Tirana One Day City and Food Tour: Discover Architecture, History, and Local Cuisine

Immerse yourself in the vibrant city of Tirana on this one-day tour. Explore its architecture, delve into its history, and indulge in the delicious local cuisine.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Skanderbeg Square - After the pick-up, the first stop on the tour will be a unique breakfast spot known as a “Mengjezore.” Here, we will have the opportunity to try “Pace,” a traditional thick, spicy soup made from cow head or bone marrow. This restaurant, located in the “Bicycle Market” neighborhood, has been preserving the tradition of “Breakfast Restaurant” and Pace since 2004.
  • Pazari i Ri - Following a hearty breakfast, we will pass by the “New Bazaar” where we will be introduced to some of the most typical Albanian fruits, vegetables, and souvenirs. The New Bazaar area is one of the most fascinating parts of Tirana. We will make a brief stop at a local pastry shop that has been serving the same Merengue Cake recipe since 1998, inspired by the owner’s fond childhood memories.
  • Blloku - As we move from the old part of the city towards the city center, we will observe the Communist influence on the buildings and architecture. We will take a coffee break at a local coffee shop offering over 25 different types of coffee from around the world. For a local experience, try a small espresso or Turkish coffee.
  • Pallati i Kongreseve - The tour continues along Tirana’s main boulevard, “Deshmoret e Kombit.” Here, you will learn about the architecture, style, and history of the area, which includes the Piramida and some of Tirana’s most famous buildings. We will walk through the former communist part of the city, Blloku, which used to be the residential area of the former communist dictator, Enver Hoxha.

Lunch will be at a traditional grill restaurant where we will have the chance to taste two of Tirana’s most famous dishes, “Fergese” and “Qofte.”

  • Fortress of Justinian - Strolling through the “Pedonale,” the pedestrian artistic boulevard, we will visit the Castle of Tirana. Located in the center of Tirana, it has served as an administrative point under various ruling systems. Recently renovated, it is now one of the most interesting attractions with unique shops and bars.

We will visit a specialized olive oil shop where we will learn about the history of olive oil, olive trees, and how to properly taste olive oil. There will also be an opportunity to purchase olive oil souvenirs.

  • Shëtitorja Murat Toptani - Our next stop will be a small shop featuring 100% Made in Albania products. Here, we will explore a variety of Albanian flavors and tastes, including jams, cheese, herbs, and raki. This is also the final stop of the tour.
  • Restorant Tymi - We will visit a traditional local restaurant where we can enjoy a full grill lunch accompanied by local beer or wine. Known for their meatballs and Fergese, this restaurant is a local favorite.
  • Go as Local - .
What's Included
  • Breakfast
  • Bottled water
  • Raki Taste
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Souvenirs & Personal Spendings
Additional Information

This excursion presents you with the unique characteristics of Tirana and its traditional culinary delights. Tirana is a diverse cityscape, marked with notable juxtapositions between the past and the present. This city is an intriguing mix of early-20th-century refined artistry and the stark rectangular structures of the communist era, with a sprinkling of modern architecture. In our single day expedition, we will explore some of the most fascinating areas of the city, enriched by local tastes, captivating tales, and the warm hospitality of the locals.

Location
Skanderbeg Square
We will welcome all our guests at Carousel at Main Square at 9:00
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(124 Ratings)
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Dagne_l
Aug 10, 2024
Best guided experience in Albania - This was the best tour we had in Albania. It was just me and my husband on the tour, and we were taken good care of by our guide Aron, who had a lot of knowledge of Tirana and Albania. The food was diverse and very tasteful. A great way to get an introduction to Albanian food and Tirana as a city.
Review provided by Viator
Themoorishtraveller
Jul 21, 2024
Great food tour in Tirana!! - Julian was an amazing tour guide. He has a deep and thorough knowledge of Albanian history. He gave us interesting insight into the history of Tirana, Balkan culture, etc. All the places that he took us to eat and drink and coffee were absolutely delicious - the meals were unforgettable. He walked us back to our hotel area to make sure that we were comfortable with directions around the city as well. I can’t recommend Julian enough - please book this tour!! You will not regret him your introduction to this beautiful and culturally rich city :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Morissah2017
Jul 15, 2024
Great tour - Redi the guide was great. He was knowledgeable and friendly. The food was all delicious, even the corn juice! Generally good value.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessica
Jul 12, 2024
Great experience - A delicious way of learning about Tirana. We tried some local dishes and learned some interesting facts about Tirana! We started with some beef soup (hangover cure), then walked through some markets before stopping for coffee. After that, it was time to cool off with a local Albanian dessert- corn juice with hazelnut ice cream and yoghurt. It was very good! We also stopped for Byrek before heading to our final stop. The Byrek was delicious but we wished we had it first instead of the soup as we did not have enough time to digest it before our final stop. The final stop was at a cool retro bar/restaurant. We really enjoyed all the food there. We were stuffed in the end. Definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
137rahuld
Jul 7, 2024
Great Tour & Highly Recommended - Merlina was a great guide for the tour showing three English guys around Tirana introducing us to a range of local cuisines while providing great historical, political and culture nuggets of information. It is also helped that Merlina spoke fluent English and was very aware of global politics and sport and so was able to engage in friendly open conversations. Overall the Tour was a great introduction to Tirana and Merlina a great guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roelieng2022
Jul 1, 2024
Great experience - I had a great time on this tour. Aron was a very knowledgeable guide and I learned a lot from him. The food was amazing. A good overview of the city and the culture.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_t
Jun 19, 2024
Great - I enjoy tours like this because it combines history and culture in one tasty bundle. Xhulio was a great host. He made Albanian culture and heritage come alive to make today a very enjoyable treat.
Review provided by Viator
Sunshine32493501867
Jun 16, 2024
Tirana city tour - It was a good starting point for our holiday in Albania. We got the chance to taste Albanian traditional breakfast, learn more about the great city of Tirana. I highly recommend, get the chance to be shown around with the rich experience of Leticia
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Mercyr126
Jun 11, 2024
City and food tour of Tirana by go as local - We had such a good time with Leticia yesterday.She was very knowledgeable and shared the history of tirana and she was able to answer all questions that we had.She also showed us paets of tirana with rich history. We enjoyed the soup and bread for breakfast,coffee break next to the market which was very beautiful,authentic,the traditonal dessert boze with ice-cream and had a filling lunch as well.I highly recommend booking go as local if you want a food and city tour of tirana.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sue
Jun 9, 2024
Great tour - Ee had a really excellent time thank you. Leticia was fabulous and so was all the food. And we learnt so much about Tirana ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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September 2024
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