Tirana, Albania's capital city, was not part of the original plan but I decided to do it on a whim as I was in Greece anyway. It is located in the center of Albania enclosed by mountains & hills. The country was a pleasant surprise & I had no idea that the place had so much history. There have been traces of human presence found in the mountain caves dating more than 50000 years back.
The famous Skanderbeg square in Tirana is the most important landmark in the city. The bravery shown by Skanderbeg, an Albanian military commander is a stuff of legend and as a mark of respect of his resistance against the Ottoman empire, he is everywhere in Albania.
His history is interesting, to say the least. As a kid named George, he was given as a hostage to the Turkish sultan. Converted to Islam and educated in Turkey, he was named Iskander, after Alexander the Great. He was given the rank of a chieftain - also called bey - and hence his name became Skanderbeg. During the defeat of the Turks in 1443 in Serbia, Skanderbeg abandoned the Turkish service and joined his Albanian countrymen against the Islamic forces.
He embraced Christianity and in 1444, organized a league of Albanian princes, over which he was appointed commander in chief. In the period 1444–66, he effectively repulsed 13 Turkish invasions. Until the end of his life he continued to resist successfully all Turkish invasions. Within a few years of his death, however, his citadel at Kruje had fallen (1478) and Albania passed into several centuries of obscurity under Turkish rule.
Tirana was founded in the early 17th century by a Turkish general, who is said to have built a mosque, a bathhouse, and a bakery in order to attract settlement. The town gradually became a trading centre and was chosen to be the capital of Albania in 1920. Following the Italian & German occupations during WWII, a communist republic was proclaimed in Tirana and the city expanded considerably with Soviet and Chinese assistance.
Tirana is a chaotic urban city and has few landmarks - some museums, a national institute of folklore, a national theatre & a concert hall.
The wonderful museum in the main square gives a lot of valuable information and I loved it, more so because I knew so little about their history. Entry is free - one can spend a couple of hours here easily.
However, the best spot in Tirana is the famous Dajti National Park and the cable car ride you take to the top of Mount Dajti is just awesome. The local come here to escape the city life.
The views of the city and the mountains leave you spellbound. I rested my feet and relaxed in the shade for a long time - I didn't feel like going down to the city !
There is also a restaurant where you can enjoy a peaceful meal with amazing views. There is a park with games & recreational activities. It is the best place to plan your day out, without going too far from the city.
As evening fell, I made my way back to the city. Before dinner, it was time to indulge my sweet tooth. There are numerous cake shops in every nook and corner of the city and choices are aplenty.
After dinner, it was time to head back to the hostel and plan something for the next day. There are a lot of places in Albania worth exploring but a day in Tirana is enough before you move on to the small towns and cities.
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