Balkan Experience - Greece & Albania - In Tirana, Albania - 5 Sep 2026

With just this day to go before I start my return journey to India, I had to check out the best way to get to the bus stop for the airport shuttle operated by Luna, the same one I had taken while coming from the airport on 2nd. From the apartment I reached the bus stop in about ten minutes and I cross checked with one of the drivers there that the service operated every hour on the hour, 24x7.

My flight from Tirana is at 6.50 am the next day. To be there at least by 4 am, I have to take the 3 am bus. That would mean leaving the apartment after 2.30 am. That matter settled, I took to the road for a few more places I wanted to visit this day. In fact, all of them were within the Grand Park of Tirana.

The Lana River runs along like a channel within the city of Tirana. Frankly, I have been mighty disappointed that the water system seemed to be in an alarming environmental state. It looked polluted and walking beside it I had to pinch my nose to stay away from the smell arising from it.

I later learnt that the local residents have been complaining about the stench and the pollution. Besides, these waters irritate the vegetables and fruits consumed by the citizens. An alarming situation, indeed!

A leisurely 2 km walk brought me to teg edge of the Grand Park of Tirana, a sprawling 289-hectare public green space built around a scenic artificial lake. The Grand Park features an artificial lake with popular walking and jogging works that loop around the water, nearly 33,000 trees, shrubs, and plants, plus an adjacent botanical garden and zoo. The park also has many historical landmarks.

The National Holocaust Memorial consists of three large stone tablets inscribed with historical descriptions. The three inscription stones are written in Albanian, English, and Hebrew. While the monument honours the victims of the Holocaust, I felt, that it is more a thanksgiving to the unique role played by the Albanian people during WWII.

Guided by "Besa" - the traditional code of honour and hospitality - Albanian citizens, Muslims and Christians alike, hid and protected Jewish refugees, resulting in Albania being the only occupied European country to end the war with a larger Jewish population than it had at the beginning. This had been the case in many places of the Middle East too, where Muslims protected the Jews during the pogroms. Today, they play the victim card and inflict untold misery to the very same communities that protected and safeguarded them while being hunted. How ironic such monuments are when seen in today's context.

Not far from the Holocaust Memorial is the German War Cemetery. The central granite block that represents a central memorial altar is flanked by vertical granite stone slabs with the names of over 2400 German soldiers engraved on them. They had lost their lives in Albania during WWII.

A few paces from there is a historical memorial stone that marks the original site of the National Martyrs' Cemetery. The inscription on the memorial stone mentions that the place was the cemetery of the martyrs between 1945 and 1972. The graves were relocated in 1972 to provide for an elaborate Mother of Albania monument. However, the marker here serves to remind visitors of the historical significance of the location.

To the right of this rock memorial is the Monumental Tomb of the Frashëri Brothers. The memorial features the bronze busts and graves of three of Albania's most revered 19th-century intellectual and political leaders. The three brothers, Abdyl, Naim and Sami were key figures of the Albanian National Awakening that helped to lay the cultural and political foundation for Albania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The Commonwealth War Graves is a memorial honouring 48 identified casualties from WWII. The red marble obelisk in the centre contains a plaque honouring the servicemen whose bodies were never found or whose graves could not be marked, stating: "Their glory shall not be blotted out.". The small green plaque attached to the metal fence on the right is the official Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) sign used globally to indicate that a cemetery contains protected service graves.

Another notable monument in the Grand Park is the DEBATIK Monument, a historical stone obelisk commemorating the founding of DEBATIK - The United Boys Members of the Anti-Fascist Communist Fans. Formed on February 10, 1942, it was a clandestine, illegal anti-fascist youth organization composed of children and teenagers who actively resisted the Axis occupation of Albania during World War II. The group's history later inspired a highly celebrated 1954 Albanian film also titled Debatik.

The highlight of the Grand Park is Liqeni Artificial i Tiranës - the artificial lake of Tirana. The irregularly shaped water body covers nearly 55 hectares. Surrounding the lake are well-maintained walking, jogging, and cycling paths that encourage outdoor activities, providing panoramic vistas of water and greenery.

Being a holiday, the lake area and the park, in general, had become busy. There are extensive green spaces for picnics and get-togethers, recreational facilities, cafes, restaurants and a botanical garden. The role played by these features to improve environmental quality cannot be over stressed.

I was much impressed by the acoustics of the 1300-seater, outdoor stadium style Tirana Amphitheatre. The decades old amphitheatre underwent a massive facelift in 2018. It now serves as a major public cultural hub hosting open-air concerts, theatre plays, festivals, and cinematic screenings. The venue is officially named "Teatri Mirush Kabashi", in honour of the legendary Albanian theatre and cinema actor, Mirush Kabashi.

I came across a freestanding cast iron garden fountain near the amphitheatre, Victorian in style, where I quenched my thirst and splashed some cold water on the face and nape of my neck before starting the two plus kilometre walk back to the accommodation.

Along the way I saw the Woodrow Wilson Statue, a bronze monument located in the Wilson Square. The Albanians have much to thank the 28th President of the United States for. President Wilson vetoed the plan to balkanise Albania at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference that followed WWI. The monument was erected to revere and honour the President who defended Albania's independence and helped preserve its territorial borders.

Another interesting memorial I came across on the walk back is the communist-era stone marker with an inscription. It is a historical site where the Nushi family harboured communist partisans and coordinated resistance activities during WWII.

The heat was overbearing and I was happy to be back in the cozy confines of the apartment. It was time for web check-in for the flight to Athens and packing for the early morning departure.