Tirana
Albania’s capital of colourful buildings and the Et’hem Bey Mosque.
📷 Tirana · Wikipedia/Wikimedia CommonsTirana is a rapidly reviving capital, with Skanderbeg Square, the historic Et’hem Bey Mosque and its colourful façades. Its Ottoman past and young café culture live side by side.
🗓️ Late spring and autumn are most balanced; summer is lively, winter snowy and quiet.
Nearby stops
Sarajevo – BaščaršijaThe historic bazaar where East meets West.Mostar – Stari MostThe UNESCO-listed historic bridge over the Neretva.Blagaj TekkeA peaceful dervish lodge at the Buna river source.Gazi Husrev-beg MosqueA masterpiece of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans.Jajce WaterfallA striking waterfall in the town centre.TravnikThe city of viziers; capital of Ottoman Bosnia.PočiteljA stone Ottoman village on the Neretva.SkopjeNorth Macedonia’s capital of the Ottoman bazaar and stone bridge.OhridA lakeside town of UNESCO-listed churches.PristinaKosovo’s capital of mosques and youthful energy.BelgradeA fortress city at the meeting of the Danube and Sava.KotorA walled town on a fjord-like bay.BudvaThe Adriatic’s beach-and-old-town stop.BeratThe “City of a Thousand Windows”; a UNESCO Ottoman town.SofiaBulgaria’s capital of the Banya Bashi Mosque and cathedrals.VišegradSokollu’s bridge over the Drina.
Travel guides
Mostar and Its Historic Bridge
Stari Most over the Neretva, stone streets and the Blagaj Tekke: sights and practical tips for Mostar.
Three Days in Sarajevo: The Classic Route
Baščaršija, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the Latin Bridge and hilltop views: a 3-day plan for Sarajevo.