– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

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?

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Tirana /tɪˈrɑːnə/ B2	noun - the capital city of Albania
Albania /ˌælˈbeɪniə/ B1	noun - a country in southeastern Europe
communist /ˈkɒmjənɪst/ B2	noun - a person who supports or advocates for communism adjective - relating to or supporting communism
bunker /ˈbʌŋkər/ C1	noun - an underground shelter designed to provide protection
dictator /ˈdɪkteɪtər/ B2	noun - a ruler with total power, often in a tyrannical way
museum /mjuːˈziːəm/ A2	noun - a building where objects of historical, artistic, or scientific interest are kept and shown
square /skweər/ A1	noun - an open area in a town or city, often paved or used as a public space adjective - having four straight sides of equal length
market /ˈmɑːrkɪt/ A2	noun - a place where goods are bought and sold
café /ˈkæfeɪ/ A2	noun - a small restaurant where you can drink coffee and eat light meals
restaurant /ˈrɛstərɒnt/ A1	noun - a place where meals are prepared and served to customers
history /ˈhɪstəri/ A1	noun - the study of past events, especially in human affairs
independence /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns/ B2	noun - the state of being free from the control of another country or government
resistance /rɪˈzɪstəns/ B2	noun - the act of fighting against or opposing something or someone
surveillance /sərˈveɪləns/ C1	noun - the close observation of someone or something, especially by a government or authority
exhibition /ˌɛksɪˈbɪʃən/ B2	noun - a public display of works of art or other items of interest
pyramid /ˈpɪrəmɪd/ A2	noun - a large stone structure built especially in ancient Egypt, with four triangular sides meeting at a point at the top
vibrant /ˈvaɪbrənt/ B2	adjective - full of energy and activity; bright and striking
modernity /məˈdɜːrnəti/ C1	noun - the state of being modern or up-to-date
tradition /trəˈdɪʃən/ B1	noun - a belief, custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time
view /vjuː/ A1	noun - what you can see from a particular place verb - to look at or consider something