti Expres, we walked over to Bunk’Art, only a few hundred meters away.

Many tourists may not be aware of the existence of at least 700,000 bunkers scattered throughout the country.

If you do a little research about the history of Albania, you will find that not too long ago, in the 60s, Enver Hoxha, the communist leader of Albania, ordered a bunker built for every Albanian citizen. Paranoid about an impending attack from Yugoslavia or USSR, more than 700,000 thousand bunkers were built over the next 20 years all over the country. However, they were never used for their original purpose, and today, they can be found everywhere around Albania, being used for different purposes such as cafes, souvenir shops, etc.

Normal tickets cost 500 Lek, while tickets with an audio guide cost 700 Lek. We chose the normal tickets as we figured we’d just explore the place, take pictures, and just read up online.

This particular bunker is extra special, as it was built specifically for Enver Hoxha, his family, senior members of his cabinet and their families, soldiers, as well as all the personnel necessary to run and maintain the bunker in case of a nuclear attack. It is a five-story building with over 100 rooms, including offices, communications rooms, conference rooms, and a cavernous 200-seat meeting hall. Walking around the hallway as you peek into room after room, descending from one level to the next, we marvelled at how much thought, effort and expense had gone into this bunker.

Kruje Castle

Getting to Kruje Castle from Tirana is pretty simple and inexpensive. First, you need to get to the Regional Bus Terminal, here. Bus tickets from this terminal to Kruje cost 150 Lek per passenger.

You can either take a taxi to the regional bus station, which should take you no more than 15 minutes, or take a city bus near Skanderbeg Square. The bus stop is behind the National History Museum on Dede Gjo Luli Street. A bus ticket can be purchased inside the bus for only 40 Lek per passenger.

To return to Skanderbeg Square from Kruje Castle, simply return to the spot where the bus from the regional terminal dropped you off. The driver will park the bus there until 3pm – more than enough time for you to explore Kruje Castle and its surrounds. The bus will return to the regional bus terminal, and from there simply take the opposite way bus back to Skanderbeg Square by crossing the road to the opposite side of the bus terminal.

Located in the city of Kruje, about an hour drive north of the capital, Tirana, Kruje Castle played a major part in the Skanderbeg’s rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, as it was slowly taking over several parts of Europe during the 15th century.
Built in the 5th or 6th century, towering above Kruje, it was the headquarters of Gjergj Kastrioti, a military commander and local nobleman. Early in his life, Kastrioti was sent a hostage in the Ottoman court as a child. However, after leaving the court, he led the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire.

Beginning in 1444, Kastrioti, along with 3,000 men, held off many massive sieges from the Turks, who were unable to break the castle’s defences. Due to his prodigious military skills which became a major hurdle to the Ottoman expansion, the Turks gave him the nickname Iskender Bey, which means “Lord or Leader Alexander” – which is believed to be a direct comparison to Alexander the Great.

The castle eventually fell, ten years after his death in 1468, by the Ottoman ruler Sultan Mehmed II.

The castle is now a museum dedicated to the legendary exploits of Skanderbeg, who is considered to be a National Hero. On the grounds of the castle, right in front, are the remains of an Ottoman-era mosque and its minaret, called the Sultan Mehmed Faith mosque. Another building within the grounds is the Ethnographic Museum, in a house that belonged to the wealthy Toptani family. Finally, as you make your way towards the castle, you will pass through a section of an historic bazaar with stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs and handicrafts. The bazaar is at least 450 years old, and at its peak, saw more than 150 merchants doing business.

Kalaja E Tiranes Familia Toptani

A mere six minute walk from Skanderbeg Square, Kalaja E Tiranes is a very cozy and compact pedestrian-only street, filled with bars, restaurants and little shops. We arrived in the evening, and the place was buzzing with activity. A tad expensive by Albanian standards, it is nevertheless an ideal place to dine, shop, or have some coffee with a delectable Italian chocolate mousse dessert, which we did!

Overall Impressions

Although our trip lasted only 4 days, we found a lot to see and do, and we’re certain we missed a lot more than we saw and did. However, if you only have two to three days to spend in Tirana, our checklist will keep you busy and entertained.

WANT TO BE AN AIRBNB HOST?

As long-term travelers, we book most of our accommodations on Airbnb. It is convenient, simple and quick, and you will never have to find yourself arriving at your destination in the middle of the night, with nowhere to go. Airbnb gives us the freedom and flexibility to adjust our travel plans in an instant. Having met many hosts all over the world, we know that being a host will not only provide you with additional income, but you will also be able to meet (and perhaps even make friends) with interesting people from all over the world. If you think you’d make a great Airbnb host, here’s my invitation link to learn more.