Tirana
Tirana is a fascinating city. The center of the city features the imposing Skanderbeg Statue, depicting the 15th century nobleman and military leader on horseback, along with the Et’hem Bej Mosque, the Clock Tower (Kulla e Sahatit), the Christian Orthodox Resurrection Cathedral and the National History Museum (Katedralja Ngjallja e Krishtit). The National Theater and National Gallery of the Arts are also well worth a visit. For nightlife and dining, the Blok neighborhood is renowned for its bars, clubs, restaurants and cafes. Lined with boutiques and shops, Myslym Shyri Street is a shopping destination for locals and tourists. At Grand Park, visitors can see the St. Procopius Church and the Presidential Palace of Tirana; there’s also an artificial lake. Mount Dajti is accessible via a cable car and offers panoramic views of the city.
Durrës
Established in 627 BC, Durrës is on the coastline of the Adriatic Sea and is popular due to its long, sandy beach. The city also features the second biggest amphitheater in the Balkans, a 15,000-seat Roman-era structure. Other attractions include the Fatih Mosque, the Orthodox Church, the Archaeological Museum and the art deco style Royal Villa of Durrës, which was the former summer residence of King Zog.
Elbasan
Located near the Shkumbin River, Elbasan is the country’s most populous city after Tirana and Durrës. The Clock Tower, Namazgah, the King Mosque and the Naziresha Mosque are among the sites to visit in Elbasan. The Elbasan’s casserole (casserole with yogurt) is a local specialty made with lamb, eggs and yogurt. Leek pastry, samsa mantı, tirit and pilaska are some of the other local delicacies to sample while in Elbasan.
Berat
Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was first established as an Illyrian settlement around the 6th or 5th century BC. About 200 years later, the city’s monumental hilltop castle was built and Berat, then known as Antipatrea, eventually joined the Ottoman empire. The city preserves historical buildings from the Ottoman Era to this day, acting as an open-air museum. Among the sites to visit in Berat – sometimes called the Town of a Thousand Windows – are the Lead (Kurşunlu) Mosque, the Hünkar Mosque, the Clock Mosque (Hysen Pasha Mosque) and the Bachelors’ Mosque, as well as the National Ethnography Museum, Holy Trinity Church and Halveti Tekke (Dervish Lodge).
Kruja
Also known as Akçahisar during the Ottoman era, Kruja is set on the slope of the Kruja Mountains, overlooking the Fushe Kruja plain. Places to visit in Kruja include Kruja Castle, the Skanderbeg Museum, the Old Ottoman Bazaar and the Murad Bey Mosque (Bazaar Mosque).
Shkodra
Shkodra is one of the oldest settlements in the Balkans. The 3,000-year-old Rozafa Castle, the History Museum, the Ottoman Prison and Dilaver Pasha House, along with St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Shkodra Cathedral, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, the Lead (Kurşunlu) Mosque and Kole Idromeno Street are the main sites to visit in Shkodra. Shkodra Lake, which forms the border between Albania and Montenegro, is also a recommended destination.
Gjirokastër
The Old City of Gjirokastër is another UNESCO World Heritage site in Albania. The town is notable for Gjirokastër Castle, built in the 4th century, as well as cobblestone streets and its houses, which are also built of stone. In fact, Gjirokastër is sometimes called the Stone City, for this reason. Gjirokastër became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, and many of the structures from the Ottoman period are still intact.
When to visit Albania
With the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest, Albania has a mild Mediterranean climate. Summers can be quite warm but a good time to visit the country is between May and September.
