The 12 Most Romantic places in Tirana – By a Tirana inhabitant!

If you are looking for a romantic place in Tirana, let me give you a list of the best romantic spots in the capital city of Albania.

As an inhabitant of Tirana, I regularly plan a date night in Tirana. So let me give you an insight into the most romantic spots in Tirana.

1. Dajti Express Cable Car

When you ask anyone in Tirana for their recommendation of the most romantic spot. Without a doubt, they will recommend the Dajti Express Cable Car.

The Dajti Express is a cable car on the outskirts of Tirana. It is approximately 20 minutes by taxi from the city centre, so not within walking distance.

The taxi driver will take you to the lower station of the Dajti Express, where you can board the cable car. It is exciting to step into the cable car and fly through the sky towards Dajti Mountain.

The cable car journey lasts 15 minutes and it is absolutely breathtaking. You fly across treetops, little farmhouses, mountain lakes and by the cliffs. And as you climb higher, you will get a stunning view of the entire city of Tirana.

After completing the cable car journey, you will land at the Mount Dajti balcony. On the Mount Dajti balcony, there is a variety of entertainment. The balcony is the perfect spot for a relaxing and romantic date in Tirana.

The most romantic spot is Restaurant Ballkoni Dajtit. Ballkoni Dajtit is a restaurant built on the top of a mountain cliff. You literally have an endless view into the distance. You will see the entire city of Tirana, Durres beach at the coastline and the Adriatic Sea at the horizon.

Another highlight is the rotating bar on the top of the Dajti Hotel. You can order a drink and within 45 minutes, the bar will rotate 360 degrees for stunning views all around!

If you and your partner are on a more active date, you have a variety of activities to choose from. You can go to the Dajti Adventure Park, which offers high robes and a ziplining course through the mountains. Other activities offered are mini-golf, horse riding, target shooting and buggy riding.

2. Grand Park

The Grand Park is one of the most relaxing spots in Tirana. The Grand Park is located at the end of the main government street in the centre of Tirana.

If you are walking through the main government street and you see the trees of the Grand Park at the end of the street, you won’t be impressed. It actually does not look like much from the onsight.

However, you must enter the park and walk across the hill! Because on the other side of the hill, there is a beautiful lake.

Alongside the lake, there is a boulevard and a running track. Many of the locals like to go to the park for a run or a stroll by the lake. There are some lovely restaurants at the lakefront with beautiful views.

From the park, you can see the Tirana e Re neighbourhood (in English: “New Tirana”) on the other side of the lake. The beautiful colourful houses reflect in the lake like a gigantic mirror.

The Grand Park and the lake are a place for a low key and relaxing date. You can have a lovely afternoon, strolling by the lake and drinking a coffee. You can also rent some of the old-style pedal cars and drive around through the park just for fun.

3. Rruga Murat Toptani

Murat Toptani Street is one of the most romantic spots in Tirana. It is a beautiful pedestrian boulevard with many restaurants and terraces.

The boulevard is made of beautiful marble stones and covered by leafy trees on both sides. Along the street, there are many beautiful terraces.

This is one of the spots where local couples and families go on their afternoon off. You can sit on one of the terraces and watch the people stroll by. Many of the terraces serve gelato ice cream, fresh juices and smoothies. But the favourite drink of the locals is very strong espresso in tiny cups.

At the end of Murat Toptani street, you can visit a brand new food court! Along Murat Toptani Street, there is an old remaining wall from the former Tirana Castle. This old wall has been turned into the entrance of the food court.

Inside the food court, there is a large variety of restaurants. One of the highlights is Ceren by Chef Ismet Shehu. He is a local chef famous for fresh ingredients and fantastic food quality. Another highlight is the famous Tribe restaurant.

But don’t worry, you do not have to go to a fancy restaurant! You can simply visit this street for a great afternoon date with gelato and some coffee. And stroll around the city centre on your way back to your hotel!

4. Petrela Village

Petrela is a little village, that is located right next to Tirana. It is a very idyllic village with an Italian feel, and therefore, it is a great place to visit on a romantic date with your partner.

Although Petrela is incredibly close to the capital city Tirana, it is a completely different world. In Tirana, you have buildings and apartments everywhere. But when you drive into Petrela you are immediately surrounded by greenery.

There are beautiful trees and olive groves along the road. And the road turns and twists through the beautiful landscape. Along the road, there are little restaurants and mom-and-pop owned hotels with a small swimming pool.

The main destination in Petrela is the Castle of Petrela on the top of the hill. When you arrive at the castle, you walk up the little cobblestone path. And enter the castle. Because this castle is right on the top of the hill, you will enjoy a panoramic view when you enter the castle.

There is a tiny cafe inside the castle, where you can enjoy some time with your partner, whilst taking in the view. If you are looking to get away from it all for a day, you and your partner will definitely enjoy a day in Petrela.

5. Rinia Park

Rinia Park is one of the hotspots in Tirana’s city centre. Essentially, Rinia Park is a small park right in the centre of Tirana. It is located between the main government street and the popular Blloku area.

In Rinia Park, there is a restaurant complex called Taiwan. The restaurant is the place in Tirana where couples go for a date. Right in front of the restaurant, there is a big fountain, which also lights up at night.

The restaurant has a variety of terraces at different levels, so you always have a nice and private seating area. Although the restaurant does serve food, it is mostly visited as a coffee house by the locals. So make a stop at Rinia Park for a nice and relaxing coffee date.

6. Blloku Area

If you want to go for a romantic dinner or a night out in Tirana, you must go to the Blloku area.

Within Albania, the Blloku area is known as the trendy and vibrant area of Tirana. The neighbourhood became famous as the exclusive area because it was where the former communist dictator lived.

During communism, the dictator moved into a villa inside the Blloku area and surrounded himself with the other political elite. He closed the Blloku area off to the public and surrounded the area with security personnel so that nobody could enter. It even went as far as blanking out the area on the city map of Tirana.

So basically, the Blloku area became known as the secret area, which could only be entered by the elite.

In 1992, the communist regime ended in Albania. And you would expect that the Blloku area would stop existing. But what happened instead, is that people were incredibly curious. And in their minds, Blloku was still synonymous with exclusivity.

So the Blloku area was transformed into the most exclusive neighbourhood of Tirana. It is the area, where you can find a wide variety of lovely restaurants and bars. There are many terraces with a type of art-deco decor and trendy music. There are also some amazing hotels, like the famous Xheko Imperial hotel for instance, which have a lovely boutique hotel look and feel.

So plan a night out with your partner and simply walk through the Blloku area to explore the best entertainment and nightlife in the city.

7. Golem beach

Tirana is not a coastal town, but it is only about 45 minutes drive to the closest beach at Durres. Although Durres beach is the closest beach to Tirana, I recommend driving onwards to Golem Beach.

Golem is a beautiful beach and resort area just to the south of Durres. From Tirana, it will take you about 1 hour by taxi to get to Golem.

At Golem, you can spend a romantic day at the beach. There is endless white beaches with lovely parasols. Alongside the beach, there are some amazing hotels, restaurants, resorts and bars.

Some of the restaurants have these lovely lounge seating areas with a great view of the beach.

Ask your taxi driver to drop you off at the Adriatic Hotel in Durres, which is one of the most well-known resort hotels in the area. The hotel has a fantastic salt-water pool and a great lounge area with a sea view.

Golem beach is a great place for a romantic and relaxing date. So plan a day trip from the capital city and simply spend your day relaxing at the beach.

8. Visit an Albanian vineyard for a wine tasting

There are several small family-owned vineyards in Albania, that you can visit.

Close to Tirana, you can visit the Duka Winery and Vineyard. The Duka Winery is near the coastal town of Durres. It produces Merlot, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, so it is a great spot for red wine enthusiasts.

At the Duka Winery, you can go for a wine tour, wine tasting and for lunch or dinner. The wine master leads you around their beautiful property and explains their winemaking process. After the tour, you can taste the wines in their tasting room. Not only the wines are excellent, they also offer homegrown olives, homemade olive oil, freshly baked bread and organic meat. And all of this in a very romantic setting.

Another option is visiting the Cobo Winery near Berat. Berat is the most beautiful historical town in Albania and a UNESCO heritage site, so I highly recommend you take a day tour from Tirana to Berat. And after exploring Berat, you can make a stop at the Cobo Winery.

You will be offered a tour of their winery to see the wine barrels and their room for ageing the wine. Afterwards, you will be taken to the wine tasting room and try their delicious wines.

9. Sofra e Ariut

Sofra e Ariut is a beautiful restaurant with a stunning garden in Tirana.

Actually, I would recommend Sofra e Ariut as my number one recommendation for a romantic lunch or dinner in Tirana.

Sofra e Ariut is a privately owned park and garden. In the garden, there is a lovely cabin-style restaurant, which serves local specialities. Moreover, in the garden, there are these lovely garden houses, where you can have a coffee. Alongside the garden houses, there are cages with animals, like bears.

Although Sofra e Ariut is close to the city centre of Tirana, maybe only 15-20 minutes by taxi. It feels like getting away from the city and immersing yourself in nature.

There may be many restaurants in Tirana, which serve the local specialities. It is only Sofra e Ariut, who can offer you a complete date with a lovely dinner, walk in the garden and a great outdoor spot for coffee after dinner. So definitely, add this romantic spot to your shortlist of places to visit in Tirana.

10. Bovilla Lake

Lake Bovilla is a gorgeous spot in nature, close to the capital city Tirana.

From Tirana, it takes approximately 45 minutes to drive to Lake Bovilla. Lake Bovilla is a freshwater lake. The lake itself is actually an artificial lake, that was created by a dam. The water of the lake is drinking water used for the capital city.

When you arrive at Lake Bovilla, you see the beautiful lake surrounded by gigantic mountains. There is a zigzagging road that leads up to the mountain balcony.

On the mountain balcony, there is a beautiful restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy the gorgeous views. Lake Bovilla is completely surrounded by massive mountains. It is all wild and undisturbed nature.

You and your partner can enjoy a fantastic lunch with a stunning view. The lunch served at the restaurant is traditional Albanian food. Albanian food is a fantastic combination of Greek cuisine, Turkish cuisine and Italian influence. You can have fantastic grilled meats, like lamb or goat. And there are lovely fresh Greek salads and roasted vegetables.

I do recommend you hire a 4 x 4 car if you want to drive to Lake Bovilla independently. Because the road to Lake Bovilla is a dirt track with big stones. Or you can simply book a tour for a relaxing day trip with your partner.

11. Aqua Park Albania Blue Magic Water

Aqua Park Blue Magic Water is actually a hidden gem. It is a fantastic water park about 30 minutes from the city centre of Tirana. The aqua park is located right next to the city park shopping mall.

The Aqua Park is a lovely place to relax together with your partner. The park has lovely parasols and sunbathers. In the centre of the park, there is a large pool with a lazy river. And there is a great variety of slides.

Not many locals and tourists know about this hidden water park. So compared to other water parks in Europe, it is usually very quiet!

The reason for this is that the water park is next to the City Park shopping mall, which is not a very popular mall. The mall is a bit expensive for the local people and further away from the city centre than other more affordable malls. Therefore, people do not know the water park exists.

Therefore, I really do recommend you visit the water park. Because you will have the water park to yourself! The aqua park is clean, serves great food and drinks and has lovely facilities. Go here to get away from the city and relax together with your partner!

12. Sky Restaurant and panoramic bar

In the centre of Tirana, you can visit the Sky Tower, which has a rotating bar on the top.

The Sky Restaurant and bar are located on the top of the gigantic Sky Tower. The Sky Tower is one of the few skyscrapers in Tirana and therefore, one of the best spots to enjoy an excellent view.

The restaurant and bar on the top of the Sky tower rotate 360 degrees. So you will be able to enjoy your drink or food and literally get a panoramic view of the city.

The restaurant is modern and it has excellent service personnel. So you can be sure that you are in good hands during your romantic getaway.

The restaurant serves some lovely Albanian food. Albanian food is lovely Mediterranean style food, so think fresh salads, grilled meats, amazing pizza and great wines! Without a doubt, the Sky Restaurant is one of the best options for a romantic dinner in the capital city of Albania!

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