NYT: Tirana, next accessible European paradise

The small Balkan country is wet from the Adriatic seas and Ion, near the Italian heel and 45 minutes away by ferry from the Greek island of Corfu. Recently, luxury beach resorts have been built on it, and while the coastal cities of Saranda and Vlora have become very comfortable, so the country's Tirana capital, some 35.4 kilometers farther inland with a population of over half a million people, this city is developing as a cosmopolitan centre, with restaurants, shops and new galleries blending with almost surrealistic policy people from the city's past.

To see a hit example of how time periods crash in Tirana, it is enough to visit” Square Skenderbej”, recently renovated with new fountains and a layer of pink granite, the minaret mosque dating back to the X century V III, the Albanian Orthodox church with domes opened in 2012, a complex of government buildings echoing the fascist architecture of Italy of Mussolini and a monoliite building where the National Historical Museum is located.

Originally inhabited by the Illyrian and Greek tribes during the ancient period, Albania remained under the invasion of the Ottoman Empire for over four centuries. After 1912, it became a fascist monarch, and then, after World War II, a Communist state led by the infamous dictator Enver Hoxha.

In 1991, the first democratic elections were held in the country, as well as the beginnings of a cultural revival were marked. Tirana may not have a consolidated stage, but has a marked iconic advantage -- the Pyramid, a large monument of Hoxha in the centre of the city -- is now the preferred place for the passions of wheelchairs, ♫ and a preferred destination for immigrants.

“has so much potential,” says Flori Uka, a wine producer who learned his trade in northeastern Italy and is now specialising in wines made from organic grapes” Calmet” that are cultivated outside the city. “We have been isolated for so long, but today it is possible for creative people to do what they want. The country is very open to youth”

“Plaza”

Opened in 2016, this luxury hotel was placed on a 24-story skyscraper with a geometric glass facade of zigzag and a terrace. Positioned east of” Square Skenderbej”, the building shares a horizon with Tirana's famous clock tower, built by 19th century poet Ethem Bey Molaj, and since its completion in 2016, a reference point has been made.

Inside, 190 rooms have floors with oak parks and grey-combat walls that create a pleasant, untidy environment. Guests may rest in the spa, which has a room covered with Himalayan salt, thought to improve breathing, or one of the three restaurants, the Panevno, serves fantastic pasta.

This hotel, which operates in part with solar energy, is a short walk distance from the Block, which was once a residential neighbourhood that was allowed only for high levels of Hoxha regime, while today it is filled with loud bars and restaurants. (Don't forget to try the milky drink with the curlumbra beans at” Colonial cafe”, which the Albanian bartender prepares. He moved back to his country after three years in Brooklyn.) 23 hotel rooms were designed by a studio in the Mian minimalistic style, with white walls and linen cloths, transparent beige curtains and car”Nepresso”. The hotel is also located near the city's Great Park, which has four miles [4 km] of running and walking routes.

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Three and a half years ago, after leaving “Le Gavroche” in London and “Noma” in Copenhagen, Bledar Kola returned to his country of origin, Albania, and two friends opened “Mulixhiu”, located at the bottom of the Great Lake Park. Traditional cooking is done in older methods, in parallel, by experimenting with combinations of fragrances made of bean sauce. Depending on the season, you may try Yufka with fungi, dove baked in clay, or anginary salad from Jerusalem, pickle apple, and goat tongue.

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To eat a pie (five full of straw), go to the square”Avni Rutemi”, where the city's main market is located. Then, if you still want to have a full meal, go back to the corner of”Oda”, a family restaurant set up in an Ottoman-era building that had once been a private home. Her two odas are rich in decorations. Handmade carpets are hanging over walls, as well as a room contains a pitch, a small round table, which is perfect for a large group seeking to taste the classic Albanian dishes as peppers filled with cheese, kucuech, and raki mania.

A Mar, a punk

Because residents of the area are fascinated by the names of imported brands that were not accessible during the communist era, few countries carry handmade Albanian products such as ceramic products and embroidered clothing. This store that expresses two different stories is an obvious exception and has become a gathering point for the city's new art and design. Products are in constant evolution, but you can always find handmade jewelry, soap and cream made of plants from Albania and olive oil, as well as old army beans that have been turned into tables.

Uka Farm

Albania's former Agriculture Minister Rexhep Uka raised this farm in Tirana's suburbs covered by leaves as an example of sustainable agriculture in 1996, when the country was still in transition from the period of mass co-operatives. In 2005, it planted unique grapes and began producing several types of grapes produced by organic grapes. Besides” Uka's son Flori is delighted to show visitors the fields and cellars before embarking on a journey to enjoy wine combined with roasted lamb. The reserve is mandatory.

National Gallery of Arts

In addition to the temporary exhibitions, this summer was marked by a retrospective of works by Albania's Cole Idromenno, which in 1883 painted “Our” known as “Mona Lisa”. This museum, which was established in 1960 in a modernist building surrounded by a line of palm trees, also has a large collection of grim and thrilling works of Socialist Realism, featuring miners with spectacles and muscular factory workers. For more culture, go to Bunk Art, an underground complex that was originally built as an atomic bunker for Hoxha, with an assembly hall that has a fantastic sound and is now used as an environment for jazz and classical concerts.

Durres Amphitheatre

Along with the communist-era relics, Albania is also home to many ruins, from Butrint's archaeological park to the Greek colony of Apollonia. The port city of Durres, which was founded 2600 years ago by the Corinthasis, has the advantage that it is near the capital. Tirana residents often come here to swim and eat seafood. Try the restaurant “Lake Fish”, but not before you walked through ancient baths or amphitheater with 20,000 semi-discovered locations that were built during the period of Roman Emperor Adrian in the second century AD. A few years ago, the Albanian government decided on the destruction of several modern houses that were erected on the amphitheater stone ring. /Attish/