Tirana
Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsSame time system
by rhythmWhat to do each season
2winter
mild, rainy, often sunny; mean 2.1-15.0 °C across the range; January mean min −1.3 °C; November wettest (4.0 mm/day); winter snow rare but cold snaps from the surrounding mountains
- indoor cultural season: the National History Museum, the Bunk'Art 2 museum (in a former nuclear bunker), the National Gallery of Arts
- the Tirana International Film Festival (November) and the city's cafés on the Skanderbeg Square continue year-round
- the Blloku district — formerly the Communist-nomenklatura-only residential quarter — continues its café-and-bar economy year-round
summer
hot, almost rainless, sunny (2,544 hours/yr — among Europe's sunniest cities); mean 18.4-23.5 °C, July mean max 30.2 °C, August 30.6 °C; Jul-Aug precipitation 0.9-1.0 mm/day
- the Dajti Mountain cable car (Dajti Ekspres, opened 2005) activates — a 15-min climb from the centre to 1,100 m
- the Lana River and the Grand Park (Parku i Madh) at full strength
- Tirana's role as Albania's summer-party capital peaks — the Blloku club economy at full capacity
- the Durres (Durrës) beach economy 35 km west activates as Tirana's sea outlet
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Day of Saints and Dead
- Albanian public holiday — cemeteries visited en masse
Tirana International Film Festival
- Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF)
On the record
source-trackedIt [Tirana] is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.
Tirana was founded in 1614 by Ottoman Albanian nobleman Sylejman Pasha Bargjini, centered on the Old Mosque and türbe.
There are no metros available in Tirana. Feet, buses and taxis are the only options to get around in the city.
The city centre is small enough to be explored through walking. Walking is a rewarding experience, but beware that there is no continuity in sidewalk width, construction material or condition.
Sidewalks frequently end abruptly, have large holes or are very narrow. Pay attention while walking or you may end up spraining your ankle or falling in a hole.
Street names are subject to change, so locals rarely know them. It is advised to learn to navigate via landmarks instead of addresses or street names.
Albania's main airport with numerous connections to all over Europe and a few connections to Asia and the Middle East.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.