ALBANIA
Country Overview:
“Tirana is perhaps not a top 10 travel destination, but still a fun and interesting European capital”
I really enjoyed my time in Tirana. It’s a funky little capital with lots of murals, colorful buildings, and a desire to develop while dealing with and acknowledging its tumultuous history. I didn’t find a lot of traditional Albanian food restaurants, though there were plenty of gyros and sweets. One of the things I found surprising was that so many Albanians speak Italian, and many menus are often written in both Albanian and Italian. I wouldn’t necessarily come back to visit Tirana, but I’m glad I took the time to visit. I also celebrated my 31st birthday here and it was definitely a night to remember.
History Museum
The National Museum of History was opened in 1981 (and feels like it was) and is 27,000 square meters in size.
Above the entrance of the museum is a large mural mosaic titled The Albanians that depicts purported ancient to modern figures from Albania's history. The museum includes the following pavilions: the Pavilion of Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Independence, Iconography, National Liberation Antifascist War, Communist Terror, and Mother Teresa.