Armed with knowledge of Albania’s heritage, one riddled with death, tyranny, and espionage, it perhaps becomes clearer why Tirana is now so convivial, its people so joyous: They are finally living lives of freedom and creativity, inspired and buoyed by the very nations they were forbidden from interacting with for decades. Tirana is not yet a tourist haven, undoubtedly part of its charm, but vacationers are seeing the potential in spending time here. The Central and Eastern European tour specialists JayWay Travel added Albania to its roster of locales last year, and CEO and founder Jay Ternavan says he understands why Tirana is increasingly resonating with visitors. “With all the talk of over-tourism it’s refreshing to go to a capital city and be the only person walking around with a camera slung around his neck,” he says. “It has an energy that surprises people. It’s a young city in a country that’s seen some tough times, but the warm welcomes make you feel optimistic for their future.”

The Skanderbeg Square in Tirana Photo: Alamy

A day organized by JayWay is defined by Gëzim, a savvy guide from Tours Albania, who confidently explains the intricacies of his home city over an espresso at the rotating Sky Club bar, pointing to the panorama of Tirana below. He punctuates a string of visits to landmarks with lunch at the kitschy, homey King House, a restaurant he worked at as a teenager, where waiters rove with trays holding oversize pizzas and large, aromatic platters of grilled meat in equal measure. He suggests going for a drink of raki, Albanian fruit brandy, at Komiteti, where the brick, lace, and walls are graced with plates, contributing to the old-fashioned atmosphere.

Food and drink are vital social elements of Tirana culture. One of the city’s finest restaurants is Mullixhiu, adjacent to the Grand Park of Tirana, home to a tranquil artificial lake. A cozy, modern farmhouse covered in wood, Mullixhiu espouses a slow-food mentality, with chef Bledar Kola, who worked in London and at Copenhagen’s fabled Noma, pairing from-scratch sausage with polenta and cloaking ribbons of tagliatelle-like jufka noodles in Balkan Mishavine cheese. Tirana is the essence of Albania, says Kola, a “vibrant city full of energy and hope. It is also becoming, more and more every day, a gastronomic destination,” he adds, pointing to the country’s diverse climate and landscape, which allow him to experiment with ingredients like Albanian saffron, wild leaves, and mulberry. “Access to fresh and organic products is not a luxury for us,” he says. “We can have wild fish direct from the sea or mushrooms from the mountains within hours.”