🇦🇱 Albania

Hej! I share an extract of my experience of visiting picturesque Albania. I was there in the winter of 2025. Below are some notes on what I tasted, saw and listened to.
Important: I only share my own experience and recommend the things I personally tried and liked. Therefore, everything written below is extremely subjective, and also does not cover all the wonderful local attributes and places ☺️.

🗺 Places: Tirana, Krujë, Durrës.

🏛 Top sights visited:

1. Tirana
   • Skanderbeg Square (Sheshi Skënderbej)
   • Fortress of Justinian (Kalaja e Justinianit)
   • Pyramid of Tirana (Piramida e Tiranës)
   • Bunk’Art-2 (Bunk’Art-2)
   • Grand Park of Tirana (Parku i Madh i Tiranës)
   • The Bektashi World Center (Kryegjyshata Botërore Bektashiane)
2. Krujë
   • Kruja Castle (Kalaja e Krujës)
   • Old Bazaar (Pazari i Vjetër)
   • Skanderbeg Museum (Muzeu Historik Kombëtar “Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu”)
3. Durrës
   • Durrës Amphitheatre (Amfiteatri i Durrësit)
   • Venetian Tower (Kalaja e Durrësit)
   • The Royal Villa of Durrës (Vila Mbretërore e Durrësit)
   • Byzantine Forum (Forumi Bizantin)

🎧 Local musicians:

• 🇦🇱 Alban Skenderaj (singer). Genre: pop
• 🇦🇱 ARNON (DJ). Genre: house
• 🇦🇱 Besa (singer). Genre: pop
• 🇦🇱 Alban Chela (DJ). Genre: house
• 🇦🇱 Noizy (rapper). Genre: rap
• 🇦🇱 Elvana Gjata (singer). Genre: pop

🥘 Local food & drinks:

• Tave Kosi (Tavë Kosi)
• Flia (Flia)
• Albanian Yogurt (Kos)
• Albanian Salep (Salep)
• Tirana (Regional Special): Fergese Tirane (Fërgesë Tirane)

🎬 Local movies:

• A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On (Një Filxhan Kafe dhe Këpucë të Reja Veshur). Year: 2022. Genre: drama
• Bloodlands (Tokë Gjaku). Year: 2017. Genre: horror

🪔 Authentic artifacts:

• Authentic Principle: Besa (Besa)
• The System of Albanian Tribes (Fiset Shqiptare)
• Bektashism (Bektashi)
• The Culture of Aromanians (Arumunët / Armãnji)
• Albanaian Iso-Polyphony (Iso-Polifonia)
• Authentic Garb: Qeleshe and Xhamadan (Qeleshe dhe Xhamadan)
• The Shota Dance (Shotë)
• The Legacy of Skanderbeg (Trashëgimia e Skënderbeut)
• Albanian Bunkers (Bunkerët)

🦉 Local wisdom: “Only two men can disrupt an assembly: one who know and doesn’t speak, and the other who doesn’t know and speak.” / “Dy burra mund ta prishin kuvendin: njëri që di dhe nuk flet dhe tjetri që s’di dhe flet.” — Albanian proverb

👨‍🎓 The oldest university: The Polytechnic University of Tirana (Universiteti Politeknik I Tiranës), Tirana, est. 1951.