By
Viewed
69,070
Please choose the correct answer for each question below:
Questions: 0/158
Correct: 0
Translate:
Welcome to Tirana, the capital of Albania.
It's a city of contrasts between
the communist past and modernity,
concrete and green space,
tradition and trendiness.
Just a few years ago, it was
considered an insider destination
in the Balkans.
Now it's one of Europe's top destinations.
I'm here to dive into Tirana's history,
including some of its
darker and hidden spots.
And I want to find out
why travellers love the city.
And what you should
definitely do in just one day.
Albania is located in southeastern Europe
on the Adriatic and Ionian coasts.
Tirana in the center has
about 400,000 residents.
I start at Skanderbeg Square.
It's great early in the
morning without the crowds.
That's what I call a square!
Prince Skanderbeg is a national hero
and a symbol of Albania's independence.
He led a resistance against
the Ottomans in the 15th century.
There are many sights near the square.
But one of the most important,
the National History Museum,
is closed until 2028.
Tirana is best explored on foot.
Most sights are in the center.
My next destination is the new market Pazari i Ri.
Here you can buy typical
souvenirs, from traditional to quirky:
like magnets featuring
Albania's ex-dictator Enver Hoxha.
Locals also shop here.
I opt for a sweet souvenir: Albanian honey.
That's really good. Sorry.
There are many cafés and
restaurants around the market.
I try an Albanian specialty: Lakror byrek,
crispy filo pastry with various fillings.
I'm having the classic
combo of spinach and cheese.
That's the best Albanian street food.
It costs 80 lek, just under a euro.
I want to learn more about Albania's history.
The country was under
communist rule from 1947 to 1991,
led by dictator Enver Hoxha until his death in 1985.
I visit a museum in a former nuclear
bunker on the outskirts of the city.
Enver Hoxha built lots and lots
of these bunkers in communist times.
And until today Albania is the country
with the most bunkers in the world.
This one has 106 rooms, so I'm curious to see it.
The entrance doors are made
of four tons of reinforced concrete
and designed to withstand heavy attacks.
The complex was the underground
headquarters of the Albanian General Staff
during the Cold War.
The museum leads visitors through
original rooms, including Hoxha's,
with historical exhibits
and multimedia installations.
Paranoid about attacks from
both the West and Eastern Bloc,
the dictator often sealed off Albania.
The museum captures the
era's oppressive atmosphere.
After the dark bunker, I need some
fresh air and a change of scenery.
The cable car station
was just a 5 minute walk.
Now let's see what
kind of views we can get.
The Dajti Ekspres takes you up
to over 1,000 meters in 15 minutes.
A return trip costs 1,500 lek.
That's around 15 euros.
Mount Dajti is a national park.
You can hike up to the
top or simply enjoy the view.
A bit hazy, but isn't it romantic?
After my break, I head back to the
center, to the "House of Leaves",
the former headquarters of
the communist Secret Service.
Director Etleva Demollari
helped set up the museum.
It shows how the regime
suppressed and monitored people.
They entered in the houses of people.
For example, they saw that you
had this kind of item in your home.
So they came when you weren't home.
And they exchanged it
with another one with a bug.
And they came back after three days,
because the battery lasted three days.
So they came after
three days and took it back.
"Bugs" are tiny listening
devices named after insects
since they're well hidden.
They were built into walls, telephones
or furniture to secretly record conversations.
There are several rooms which are bugged.
There is a room, the room number 27:
If there are visitors,
they can hear what we are saying.
And when we go in the room number 27,
we can hear other visitors in
some of the rooms, what they are saying.
The exhibition has information
about the persecution and imprisonment
of thousands of people during the dictatorship.
Its collection of equipment
and documents shows how
the Sigurimi secret police
worked in their headquarters.
What I find really impressive is
that you can see all different aspects
of surveillance and how it worked.
For example, in this room,
this was where the mail
was taken that was checked.
So they used these steam
machines to open them secretly.
And then they would look under UV light
if people used secret ink for hidden messages.
The exhibition makes repression
from the communist era really tangible.
It's scary to see how
little privacy people had
and how omnipresent surveillance was.
Time to check out modern Tirana.
I join a guided tour.
Welcome to Tirana, guys!
My name is Erind.
I grew up here in the city,
so let's say I'll be your local guide for today.
We'll cover some of the main attractions in Tirana
about the street art scene
and the modern architecture.
Futuristic new buildings have
been springing up in recent years.
This striking one on Skanderbeg Square
is inspired by the national hero Skanderbeg.
It's an abstract design that will have a few details
that will make it look like a bust or like a head.
You may be able to see the nose
popping out in front of the building.
There's like 4 floors creating the shape of the nose,
the ears on both sides and also the chin.
Half of the chin will be curved on the right,
the other half will be flat.
But it'd say it's pretty impressive
that people might not see a face
they might not see a person in there,
but you can tell that it's the shape of a head.
Since the 2000s, street art is on the rise here.
Erind shows us murals that often tell stories
about social change and the city's residents.
There are also lots of
creatively redesigned road signs —
unthinkable in some other countries.
Is that not a problem?
I'm sure if that was in Germany
the municipality wouldn't agree
to have this on a traffic sign.
Of course, it's done with permission.
And I would say this is also something
that they might need to change
in order for us to become
members of the European Union.
I don't know. Let's see.
Albania has been an EU candidate since 2014.
Now I head to Tirana's trendy district.
Now I'm in Blloku.
That's the Albanian word for block.
It used to be a neighborhood
only for the regimes elite.
But today anyone can go in
and it's one of the most vibrant parts of Tirana.
My stomach is starting to growl.
There's a wide selection of restaurants in Blloku.
But it takes me a while
to find one with Albanian cuisine.
I'm trying one of Albania's most famous foods:
Fërgesë.
It's a traditional dish from Tirana
made with tomatoes, red peppers,
cream cheese and sometimes with meat
or it can be vegetarian, too.
Creamy and a little fruity. I like it.
I saved a special highlight
for sunset: the Pyramid of Tirana.
It was built in 1988 as a
museum for dictator Enver Hoxha.
Today, it's a hub for startups and creatives.
The view reflects Tirana's
blend of past and present.
I think Tirana is just the
right size to visit in a day.
I've shown you some of its
highlights, from its rich history to
the more modern part.
As always, there's so much more to see.
What about you?
Would you like to explore Tirana for yourself?
Related Songs