When we visited Tirana with our kids in the summer of 2021, we originally planned to stay for five days. We stayed for ten.

That probably tells you quite a bit about how we felt about Albania’s capital!

We had bought our campervan, Rainbow, the year before, and after parking her for the winter, we picked her back up and started a road trip from Croatia to Turkey. Albania was right along our route, so after spending some time exploring the country’s mountains and coastline, we headed to Tirana.

We weren’t quite sure what to expect. What we found was a colorful, energetic city filled with cafés, street art, parks and reminders of a complicated past. There were museums that made us think, places where the kids could simply have fun, and plenty of unexpected experiences in between.

So if you’re looking for things to do in Tirana with kids, here are 14 places and experiences we enjoyed, or discovered, during our family stay, along with a few updates since our 2021 visit.

"Try to look at things from a different perspective"

Why Tirana Surprised Us

Tirana has been through an enormous transformation.

For decades, Albania lived under one of Europe’s most isolated communist regimes. After the fall of communism in the early 1990s, Tirana entered a period of rapid, and sometimes chaotic, change.

One person who played a visible role in transforming the city’s appearance was Edi Rama, who served as mayor of Tirana from 2000 to 2011 before later becoming Albania’s prime minister.

One of his most recognizable projects involved painting previously gray buildings in bright colors and unusual patterns. And you can still feel that love of color throughout Tirana. Street art, painted buildings, green spaces and modern architecture sit alongside communist-era structures and Ottoman landmarks.

We were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the city. Our original five days became ten.

A Little History of Tirana

Although the area has much older roots, the establishment of modern Tirana is generally associated with Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, who built a mosque, hammam and other buildings here in 1614.

After Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Tirana’s importance increased, and in 1920 it became the country’s capital.

After World War II, Albania entered decades of communist rule under Enver Hoxha.

The country became extraordinarily isolated from the outside world, religion was suppressed, and thousands of bunkers were constructed across Albania because of fears of foreign invasion.

After communism collapsed in the early 1990s, Albania reopened to the world and Tirana began changing rapidly. That contrast between past and present is one of the most fascinating things about visiting the city.

14 Things to Do in Tirana With Kids

1. Visit Skanderbeg Square

You will almost certainly end up in Skanderbeg Square at some point during your visit.

It’s the enormous central plaza of Tirana, named after Albania’s national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg.

The square is surrounded by some of the city’s most important buildings and landmarks, including the Et’hem Bey Mosque, Palace of Culture, Opera House and Clock Tower.

But ask our kids what they remember. The sprinklers!

We visited in the middle of summer, and it was HOT. Every time the kids started getting uncomfortable with the heat, we promised them we’d stop at the square so they could run through the water. It was supposed to be a quick stop. It was never a quick stop.

We never quite figured out exactly when the water would be on, but whenever we got lucky, the kids were delighted. We also lived quite close to the square, so we passed through frequently and loved seeing it illuminated at night.

2. Climb the Clock Tower

While you’re at Skanderbeg Square, stop at Tirana’s historic Clock Tower. Completed in the 19th century, it has become one of the city’s recognizable landmarks.

Climb the stairs and you’re rewarded with a view over Skanderbeg Square and central Tirana.

The clock itself has an interesting history too, having been replaced several times over the years as Albania went through different periods of its history.

It’s a relatively quick activity and easy to combine with exploring the square.

3. Explore the Pyramid of Tirana

This is one place where our original experience is now completely different from what you’ll find today.

When we visited Tirana in 2021, I had read that the Pyramid was easy to access.

Well…It wasn’t!

We arrived and discovered the entire area under construction. We couldn’t explore it and could barely even see it properly.

Originally opened in 1988 as a museum dedicated to communist leader Enver Hoxha, the Pyramid later served several different purposes after the fall of communism.

Rather than demolishing it, Tirana eventually transformed it.

Today, the Pyramid has reopened as a completely redesigned public space and cultural/technology hub. The exterior steps allow visitors to climb over the structure and take in views of Tirana. So this is one attraction where you can now do what we couldn’t!

It gives us a pretty good reason to return.

4. Discover Albania’s Communist History at Bunk’Art

You can’t spend much time traveling around Albania without noticing bunkers. They’re everywhere. On beaches. In mountains. Along roads. And in Tirana.

During Enver Hoxha’s communist regime, Albania constructed an enormous network of concrete bunkers because of fears of invasion.

Estimates of the exact number vary considerably, which is why I wouldn’t repeat the old 750,000 bunkers figure from our original article as a definite fact.

Two bunkers in Tirana have been transformed into museums: Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2.

Bunk’Art 1 is outside the center, near the Dajti Ekspres area, while Bunk’Art 2 is conveniently located near Skanderbeg Square.

These aren’t necessarily cheerful museums to visit with children. But I still think they can be important.

What fascinated me was how differently we experienced them. For Mass and me, it was painful seeing something we’d learned about in history books come to life around us.

For the kids? They were underground in a giant bunker filled with strange rooms and spy equipment. They experienced it from an entirely different perspective. And that’s okay. Sometimes kids don’t need to process history exactly the same way adults do to learn something from it.

5. Visit the House of Leaves

This is one place we didn’t manage to visit ourselves, but it was recommended to us several times.

The House of Leaves, also known as the Museum of Secret Surveillance, occupies a building once associated with Albania’s communist-era surveillance apparatus.

Its exhibits explore the methods used by the state to monitor citizens during the dictatorship.

Because of the subject matter, I think this one is probably more suitable for older children and teenagers than very young kids. It’s also important to distinguish this from the places we personally experienced. This remains on our list for another visit.

6. Hunt for Tirana’s Street Art

You don’t need to enter a museum to see art in Tirana. Just walk.

We found murals, colorful buildings and even electrical boxes turned into little works of art. The colors are one of the things that made Tirana feel so different from what I had imagined before arriving. Instead of seeing the city’s complicated history only as something dark, we could also see how much it was reinventing itself. Make it a game with younger kids and see who can spot the next mural or painted electrical box first.

7. Stop at a Café, and Eat the Pastries!

This may not technically be a tourist attraction. But it was definitely one of our favorite things to do in Tirana.

The café culture is fantastic. There seemed to be cafés everywhere, and we made it our mission to try somewhere different almost every day.

Coffee. Cappuccino. Pastries. More pastries. We were very committed to our research.

You might gain a little weight in Tirana, but I think it’s worth it!

8. Explore Pazari i Ri

Pazari i Ri, or the New Bazaar, is another great place to wander as a family. You’ll find produce, food, restaurants, cafés and shops all mixed together in a lively part of the city.

Markets are always one of our favorite ways to get a glimpse into everyday life when we travel. And naturally, we had another mission. Find our keychain. We collect a traditional keychain from every country we visit, and Pazari i Ri was the perfect place to find our Albanian one.

9. Slow Down at the Grand Park of Tirana

After museums, history and city streets, everyone sometimes needs a little green space. The Grand Park of Tirana, surrounding the artificial lake, gave us exactly that.

We spent a peaceful afternoon walking beside the water and looking for a geocache. The kids also found a bunker covered in fake green grass and naturally turned that into something to play on.

And Mass? Mass found somewhere to nap.

Everyone got what they needed!

The shade from the trees also made this a particularly welcome escape during the summer heat.

10. Walk Along Rruga Murat Toptani

Rruga Murat Toptani is a pedestrian street in central Tirana and an easy place to include while exploring the city on foot.

Shops, cafés and ice cream make it particularly easy with kids, while the rows of trees provide some very welcome shade during summer.

One thing we enjoyed about Tirana was how easily we could combine historical sightseeing with ordinary family life. You could see something important, stop for an ice cream, wander a pedestrian street and then let the kids play. It didn’t always feel as though we were moving from one “must-see” attraction to another.

11. Explore Blloku

Today, Blloku is one of Tirana’s liveliest neighborhoods, filled with cafés, restaurants, boutiques and nightlife. But its history makes it much more interesting.

During communist rule, ordinary Albanians couldn’t simply walk through this neighborhood. It was reserved for Enver Hoxha and members of the political elite.

That contrast is fascinating. A neighborhood once closed to most people is now one of the most energetic parts of the capital.

We found this transformation repeated throughout Tirana: places associated with restriction and control have been reclaimed and given completely different lives.

12. Give the Kids a Sightseeing Break

Our original number 12 was Latitude, an indoor activity center where the kids could jump, climb and burn off some energy.

But the attraction itself isn’t actually the reason this memory remains so important to me.

We met another worldschooling family there for the first time. The kids played together all afternoon while we parents sat and talked for hours.

Since then, we’ve met that same family again in two different countries, and they became special friends. All because of one random afternoon in Tirana.

Places and businesses change, so I would check what indoor activity centers are currently operating when you visit rather than planning your trip specifically around the exact venue we used in 2021.

But the bigger lesson still stands: Give kids a break from sightseeing.

You never know what might come from it.

13. Take the Cable Car Up Mount Dajti

If Tirana’s summer heat starts becoming too much, head toward the mountains.

The Dajti Ekspres cable car takes you up toward Mount Dajti and gives you fantastic views over Tirana and the surrounding landscape.

And when you’re traveling with kids, the cable car ride is an attraction all by itself.

Mount Dajti National Park Cable car in Tirana

At the top, you can enjoy picnics, explore nature trails, or go to the Adventure Park, considered the top recreational attraction in Tirana. It offers ziplining, climbing challenges, and various rope courses set among the forested backdrop. The park provides equipment and guidance for participants of all ages. Easily accessible via the Dajti Ekspres cable car, it’s a favorite for families seeking outdoor thrills close to the city.

Remember that if you’re planning to visit the Bunk’Art 1 Museum, you may want to do it the same day you take the cable car, as it’s in the same area of Tirana.

Check current operating hours and activities before heading up, particularly because mountain attractions can change seasonally.

14. Cool Down at a Water Park

Our final activity was exactly what you might expect from a family traveling through Albania during a hot summer.

Water slides!

We visited AquaPark Albania Blue Magic Water, outside Tirana toward Durrës. After days of sightseeing in the heat, having an entire day where the only objective was to swim and go down slides was exactly what the kids needed. Because seasonal attractions like water parks can change significantly from year to year, I’d check the latest opening information before adding this to your itinerary.

A Few Fascinating Facts About Albania

Before visiting Albania, there was so much we didn’t know about the country.

One of the things we discovered was that Albanian, or Shqip, forms its own branch of the Indo-European language family.

Albania is also known for its religious diversity, with Muslim, Orthodox Christian and Catholic communities. That is particularly interesting considering that in 1967, communist Albania declared itself an atheist state and severely restricted religious practice.

Another thing you’ll notice everywhere is the country’s double-headed black eagle. It dominates Albania’s red flag and connects to the country’s Albanian name, Shqipëria, commonly associated with the idea of the Land of the Eagles.

And then there are those bunkers. Once you notice your first one, you’ll start spotting them everywhere.

One of my other favorite cultural discoveries was learning about Albanian iso-polyphony, a traditional form of singing recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Albania was full of things we hadn’t expected to learn about.

Where Did We Stay in Tirana?

We arrived in Tirana with Rainbow, our campervan. But we didn’t actually sleep in her while we were there. There wasn’t a campsite conveniently located for what we wanted to do, and more importantly: It was incredibly hot! Sleeping in the campervan for ten days didn’t sound particularly appealing. Instead, we left Rainbow in a paid, protected parking area and rented an Airbnb.

For a longer city stay, this worked perfectly for us. We had a kitchen so we could prepare our own meals, air-conditioning and, most importantly, enough room for everyone to have some downtime.

That’s something we’ve learned over years of traveling full-time with three kids. We love exploring. But we don’t need to be exploring all the time. Sometimes having an apartment where everyone can spread out for a few hours is exactly what makes a longer city stay enjoyable.

How to Get to Tirana

By Air

Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA) is Albania’s main international airport and is located outside the city center. Buses, taxis and rental cars connect the airport with Tirana. Because routes, fares and pickup locations can change, check the airport’s current transportation information before traveling.

By Car

This is how we arrived. We drove into Albania from Montenegro as part of our campervan journey from Croatia toward Turkey. Crossing the border was straightforward for us, although our existing vehicle insurance didn’t cover Albania, so we needed to purchase the required coverage. If you’re driving into Albania today, check the current documentation and insurance requirements for your particular vehicle and nationality rather than relying on what we needed in 2021.

By Bus

International buses connect Tirana with destinations in neighboring countries, including Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece.

By Ferry

Tirana isn’t on the coast, but the port of Durrës is nearby and has ferry connections with Italy. From Durrës, you can continue to Tirana by road.

Is Tirana Worth Visiting With Kids?

Before arriving, Tirana was simply one of the stops along our road trip.

We planned five days. Then five became ten.

And I think that’s the best answer I can give.

Tirana wasn’t about one spectacular landmark that we had traveled halfway around the world to see. It was the combination of everything. Running through sprinklers in Skanderbeg Square. Learning about Albania’s difficult communist past inside a bunker. Searching for a geocache while Mass took a nap under the trees. Stopping for coffee and pastries. Looking for street art.

Giving the kids an afternoon away from sightseeing, and unexpectedly making friends we’d meet again in other countries.

Tirana showed us a country with an incredibly complicated past but also a city full of energy and change. And once again, traveling slowly gave us enough time to get past our first impressions and simply enjoy being there.

Our five-day stop became ten days because we weren’t ready to leave.

Now, all I can wish you is happy travels, and remember: Adventure is just around the corner!

See you in the next country!

Continue the journey with:

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I hope our experiences help you plan an unforgettable European adventure of your own!

14 Amazing Things to Do in Tirana With Kids