When we think about a city break, New York, Paris or Rome might top the list, but Tirana likely doesn’t make the cut.
However, you might want to add it to the list, as the vibrant capital city of Albania has undergone a major revitalisation in recent years, adding colour to what used to be a very grey, Communist area until the 1990s.
Its lively transformation, interesting skyline, cheap food and drink and general vibes have led tourists to dub it the ‘most underrated city ever’.
And as of next year, you’ll be able to visit from £65, as Ryanair is adding new flights to the city from Liverpool.
But that’s not the only new location the budget airline is adding…
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How to get to Tirana
From summer 2026, passengers will be able to jet off to Tirana in Albania, Marrakesh in Morocco, and Warsaw in Poland from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
This is because the budget airline is adding a sixth aircraft there as part of a US investment of $600m (around £449m) from Ryanair in the Northwest.
As well as allowing for three new routes, the new aircraft also enables extra flights to be added to 11 existing routes, including Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Malta, Porto, Sofia, Malaga, Faro, Kaunas, Reus and Kraków.
At the time of writing, the cheapest flights listed on Ryanair for a one-way trip to Marrakesh start from £41. Flights to Warsaw are available from £31, and it’s £65 to Tirana.
To celebrate the new routes, the airline has launched a limited-time seat sale with fares from £29.99 on the Ryanair website.
Speaking about the new aircraft, Ryanair’s CCO, Jason McGuinness, said: ‘Ryanair’s supercharged investment and growth at Liverpool (US$600m) will deliver more than 2m low-fare seats to 34 European destinations, offering customers in the Northwest more choice at the lowest fares in Europe, while simultaneously driving inbound tourism.’
Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s CEO, John Irvin,g added: ‘This news highlights Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s strategic importance for the City Region and wider Northwest and North Wales and will bring more jobs, more investment and more choice for the region’s travellers as well as for those from overseas visiting the region via the airport too.
‘As 2025 draws to a close, on what has been one of Liverpool Airport’s busiest years ever, Ryanair’s decision to base a sixth aircraft at Liverpool in 2026 with an additional 250,000 seats on sale, is likely to help the airport go on to break all previous passenger records.’
Things to do in Tirana
Tirana is home to lots of buildings painted in primary colours, many pedestrianised streets and public squares, which, according to Lonely Planet, makes it a ‘pleasure to wander’.
For those who love to learn about the history of an area, there are several popular museums to visit, including the National History Museum as well as Bunk’Art, which is a former Cold War bunker on the outskirts of the city that’s been transformed into a history and contemporary art museum.
If you’re an outdoorsy person, you’ll want to head to Mt Dajti National Park, which is home to Albania’s most accessible mountain. It’s located 25km east of Tirana, and while there, you can enjoy a 15-minute scenic cable car ride up 1611m.
No visit to Tirana is complete without exploring Skanderbeg Square, the main plaza of the city. Here you’ll find the history museum, as well as the Palace of Culture, the National Opera, the National Library, the National Bank, the Ethem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, the City Hall, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Energy.
On social media, tourists also recommend visiting the Sky Bar for 360 views of the city, climbing up the Pyramid of Tirana (a former museum that has become a landmark in the city), visiting some of the stunning churches and mosques, seeing The Cloud sculpture, Rinia Park and Tirana Castle too.
Other must-visit spots include Tirana Lake Park, on the southern side of the city, and if you’re up for a little bit more travelling, just an hour away is Lake Bovilla, which is to the northeastern side of Tirana, nestled between two mountains. Lots of companies offer walking and hiking tours of the area and there are some incredible scenic views to be found.
When it comes to food, you’ll want to try some traditional Albanian cuisine, including Tavë kosi (a casserole that sees lamb or chicken baked in yogurt), Fërgesë (a dip made with cheese, peppers and tomatoes) as well as Bereki (pastries).
How to have a £100 holiday in Tirana
Chelsea Dickenson challenged herself to have a £100 last year and was pleasantly surprised by how much she spent in Tirana – she even came back with change.
After booking cheap flights online, Chelsea found a boutique hostel for just £12.67 a night and researched food and drink, finding that many restaurants served dinner for under £6.
Here’s what she had to say of the rest of her trip…
I was bowled over by how green the city is, and how many food and drink restaurants there were to choose between. The latter is so important to many of us when choosing a destination, with 55% of people citing that the chance to explore local cuisine is a top travel motivator in Klarna’s recent Travel Report.
The good news is that even on a budget, I could still indulge. From 43p for a spinach byrek (a flakey, Albanian pastry) to £4.10 for fërgesë (a traditional dish of cottage cheese and peppers), I found it easy to pin down affordable food.
Culture is a priority to 28% of us as well, according to the Klarna report, and thanks to a free walking tour I found thanks to a simple google, I got to explore the city – leaving a small tip of £1.71 for the guide.
I also spent a wonderful couple of hours navigating the sprawling walkways of the 289 hectare Tirana Park and set up at a trendy cafe, Hana Corner Coffee, to work for a couple of hours – nursing a rather expensive £2.05 coffee! But it was worth it to watch the world go by on their gorgeous outdoor terrace.
I genuinely think it’s the most underrated city I’ve ever been to.
The total for my two-day trip came in at £99.59, proving that a £100 holiday can be done! And I do think having this firm budget really helps you stop extra costs for spiralling.
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