2 Days In Tirana: The Best Budget Tirana Itinerary
I love Tirana. So much so that i’ve been on three separate occasions. Check out this 2 days in Tirana itinerary to nail your first time in Albania’s capital!
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A Bit About Tirana, Albania
Tirana, to me, is an awesome city. Located in the middle of Albania, it is the beating heart of the country.
It is full of interesting history, friendly people and has stunning nature right on its doorstep. With all that, you’d think that it attracts a decent number of tourists, right?
Well, whilst a lot of backpackers come here – it’s not on the radar of holiday makers, so you won’t often see other tourists out and about.
Most tourists visiting Albania either fly into Tirana or Corfu (Greece) and head straight for the Albanian Riviera – not giving enough attention to the brilliant capital city! I have visited Tirana on three different occasions, totalling about a week. Tirana is worth visiting alone, I loved it.
If you’re interested in the country’s communist history, this is the place for you. If not, it’s surrounded by great nature.
In my opinion, Tirana is a city that has all the vibes – it’s a place you can simply linger and enjoy the way of life. 2 days in Tirana is the perfect amount of time to see the best of Tirana and fit in a day trip.
So, without further ado, here is my 2 days in Tirana itinerary:
2 Days In Tirana Itinerary
This 2 days in Tirana itinerary assumes you have a full 48 hours in Tirana. The day before is for when you’re arriving, sorting out transport and accommodation. Hit the ground running the moment you wake up the next day!
Day 1
Morning
Start your 2 days in Tirana itinerary with a free breakfast at your hostel (more on hostel recommendations further down) and fill up before you first full day in Tirana!
Credit: Mario Beqollari (Unsplash)
Start your venture by heading to Et’hem Bej Mosque which is free to enter, which is right next to Skanderbeg Square (although we’ll come back here in the evening). The outside is nothing groundbreaking, but the interior is quite nice.
The history, however, is what makes it more interesting. Albania is a muslim-majority country and during the dark period under the communist regime, the mosque was actually shut down.
During this period, many religious buildings were actually destroyed or converted into other things, such as warehouses. The Et’hem Bej Mosque was lucky to evade this. In protest in 1991, ten thousand people entered holding flags – defying communist authorities.
This event is referred to by many as a milestone in the fall of communism and the return of religious freedom in Albania.
Midday
While we’re on the topic of communism, the BunkArt 2 museum is a great way to understand the 45-year long communist regime led by dictator, Enver Hoxha.
Whatever country I go to in the world, I want to understand its people. By going to this museum, you get why Albanians, particular the older generation, have the reputation of having colder exteriors, but underneath are incredibly friendly.
This underground museum is a must-visit during your 2 days in Tirana itinerary. It guides you through the rise and fall of communism in Albania inside an actual nuclear bunker.
One of the most interesting rooms is the room explaining how the Secret Service (Sigurimi) bugged a room. It contains a table, challenging visitors to find a bug or microphone. I spent 20 minutes looking and I still couldn’t find it!
Let me know if you can find it!
I tend to cook food in hostels and make my own lunch when travelling (other than places like South East Asia) and eat only few local meals during my time in a country. This is to save money so I can spend more money on experiences.
So, I didn’t actually eat out in Tirana – and can’t personally recommend restaurants. If you’re not much of a cook and have a slightly larger budget, but still want to save some cash – avoid eating in the city centre and in the touristy areas. You can walk a little further and get food for a fraction of the price.
Evening/Night
End your first day of this 2 days in Tirana by going for a xhiro at Skanderbeg Square in the late afternoon.
But what’s a xhiro? Well, “xhiro” literally translates to walk in English. And it’s pretty much that! But Albanians have mastered the art of an evening xhiro.
Skanderbeg Square comes to life in the evening, as friends and family gather for a walk as the heat has tamed. It really was quite special, not only seeing but feeling the sense of community Albanians have.
Food stalls are spotted around the square, and children play on their bikes and scooters.
Feel like you want to spend longer here? Read: How Long In Tirana, Albania Do You Really Need?
Day 2
I highly recommend taking a day trip out to Kruje for your second day of this 2 days in Tirana itinerary.
Why take a day trip from Tirana to Kruje?
2 days in Tirana is enough to hit the highlights of the city and fit in a day trip.
Kruje is one of the best day trips from Tirana and probably the most popular. It’s an extremely picturesque mountainside town with plenty of attractions to keep you busy for the day – the main one being the castle.
It’s only an hour away and is doable without a tour! This is fantastic news for us budget travellers. So how do you get to Kruje on a budget?
How to get to Kruje from Tirana
The best and most affordable way to get to Kruje is by bus. Buses depart from Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut (Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania).
This bus station is a 20 minute drive away – so you’ll need to catch a city bus here.
How to get to the Regional North and South Bus Terminal
It was a bit annoying for me figuring out how to do this when I visited Albania in 2023. There was a lot of conflicting and overcomplicated information out there.
For that reason, I wrote a post on how to get to the Regional Bus Terminal in Tirana.
Tirana to Kruje Bus
From there, you can walk into the bus terminal and look for a bus with “KRUJE” on the window. This ride will cost you ~150 LEK ($2.50 AUD or 1.25 EUR). Buses are frequent enough that you can turn up and not have to wait too long, but you can also look at the rough bus schedule on Gjirafa Travel.
Get up early for this so you make the most of the second day of your 2 days in Tirana!
Things to do in Kruje
The best things do in Kruje are undoubtedly the Kruje Castle and Old Kruja Bazaar, both perfect for travel photography.
The Old Kruja Bazaar is so vibrant – lined with merchants selling homemade handicrafts, textiles and other souvenirs. It is almost like a step back in time and one of the more authentic things to do during your 2 days in Tirana.
Kruje Castle on the other hand, is brilliant – and is still inhabited! It is set atop a hill overlooking the city and on a nice day, you can actually see Tirana in the distance.
Return to Tirana from Kruje
End the second day of your 2 days in Tirana itinerary, by returning to Tirana. Simply head back to the station you got dropped off at and look for a bus that says “Tirana” on the window. You can check out Gjirafa Travel for a timetable.
With only 2 days in Tirana, make the most of your final night but heading back out to Skanderbeg Square and soak it all up!
Check out my 2 weeks in Albania itinerary
How To Get To Tirana
Tirana is a city that’s quite easy to get to, which makes 2 days in Tirana very achievable if you have limited time. There are quite a few cities throughout Europe that even offer direct flights, the cheapest being Italy.
If a direct flight is a bit out of your budget or there are no direct flights from where you are – flying to Italy first as a stopover, and then flying to Tirana will work better.
For those travelling around the rest of the Balkans, a bus is the best and most affordable way to reach Tirana. Unfortunately, buses from Greece aren’t that easy to get – but going from Montenegro, North Macedonia or Kosovo to Tirana is a easy!
Montenegro to Tirana
In Montenegro, you can get a bus to Tirana from any main city like Podgorica, Kotor, Budva and Bar.
North Macedonia to Tirana
Like Montenegro, getting from any main city in North Macedonia is possible. Ohrid and Skopje have the most daily buses, whilst Tetovo and Bitola only have a couple per day.
If coming from those two places, and miss out on a ticket – get a bus to Ohrid and then connect to Tirana from there. This will require you to buy two tickets separately.
Kosovo to Tirana
You can get buses from Pristina and Prizren to Tirana quite easily. Other direct lines include Gjakova and Peja but they are less frequent.
Where To Stay In Tirana
I’ve been to Tirana on three separate occasions. I stayed in two different hostels for the first two times and the third time I was in an apartment before my flight to Athens.
My first hostel was nothing to write home about, so i’ll personally recommend the other hostel!
I stayed at Blue Door Hostel and it is perfect for 2 days in Tirana. The beds are comfy and have curtains, the bathrooms are really clean and they have free breakfast! That’s something I always look for when choosing a hostel.
Trip’n’Hostel is another great option and the most popular hostel in the city. I didn’t stay there so I can’t say exactly why it’s great – but based on the reviews they must be doing something right.
Out of anywhere in Albania, Tirana has the priciest hostels. At the time of writing, these two hostels range from $30-35 AUD (18-22 EUR) in peak season which is on the pricier end of the hostel spectrum in Tirana.
You can find hostels more affordable than this but make sure you check out my guide on how to choose a hostel. You’ve got to make sure you don’t end up in a hole during your 2 days in Tirana!
Check out my hostel etiquette guide
Best Time To Visit Tirana
Most travellers visiting Albania arrive in summer, which is Albania’s peak season. This is no surprise, as the beautiful Albanian Riviera comes to life during this time – as locals and tourists come to escape the heat in pristine water.
However, Tirana doesn’t have the luxury of the sea and you can’t dive in the water to escape the heat. Tirana gets really hot in summer, when I was there it was consistently 36 degrees celsius. Nuts!
If you are JUST visiting Tirana, visiting in late spring or early autumn is perfect. The heat doesn’t keep you stuck indoors and you can comfortably walk around without breaking a sweat.
If the main purpose of your trip is to see the Albanian Riviera, summer is great – and i’m sure 2 days in Tirana won’t kill you!
Where To Go After Tirana
Tirana is perfectly located and has the most intercity connections out of anywhere in the country. If you want to go somewhere, you do that from here (most of the time).
Depending on whether you’ve been in the country for a while already, or what direction you’re headed in – you have heaps of options.
After 48 hours in Tirana, the obvious choice for me is Berat. It’s just a few hours south and on the way to the stunning Albanian Riviera. I even have a guide on how to get from Tirana to Berat on a budget.
Here’s some suggestions on where to go:
- Tirana to Shkoder: 1hr 50mins
- Tirana to Berat: 2hrs 45mins
- Tirana to Gjirokaster: ~3.5hrs
- Tirana to Ohrid (North Macedonia): ~3hrs (depending on bus company)
Travel Insurance For 48 Hours IN Tirana
I’m a big believer in using travel insurance when solo travelling as it will save me if anything goes wrong. If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel! I use Worldnomads, easily the best company out there for long-term travellers. Get insured with these guys when using this 2 days in Tirana itinerary.
2 Days In Tirana: Final Thoughts
So there you have it! That’s a 2 days in Tirana itinerary that you can use as a base for your trip.
Tirana really is a city that is full of life. Sure, it’s a bit rough around the edges but that’s part of its charm!
Enjoy your 2 days in Tirana!
Book Your Trip With My Favourite Resources:
Cheap Flights: I always use Skyscanner to browse for cheap flights. It offers so many options to help you find a good deal! It even allows you to search for “anywhere” if you haven’t decided where to go yet!
Accommodation: I start my hostel search with Hostelworld. Most hostels are now on this platform making it the place to find the best hostel for you.
Travel Insurance: If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. It is so important to have when travelling as it will save you from illness, injury, theft and cancellations! I always use Worldnomads when travelling on a budget as they have the best deals for me.