The ancient Ottoman quarters are the definition of dense, people-centered neighborhoods. During the Hoxha regime (1944–1985), private cars were not available to the general public – people had to walk, cycle or take the bus and there were only a few thousand cars in the entire country until 1990. After the collapse of the communist regime, car ownership rose quickly. This led to an increase of car usage and put the other modes, public transportation, cycling and walking under pressure. From 57,000 cars in 1993, the number rose to more than 450,000 in 2020. This has led to several negative consequences, such as traffic jams, air pollution, encroachment of pedestrian space by parked cars and increased safety and comfort concerns.
You can explore Tirana by foot, by bike or by urban buses.
GIZ Albania has created a pdf guide with walking tours, bike tours and bus tours to visit the main city attractions and outside Tirana.
