Tirana - A Visit in the Most Peculiar European Capital, Tirana, Albania

Tirana - the capital of Albania. Despite the nearby Adriatic coast and super popular countries like Italy, Croatia and Greece among which Albania is sandwiched, this little Balkan country receives very few foreign visitors. Those who end up in Tirana, usually claim that it is unattractive and give up any attempts to explore Albania further. What a mistake this is! Paradise beaches, unique, cozy little towns of Berat and Gjirokaster, crystar clear turquoise lakes and spectacular mountains are waiting for those who stray from the beaten path. I must agree, though, that Tirana indeed pales in comparison with those wonderful sites mentioned above. However, if you look closer and make a little effort to understand its history, the city's overall image changes in a positive way.

We arrived in Tirana after visiting beautiful and original towns of Berat and Gjirokaster (I've described it here). I simply fell in love with them - traditional oriental houses with roof tiles made of stone, little winding streets, friendly locals, superb food in Mediterranean restaurants and spectacular mountains around - what more do you need! And, for someone like me who loves authenticity and different architecture - it's just perfect. Not too mention there were literally no tourists! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).