Are you about to spend your holidays in Tirana? Are you already in the
capital of Albania and are you looking for the best things to do?
Albanian food represents a very important aspect of daily life and a
key element in the social dimension.
Taste traditional Albanian food in Tirana
Welcome to the tour that combines Tirana's history, architecture and traditional Albanian food. First of all, we recommend that participants do not go overboard with their breakfasts at the hotel, in order to be immediately ready to taste the Albanian food recipes and specialties that we will offer you.
Paçe, the traditional soup - paired with rice
After the pick up at the hotel, the tour begins with a typical Albanian breakfast. The first destination we will reach is a Mengjezore bar restaurant, one of the few places that prepares typical traditional breakfast. Located in the bicycle market area, the Mengjezore has kept the Breakfast Restaurant tradition alive since 2004. Here, you will have the opportunity to taste the Paçe me pilaf, a thick and spicy meat soup. Paçe is made with less noble parts of cattle, but rich in flavor, and is generally consumed with rice.
The traditional taste of the meringue cake at the New Bazaar
After this energizing breakfast, we will be ready to continue the rest of the tour. We will move through the New Bazaar (Pazari), one of the oldest districts of Tirana. Here is the Kokonozi Mosque and one of the most famous markets in the city, where you can find meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and cheeses from local farmers. You will have the opportunity to stop and taste one of the Tiranese sweet specialties after visiting a local pastry shop, which continues to respect the old meringue pie recipe. This cake, soft, crunchy and tasty, takes you back to the times of communism, when it was popular. Today it is made in many variations, but only here you can taste the original recipe.
Coffee in Tirana, a walk through the boulevard and Blloku
Passing through the old part of the city, you will approach the center, where you will notice the communist influence on the architecture of the buildings. Your guide will help you distinguish the earliest buildings and you will hear some interesting details about them. Feel free to ask your guide! You will then stop at a local café, where you can choose from over 25 different types of coffee from all over the world. Obviously, if you want to respect the local tradition, we invite you to choose Turkish coffee.
The tour continues on Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard, Tirana's main boulevard, where on each side there are large sidewalks and green areas. Walking around here you will get to Blloku, the residential area of
the former dictator Enver Hoxha. This neighborhood, built according to the dictates of communist architecture and with influences from the German Democratic Republic, is now full of examples of street art.
Fergese and qofte: typical Albanian food at lunchtime
At lunchtime, you will move to a traditional restaurant, to taste two of Tirana's most famous dishes, Fergese and Qofte. Fergese is a typical Tirana dish with roasted peppers, tomato, onions, cheese and yogurt. An excellent option also for vegetarians. The qofte are Albanian meatballs, made with minced meat, spices and cheese.
Last stop, the castle of Tirana and the tasting of olive oil
After lunch, we will continue to walk through the pedestrian avenue which presents many works of contemporary art. Then you will reach the Justinian Fortress, located in the city center. Also known as the Castle of Tirana, this building was the administrative and government center of the various kingdoms that have followed one another. Today the area has been renovated, becoming one of the most interesting attractions, with unique bars and shops where you will have opportunities to buy special souvenirs. Here you will stop at a shop where you will learn about the history of olive oil, and how to taste the oil just like an expert, and also you will learn the essential information on the history of this tree and its cultivation.
The last stop on the tour is in a small 100% Albanian grocery store. Here you can find many products from different regions of Albania, to get an overview of Albanian food. We will taste jams, cheeses, herbs and the classic Albanian spirit, raki, immersing ourselves in a bouquet of the Albanian flavors and aromas.
