The main airport serving Tirana is the Tirana International Airport Nene Tereza, located 11 miles from the city center. There are buses, rental cars, and taxis available at the airport.

If you have not booked a private transfer through us then you have a few options at the airport to connect to your hotel.

Taxis offer the quickest option to connect to the city with a journey taking around 20-25 minutes and costing around 2500 Leke (20 EUR) for a one-way trip. The taxis services are provided by Auto Holiday Albania and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they are yellow and can be found outside the terminal in the pickup area. You can reserve a taxi online in advance at www.tiataxi.al

There are several bus services available at the airport including Rinas Express which operates hourly buses from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm traveling to Skanderbeg Square. The price of a ticket is 250 LEK each way and the journey takes around 25-30 minutes. Buses can be found towards the parking lot past the taxi stand.

The Tirana airport shuttle bus runs from 7:00 am until midnight on the hour and costs around 150 LEK. These white buses can be found after exiting the airport and taking a left, ask for the downtown Tirana bus.

Major car rental companies at the airport include Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, and Europcar, they can be booked online in advance or from the rental car counters inside the terminal.

The main form of public transportation in Tirana are buses with trips usually costing around 40 LEK. There are several inter-city buses marked “Unaza” which travel in a loop around the city center. There isn’t a central bus station in the city, there are various bus stop locations in the city.

Furgons are minibusses and privately owned public transportation, large vans that travel back and forth between chosen destinations that are displayed in the front window. You can wave these down, and if they have room they will stop and pick you up.

Renting a car when visiting Tirana is not necessary unless you wish to visit different places outside of the city or explore the country more. There is public transport in the city and the downtown area is walkable and close to most sights and attractions. Parking is a problem in the city and if available can be very expensive. Some of the roads in Albania are not in the best shape, some are not even paved, traffic lights don’t always work or drivers don’t adhere to them.

Taxis are plentiful in Tirana and offer a good option to get around. Taxis can be found all over the city center, outside major attractions, hotels, restaurants, and even ordered over the phone from your hotel. Agree on a fare before riding, some drivers are willing to provide area tours for a relatively low price.

Yes, the best way to explore the city of Tirana is on foot with the city center small and compact enough to walk around. You can easily cover the central area of the city in a day with leisurely walks to museums, monuments, historic buildings, and parks. Walking along the main streets in Tirana and stopping for a coffee or snacks while browsing the stores and sights is a rewarding experience both day and night.

There are many walking tours of Tirana which will visit all the main attractions such as BunkArt, Blloku, and a chance to sample Albanian street food along the way.

Tirana is a very safe place to visit, with a low crime in the city and rarely directed towards foreigners. Petty theft and certain scams do exist, but no different to any other major city. Practice safe street smarts when out exploring and keep your valuables close when in crowded areas. Don’t wander into unlit areas at night, stick to the crowded streets, and take a taxi from your destination back to your hotel to stay safe.

Tirana offers ample shopping opportunities with several large shopping malls such as QTU, City Park, and Tirana East Gate all easily accessible by the city bus lines. There are many shopping centers scattered around the city center which include Ring Center, Coin, ETC with stylish shops selling international brands. Souvenir shops are found in the shopping centers and affordable prices can be found in Tregu Cam and Tregu i Madh. Wander the shopping streets of Myslym Shri offering quaint small shops selling all kinds of unique items. The famous Adrion bookshop stands in Skanderbeg Square open daily from 8:00 am until 9:30 pm selling English language books and magazines along with high-end souvenirs.

The official language spoken of Albania is Albanian, many people speak English especially in the service industry at hotels and restaurants, and many locals speak Italian. We recommend you get a good English-Albanian guidebook and learn the common phrases such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and numbers 1-10.

Tirana enjoys a Mediterranean climate with lots of rain during the wet winter months between November to March, and hot, humid, dry summers from June to September. The city is ranked among the wettest cities in the European contents with 49.8 inches of rain per year. The temperatures vary throughout the year with average temperatures in January 44 degrees and mid to upper 70’s in July, the spring and summer months are very warm with sunshine-filled days. The best time to visit is April to October when the weather is warm and stable without too much rain, and nice enough to enjoy the outdoors. The peak season in the city is still very manageable compared to other European cities.

The currency of Albania is the Albania lek (LEK). US Dollars are not accepted. You will need to exchange your currency for the Albanian Lek which can be done upon arrival at the airport currency exchange desks or most Tirana banks and specialized stores called Foreign Exchange Bureaus.

The city of Tirana offers visitors many excellent and inexpensive restaurants to visit many serving traditional Albanian cuisine and other international dishes. Albanian is known for excellent coffee, pastries, and good gelato found around the city in the up and coming cafe scene. In 2016 Albania surpassed Spain by becoming the country with the most coffee houses per capita in the world, featuring 654 coffee houses. The Tirana region is known for the Fergesa traditional dish which is made with peppers or liver and can be found on many menus at traditional restaurants around the city.

Mullixhiu sits on the edge of Grand Park’s artificial lake opened by native Albanian Bledar Kola serving up traditional dishes and methods using working millstones. Dishes here might include charred pumpkin with pomegranate molasses, jufka (Albanian paste) with porcini mushrooms, quail roasted inside of clay and colorful salads, and cured goat tongue.

Oda is a popular local restaurant located close to the New Bazaar servicing up delicious homemade authentic cuisine and the mouth-watering lamb dish. Get there early for seats if not expect to wait in line. Sofra Beratase restaurant also serves similar local cuisine and is another very popular eatery.

Nightlife in Tirana is mostly concentrated in Blloku, or The Block where evenings can be enjoyed in upscale hotels, designer cafes, restaurants, and the glitzy Sky Club, a rotating bar high in the air with magnificent views. The city boasts a great offering of restaurants, theatres, and clubs to enjoy after dark with live music, the Opera House, galleries, and museums where world-famous performers have recently been featured. There are Irish pubs, American style bars, luxurious cocktail bars, a casino, and much more. Visit Bunker 1944 on Friday and Saturday nights a renowned bar in the city, named after the year Albania threw out the Nazi invaders and installed the communist government. Bunker features mid-century decor, DJs and live bands, and tasty cocktails including the yogurt and vodka Nafijie.

In case of Emergency dial 119 for a general emergency, 129 for police, 127 for an ambulance, or 128 for a fire.

Hospital:

Universal Hospital Tirana tel. (355) 42290000