If you want to get a taste of the authentic local culture instead of visiting the standard tourist attractions in Tirana, the best thing to do is to jump into this day tour.
We will start our very authentic walking tour at Choose Balkans office where you will meet with your local companion, who will offer you a unique experience in the city and will passionately share with you the city's culinary treasures.
Our first stop will be at a small local place that only locals know how to find. Here we will have the opportunity to try Byrek and have breakfast like a local. The famous traditional Albanian food is dough with all kinds of filling such as cheese, meat or spinach. The journey then leads towards Çam bazaar, founded by the Albanian Çam community, who originally came from an area called Çameria in today’s North-Western Greece. Here you can buy all kinds of goods from clothes to kitchen equipment and bargain with the sellers for a cheaper price. With your local companion by your side, you’ll skip past the tourist traps and discover the city’s culinary highlights in some of our favourite local neighbourhoods, where you'll have the opportunity to savour a traditional dessert at an authentic pastry. We will have an insight into the hidden alleyways and bustling street markets of Tirana, where dozens of street hawkers sell fresh vegetables and fruits. After walking through the busy streets, we'll introduce you to the country's rich coffee culture. We will join locals at a cosy café and taste traditional "Albanian coffee".
The tour will continue through the charming neighbourhoods of Tirana; observe the daily lives of the city's residents, admire colourful buildings, and get a feel for the authentic atmosphere. We will visit the so-called Bicycle bazaar, where you can find everything, from second hand clothes to second hand furniture. The next stop of our local adventure takes us to the New Bazaar, where an array of culinary delights awaits us. We will try the traditional Albanian lunch – "Qofte" (meatballs) grilled to perfection and paired with freshly baked bread. Vegetarians can enjoy freshly baked bread with Albanian Gjize (cottage cheese).
To end this tour in the best way, we will also taste some Albanian Raki. As we Albanians say, there is nothing that Raki can’t fix!
