Introduction
In this post, we are going to talk about the other side of the capital of Albania, namely the outside of Tirana. After we wrote a lot about the city, it´s time to enjoy the nature beyond it. After all, life in a big city is stressful and annoying sometimes. The only way to get back on track is to go out in the fresh air and be active. The city itself has a great location and it´s surrounded by any type of landscape you´d wish for, be it sea, mountains, hills or greeny meadows. Just nearby stretching from East to North of the city, there´s Dajti National Park, with a beautiful mountain range and a lot of hiking trails, picnic and stargazing spots. At the north end of the range, you will find Bovilla Lake, an artificial lake with beautiful surrounding nature. In the South, we have mostly a hilly landscape with little valleys dispersed through. Notably, there´s the historical Castle of Petrela (Kalaja e Petrelës), the village of Baldushk and its surroundings (Waterfall of Kakunjë) and southeast there´s the Cyclops´ Eye. In the southwest, we have another historical spot like Peza, also rich with natural features to enjoy.
In the West, there are also vast ranges of hills with beautiful panoramas, stretching to the northwest, where we can visit another historical spot on top of a hill, the medieval Castle of Preza (Kalaja e Prezës). Further in the West, there´s the chance to enjoy the sea, in the city of Durrës or along its coast.
Continue reading and we´re going to dive into more details.
When to explore?
The climate of the surroundings is the same, more or less, as that of Tirana. An exception, of course, is Dajti National Park, where the winter is much snowier. It´s a perfect destination for snow enthusiasts. The really good news is that the spots in nature are explorable during most of the year. The weather is mostly clear and sunny, typical Mediterranean, making it easy to plan any adventure. Depending on what outdoor activity you like the most, you can easily decide when to visit. For activities outside the city, there isn´t the risk of a crowded season, there is a lot of space. Just make sure to plan enough days for your adventures “Made in Tirana”!
Park of Farka Artificial Lake (Liqeni i Farkës)
The Farka Lake is located southeast of Tirana, just outside the official outline of the city. It´s larger than the Lake of Grand Park but less frequented. It´s a nice choice to enjoy the fresh air and not be too far from the city. Let´s see some tips below:
- Because is very close to the city you can go there on foot (depending on your accommodation) or by bicycle. If you want to go more relaxed you can always take a cab. The good news is that some public bus lines take there, such as Lines 9A, 9B and 10B. You can consult the Map of Tirana’s bus network at this link for more information. You can use a rented car if you plan to spend some days in Tirana and around it. The distance from the city´s centre is approximately 5km.
- Of course, you can do a lot of outdoor activities at the Lake for example running, bicycling, having a picnic, kayaking etc. Just make up your mind and go! One day or less should be enough to enjoy this outdoor spot, an easy getaway outside of Tirana.
Dajti Mountain Park (Parku i Malit të Dajtit)
Dajti is the closest National Park outside of Tirana. It comprises a great area with a mountain range and many woods all over. The highest peak is the Dajti Peak (Maja e Dajtit) at almost 1600m elevation. Another well-known peak to the locals is Tujani at almost 1450m. So for mountain and hiking enthusiasts, there´s a lot to discover! Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your time there:
- About Transportation: – For the fans of public transport, there´s bus 11 operating from Tirana Center to the cable car station. The way up to the mountain is quite special, with amazing panoramic views of the capital and more. – You can also rent a car to be more flexible. From the city centre to Dajti Mountain (more precisely near the Tourist Info Center there) is about 25km away. Because it is a winding mountain road it can take 1 hour. But the standard of the road is good. Using Google Maps should make it easy to find the right path. – Normally the option of a cab is always available.
- About activities: – Outdoor sports are the best ones you can engage yourself in, for example, hiking, trekking, mountain biking, rock climbing, camping and more. The trip with the cable car is itself very worth doing. If you consider camping, you can also enjoy stargazing, which we have yet to try. As from experience, we enjoyed hiking, a trip with the cable car and spent a night there. Climbing to the peaks of Dajti and Tujani will require a little more effort and experience, but you can always book a local guide if you need to. There is a project supported also by the EU and the municipality of Tirana that gives more technical information about outdoor activities with this website. In winter for the enthusiasts of sports on the snow, there´s the opportunity to engage in skiing (on your own, till now there isn´t a ski centre). Visiting Dajti can take from one to several days if you plan to engage in all the activities described above.
- About eating: – You can take food with you and organize picnics in the middle of nature or visit restaurants up there, you have the choice. Normally we´d recommend the traditional dishes either way, you´ll never find them somewhere else!
Castle of Petrela (Kalaja e Petrelës)
Petrela is an important administrative unit outside of Tirana. It´s been inhabited since several centuries B.C. according to archaeological findings. There we find also the next gem outside the capital, the Castle of Petrela. It dates back at least from the 6th century A.D. The Castle is built on a 400 m high rocky hill with very steep slopes, especially on the south and southeast sides, which have made it very protected from outer attacks during its history. Other elements of it are the fortifications with outer walls and two watching towers. Today the castle is a Historical Monument and quite attractive tourist spot. Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your time there:
- About Transportation: – Public transport is available, there´s a bus that operates from Tirana Southeast Terminal to the comune centre of Petrelë, just a few steps from the castle´s gate. For more information, consult the app “Tirana Ime 2.0”, for both iOS and Android systems and you´ll find this bus line under the feature of Transport – public superurban (Line L.RR.1 Petrelë). It isn´t the most comfortable transport way but it will take you there. – You can also rent a car to be more flexible. From Tirana centre to Petrelë is about 15-19km away, depending on which route you take. Using Google Maps should make it easier to find the right path. – Of course, the option of a cab is always available.
- About activities: – There you can practice outdoor sports such as hiking, biking and more. You can also enjoy a good cultural and historical experience because of the rich history of the area, it´ll be worth it. Another interesting activity is the newly developed zip line, a reality for the last couple of years. It´s located just 1km from the castle and is presumably the longest zip line in the Balkans and the only one outside of Tirana. Normally one day or less should be enough time to enjoy all the features of this amazing tourist spot.
- About eating: – You can take food with you and organize little picnics in the of nature around the castle or visit restaurants up there, depending on how much you´re going to stay there. The traditional cuisine is always present there.
Cyclops` Eye (Syri i Ciklopit)
This is a quite spectacular little heart-shaped lake or spring with a waterfall. It´s located southeast of Tirana, hidden between canyons, in the valley of river Erzen. The water is crystal clear and always brisk cold. In sunny weather refreshing there would be the best thing to do. It´s the perfect spot for the adventurous tourist and nature lover. As the name suggests, a local legend is behind the creation of this wonder, but you´ll have to hear it for yourself when you go there! Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your time there:
- About Transportation: – Luckily, there´s public transport that takes near the area, more precisely a bus from Tirana Southeast Terminal to the village of Krrabë and also a few stations further in Skuterë, the nearest village to the start of the Syri i Ciklopit Trailhead. For more information, consult the app “Tirana Ime 2.0”. It is to be found under the feature of Transport – public super urban (Line L.RR.11 Krrabë). Of course, it will take at least 1 hour to arrive at the village of Krrabë by bus. – You can also rent a car or use your car to be more flexible and if you want to take a bicycle or other stuff with you. From Tirana centre to Krrabë is about 25km away. It will take from half to 1 hour depending on traffic. But the standard of the road outside the highway is good. Again, a GPS navigator will come in handy. – Normally the option of a cab is always available but from our view is better to rent a car and be free. – In recent years several local travel agencies have created tours that take care of the details from the starting point to the Cyclops` Eye. If you want to go with a big group it might be a good idea to book such a tour.
- About activities: – Outdoor sports are the only ones to expect when you go there, such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing (only for trained professionals we would guess) and more. As from experience, we enjoyed hiking, by going on a tour with a guide. The hiking itself should last 1-1.5 hours, giving time also for photos. Then after arriving at the crystal spring, it´s time to enjoy the deserved relaxation in the middle of nature´s freshness. The whole adventure can last till the afternoon or more if you want to engage in other activities, as described above.
- About eating: – The best would be to take food with you and have a picnic with the group you´re travelling with. As usual, we recommend taking traditional recipes with you.
Waterfall of Kakunjë (Ujëvara e Kakunjës)
This is another beautiful waterfall inside Tirana County, outside of Tirana city. It´s located south of the capital, hidden in the canyon of a stream that ends in the local river Zhullima. The water is very clear and brisk cold, perfect to freshen up in warm weather. It´s also another great spot for the adventurous tourist and nature lover. The waterfall stands at almost 10m in height. You can climb up and enjoy the view from the top of it. Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your time there:
- About Transportation: – Luckily, there´s public transport that takes near the area, more precisely a bus from Tirana Southeast Terminal to the village of Baldushk and also further in Koçaj, the nearest station to the start of the hiking. For more information, consult the app “Tirana Ime 2.0”. It is to be found under the feature of Transport – public super urban (Line L.RR.13 Baldushk). The bus ride it´s not the best experience (as always with buses) but at least you´ll arrive at your destination. – You can also rent a car or use your car to be more flexible and if you want to take a bicycle or other stuff with you. From Tirana centre to Kakunjë village is about 25km away. It will take 1 hour or more depending on traffic. But the standard of the road outside the highway is good. Again, a GPS navigator will come in handy. – Normally the option of a cab is always available but from our view is better to rent a car and be free. – In recent years several local travel agencies have created tours that take care of the details from the starting point to the Waterfall of Kakunjë. If you want to go with a big group it might be a good idea to book such a tour.
- About activities: – Outdoor sports are the only ones to expect when you go there, such as hiking, mountain biking, maybe camping with a tent (we are not sure if allowed) and more. As from experience, we enjoyed hiking, by going on a tour with a guide. the hiking itself should last 1-1.5 hours, giving time also for photos. Then at the waterfall, we took it easy, with plenty of photos, games, and refreshing in the water. – The whole adventure can last till the afternoon or a little more if you want to engage in other outdoor activities, as described above.
- About eating: – The best would be to take food with you and have a picnic with the group you´re travelling with. There are also restaurants in the village. As usual, we recommend taking traditional recipes with you.
Other explore-worthy spots
Here we´ll give some other options outside of Tirana to explore and enjoy. Below there is some general information about each place:
- Bovilla Lake (Liqeni i Bovillës) is the largest artificial reservoir in Tirana County. It provides most of the potable water for the capital. In recent years it´s also become a well-known tourist spot for nature enthusiasts but mostly because of the wild nature surrounding the lake. Several high peaks stand around it like Gamti mountain, the peaks of Brari etc. So it´s more suitable for mountain lovers. One day will be more than enough to enjoy as much as possible there.
- Peza village is an important historic village southwest of Tirana. In the area, you´ll find Little and Big Peza (Pezë e Vogël and Pezë e Madhe), both worth the visit. They had a vital significance during WWII, against the enemies of that period. There´s a dedicated memorial in Pezë e Vogël and a Martyr´s Cemetery in Pezë e Madhe. More of that, you´ll see for yourself while visiting! Of course, the nature there is lovely, with plenty of green areas for camping, playing games, hiking trails in the hills around and biking routes.
- Castle of Preza (Kalaja e Prezës) is a medieval castle dating back to at least the XIV century. It´s located on top of a hill, at approximately 250m above sea level. Today it´s still in good condition and has become a well-known tourist attraction near Tirana. There we can find a Clocktower, watch towers, a Moschee and the Outer Walls. It´s suitable more for a relaxing cultural day, not so much for nature activities. Because of its strategic location, you can enjoy a 360-degree view from there and take amazing photos.
The tips given in the above-mentioned spots, regarding transport, activities and eating, are helpful also for these three.
Last remarks
As we saw in this Blog Post, the tourist offer of the capital of Albania isn´t restricted to the city but outside it this offer is even bigger, just need time to enjoy it! Normally you´ll start by visiting the city and then choosing the next adventure outside of Tirana.
We hope that our guidance will be helpful during your stay in the city so that you can take the best memories with you. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below and we’ll be more than happy to answer! Happy Exploring!
