Tirana and Durres - Full-Day Walking Tour

Come and discover Tirana and Durres, the two biggest cities in Albania. Enjoy this walking tour made for those who love art, history, architecture, and landscapes. Includes a guided tour of the two cities' main museums, both of which are testimony to the different cultures that led to modern Albanian identity. You will also visit the churches, mosques, historical buildings and monuments of Tirana and Durres.

There are many reasons that make Tirana a symbolic, political, and cultural capital. Surrounded by green hills, the capital of Albania is observed by the 1800 meter “mountain of pits” (Gropà Mali), by the 1600 meters Dajti Mali and by the hills of Krrabë. The small Lana river runs through Tirana welcoming tourists from all colours of life. The history of Tirana takes us back in time, the capital has been populated since the Iron age, but it only started to rise in the II century AC (the Roman Age). In 1614, Tirana was officially a city, with the help of Sulejman Pashë Bargjini, an Ottoman General with Albanian origin, who built mosques, minarets, universities, bazaars, Turkish baths, and saunas. Finally, in 1920, Tirana officially became the capital of Albania.

The tour will start in the morning, from Skanderbeg square, a square dedicated to the Albanian national hero. In this square, you will find the National Historic Museum, where we will first explore the interior. There is a big facade that was built during the years of communism. It reflects the phases that the country passed through in more than 3,000 years of history. A full tour of the Museum would last about 3 hours, but during this tour, we will visit only the main rooms.

You will spend the rest of the morning visiting some important historical and architectural spots of the capital. The contemporary and cosmopolitan city of Tirana expresses the will of change that characterizes the Albanian people. The story of these people consists of a series of external invasions and a desire for identity redemption. From the 700 years of the Byzantine Empire to the 500 years of the Ottoman invasion. From the Italian invasion at the time of Fascism to the Communist regime that ended in the 90s. The same history is reflected in every corner of the city. As you walk through the squares and buildings, you will notice the legacy of each era, from the battles against the Turkish Invasion to the nowadays monuments, promoted by the actual Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In the afternoon, you will arrive in Durres where the walking tour will start from the Venetian tower, a military fortified tower built between 1400 and 1500 to protect the port, one of the biggest tourist and commercial ports on the Adriatic sea. The Venetian tower is located next to the ancient walls of the Durres castle, which surrounds the city centre. Then we will move towards the Roman Amphitheatre, built from the Trajan Emperor at the beginning of the II century AC. The amphitheatre was built to accommodate a capacity of 20,000 people and it is the biggest in the Balkan area.

After that, during your visit to Durres, you will see the Archeological Museum, a treasure holder and a must-see for the ones that visit the area. Thanks to this guided tour, you will be introduced to the unique story of this city and the archaeological monuments that it holds. Most of these are found in the ancient city of Dyrrachium, and it refers to the Greek period and the Roman Empire. Leaving the museum, you will have half an hour to walk around taking in the sights, before returning to Tirana.

Tickets include:

National Historical Museum, Archaeological Museum of Durres, Bunk Art museum (optional).