Tirana and Kruja | Full Day Tour

History & Nice to know - Tirana and Kruja Full Day Tour

Explore two destinations in one day: Tirana and Kruja.

In the morning, the guide will show you Tirana’s city center during a walking tour. You will see highlights like, Skanderbeg square, the Clock Tower, the Pyramid of Tirana and the Presidential Office.

In the afternoon, you will explore the medieval town of Kruje. Kruje is one of the most famous cities in Albania, because it was the home of the National Hero Skanderbeg. You will visit the Castle of Kruje, which has an amazing panoramic view. And you will enter the Skanderbeg Museum and learn how the National hero was able to fight against the Ottoman Empire.

Furthermore, you will see the Ethnographic Museum, which shows a traditional Albanian house. Then, you have the chance to shop for some souvenirs and handicrafts at the Old Bazaar Market.

• Great-value tour: Visit both Tirana and Kruje in one day

• Hotel pickup and drop off in Tirana included

• Entrance fees in Kruje included. Due to the limited time, we will not enter the museums in Tirana.

Highlights - Tirana and Kruja Full Day Tour

• From Kruje Castle, you will have a Panoramic view of Kruje city, Tirana city and the Adriatic Sea.
• Explore communist historyin the capital city Tirana. You will visit the Blloku Area and see the former residence of the dictator Enver Hoxha.
• Visit classic highlights in Tirana, like Skanderbeg Square, the Clock Tower and the Pyramid of Tirana.
• Stroll through the New Bazaar Marketfor local food & visit the Old Bazaar Market for local handicraft products.
• You will visit Tirana & Kruje with a private tour guideand you can customize the itinerary based on your personal interests.
• Private transportationto Tirana & Kruje.

The National History Museum

The National History Museum is a landmark in Tirana. The museum displays Albania’s archaeological treasures from Illyrian times until today. The collection includes statues from the Greek and Roman period, as well as a replica of Skanderbeg’s sword. There is also a gallery about the prosecutions during the communist regime. Entrance fee is not included.

Skanderbeg Square
The tour starts at Skanderbeg Square, which is the central square of Tirana. The square is surrounded by the most important buildings in the country, like the National History Museum, the Clock tower, the Palace of Culture and the Et’hem Bey Mosque. The square was designed by three Italian architects: Florentano de Fausto, Gherardo Bosio and Armando Brasini.

Et’hem Bej Mosque
The Et’hem Bej Mosque is a little mosque on Skanderbeg Square in the center of Tirana. The Mosque was constructed between 1790 – 1820, but closed during the communist period. In 1991, the mosque was re-opened without government permission and 10.000 people attended the reopening. The mosque has beautiful frescoes of trees, waterfalls and bridges.

Clock Tower
The Clock Tower is a 35-meter-high tower next to Skanderbeg Square. The tower was built in 1822 during the Ottoman empire. You can climb the tower and have a fantastic view of Skanderbeg Square and the city center of Tirana. Entrance fee is not included.

Bunk Art 2 Museum
Bunk Art 2 is a museum in a large underground-bunker in the center of Tirana. Inside the bunker, you will be guided through the role of the police and security services during the communist period in Albania. It is a fascinating museum about the disturbing communist regime. Entrance fee is not included.

House of Leaves: Museum of Secret Surveillance
House of Leaves is a villa, which was the headquarters of the Albania’s secret service Sigurimi during the communist area. Now, the former HQ has been converted into a museum which displays the bugs, monitoring equipment and wiretapping telephones. The museum gives you a fascinating insight into Albania’s secret service during the communist regime. Entrance fee is not included.

New Bazaar Market
The New Bazaar Market (in Albanian: Pazari i Ri) is a lovely food market, close to the center of Tirana. On the market, you can buy local products, like fruits, honey, handicrafts and homemade food. There are many lovely terraces surrounding the market, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the sunshine.

Toptani Shopping Center
The Toptani shopping center is a mall in the city center of Tirana. The highlight is the top floor, where there is a selection of coffee houses and restaurants with panoramic views across the city.

Tanners’ Bridge
Tanners’s bridge is a beautiful stone bridge from the Ottoman period. The bridge was built in the 19th century and it is well-preserved. You can walk across the old bridge and look down at the river below.

Fortress of Justinian
The Fortress of Justinian is also known as Tirana Castle. In the Byzantine era, the castle was in the centre of the city. It was located at a central point, where the main east-west and north-south roads crossed. Today, you can see the 6 metre high remaining wall, of what was once a thriving castle. The wall has been incorporated in the pedestrianized Murat Toptani Street, which leads to the main government road.

Murat Toptani Street
The Murat Toptani Street is a lovely pedestrian street with beautiful plane trees and many terraces. Along the street, there is a 6 metre high wall of the Fortress of Justinian. The Murat Toptani Street leads to the “Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation ” with all the Parliament Buildings.

Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation
The “Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation” is a wide street with many Parliament buildings. Along the street, you can see the Pyramid of Tirana, the National Archaeological Museum, the Presidential Palace and the National Art Gallery. The boulevard was designed by the Italian architect Gherardo Bosio.

National Arts Gallery
The National Arts Gallery shows Albanian paintings from the early 19th century until today. The Albanian Art is unique, because during the communist regime, the government censured the art. Artists needed to create art, that idealised the communist dictator Enver Hoxha. Moreover, some of the “inappropriate” art, is also shown, for which the artists went to prison. Entrance fee is not included.

Pyramid of Tirana
The Pyramid of Tirana is a very controversial building for Tirana. The building was originally designed as a museum about the former dictator Enver Hoxha. However, after the fall of the communism, it served several purposes like convention centre and television station. There is a lot of discussion in Albanian about the refurbishment, repurposing or demolishing of the controversial pyramid.

Presidential Office
The Presidential Office is at the end of the “Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation” street. The building is the official workplace of the president and it houses all the staff of the president.

National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum displays the Albanian treasures, that were found during archaeological digs. The museum opened after the Second World War. It displays pieces from the pre-history until the Middle Ages. The museum is at the end of the “Boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation” street. Entrance fee is not included.

Grand Park of Tirana
The Grand Park of Tirana is the central park in the city. The park has a large lake with beautiful paths and running tracks by the lake front. There are numerous playgrounds for children. And lovely coffee houses with a lake view.

Blloku Area
The Blloku Area is the coolest and most vibrant area in Tirana. In the past, the area was used by the communist government and closed off to the general public. Nowadays, it is an area with many restaurants, clubs and coffee houses. If you want to go out at night, you will enjoy Blloku.

Enver Hoxha’s Former Residence
The three-story villa of the former communist dictator Enver Hoxha is in the middle of the Blloku Area. The villa is left just as when the dictator died in 1985. In the past the whole Blloku area was sealed off from the public and only accessible for party elite and their families. Enver Hoxha’s residence is visible from the street, but closed off for the public.

Kruje Castle
The castle of Kruje is an impressive hillside castle, which is located above the city of Kruje. The castle has breathtaking views of the surrounding area and Tirana city in the distance.

The small medieval castle is famous in Albania, because it was the headquarters of the national hero Skanderbeg.
In the 15th century, the powerful Turkish Ottoman empire was conquering the Balkans. However, the Ottoman Turks were not able to break the defences of the Kruje Castle. The rebellion against the Ottomans was lead by Albania’s national hero Skanderbeg. He had serious military skills, and therefore, he was compared to Alexander the Great. Entrance fee is included in the price.

Skanderbeg Museum
The Skanderbeg Museum is one of the most visited & most important museums in Albania. It is named after Skanderbeg, who is Albania’s national hero. Skanderbeg was a warrior and battle commander. He reunited the different Albanian families and tribes. And he created an army that fought against the Ottoman Turks for 25 years.

In the museum, you can experience the story of Skanderbeg’s life and military battles in chronological order. You get to know the story of Albania’s most celebrated national hero! Entrance fee is included in the price.

Ethnographic Museum of Kruja
The Ethnographic Museum of Kruja is a traditional home, where you can get a unique, insight into the traditional Albanian household customs. The house was originally build in the 19th century by the affluent Toptani family. Inside the museum, you will see how self-sufficient the family was. The family produced its own food, honey, leather, weapons and olive oil. It even has a mini hammam and a little watermill. The house’s wall displays beautiful fresco paintings. Entrance fee is included in the price.

Old Bazaar Market
The Old Bazaar is one of the oldest Ottoman-style markets in Albania. The market place was build over 400 years ago and it was recently restored in 2015. In the bazaar, you can buy souvenirs and traditional handicraft items from Albania. Popular products in the market are traditional Albanian clothing, rugs, copper pots, silver jewelry and embroidered tablecloths. It is a lovely market to stroll around or you can enjoy a coffee at one of the cafe’s along the market.

Inclusions - Tirana and Kruja Full Day Tour

• Transport with air-conditioned vehicle
• City tour of Tirana and Kruje
• Hotel pick-up and drop off in Tirana
• Entrance fees to Kruje Castle, the Skanderbeg Museum in Kruje, the Ethnographic Museum in Kruje

Exclusions - Tirana and Kruja Full Day Tour

• Meals & drinks
• Souvenirs
• Tips and gratuities
• Museums in Tirana are not included, due to the limited time.