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Tirana - courtesy MrSco - CC-BY

Tirana is the capital of the Republic of Albania and the country’s largest city.

The area occupied by Tirana has been occupied since Paleolithic times around 30,000 BC. The modern city was founded in 1614 and became Albania’s capital in 1920.

Tirana has undergone a remarkable change from the dull city it was only a couple of decades ago and has undergone extensive rennovation. Tirana has many historic buildings, and a sense of meeting between East and West. In fact, Tirana is a cross between Western Europe and Russia, with a considerable amount of the Middle East thrown in. The city’s grand central boulevards are lined with fascinating reminders of its Ottoman, Italian, Russian and communist past. The city center is small enough to be explored on foot and it is safe to do so. Small shops and street vendors sell traditional foods at a very reasonable price.  They too are generally safe. There are a small number of fine restaurants, mostly Italian or a blend of Italian and Albanian cuisines, and from personal experience, a magnificent culinary marriage it is. There is also a vibrant night life and the city is home to many museums. There are some good shopping venues for local goods and more international goods, such as clothing, mostly from Greece and Italy.

Tirana has a generally Mediterranean climate. The average temperature varies from a low of 2 C (36 F) in January, to a high of 31C (88 F) in July and August.

Tirana is served by Tirana International Airport Nene Tereza. Public transportation is bus or taxis, lots of them.

Tirana population is estimated to be around five hundred and eighty five thousand. Unofficial estimates say that the population could be as high as a million people.

+355 is the international calling code for Albania.
4 is the area code for Tirana

For more information about Tirana