Common Albania nightlife issues for tourists (And how to fix them!)

Searching for a destination

The issue : Tirana has hundreds of bars, speakeasiesies, underground bars & clubs as well as lounges and outside areas. You can easily spend half your night checking out different spots and comparing each place before settling in one location and the issue gets multiplied when searching for multiple places.

Solution : Search for places you want to visit before the night and plan a little route (Like a pubcrawl!) create a starting point for the night (for pre drinks) and then a few places you enjoy such as karaoke bars, cocktail lounges or maybe a unique spot like komiteti bar and then end the night in a rooftop bar or find a club to dance until the late morning!

Overpaying for drinks and entry

The issue : There are some bars that can overcharge tourists for example by having a english or tourist menu or a “New” menu once they identify you as a tourist. It can also be easy to go to more expensive venues and not realise at first.

Solution : Go to trusted venues that you preselect before the night, check google and tripadvisor reviews and watch or listen for staff swapping out menus or price discrepancies between what you are paying and the other guests.

Language barriers

The issue : While a lot of locals will speak English or at least some English it is not always enough for smooth communication especially once you are inside a busy bar or noisy club so it can be easier to misunderstand or create confusion when ordering or asking for advice.

Solution : Speak clearly and loudly especially in noisy clubs, double check if the person you are talking to heard you correctly and in emergencies you can always use google translate to fix any problems. You can also find some friendly Albanians to drink with and this will help smooth any issues you might face or join a pubcrawl to be with English speaking party guides.

Feeling unsafe

The issue : Albania is generally extremely safe however there is sometimes a misunderstanding about the country or the Albanian people. You might hear some negative stories or just experiencing a new city and culture and feel nervous or unsure and this is quite common. Some of the common worries tourists have include pickpocketing, getting lost in a new city, taxi scams at night and getting too drunk.

Solution : Make sure you have phones charged and 3G to navigate the city. Have your address saved so you can easily access it, stick with friends and your group and ensure no one leaves alone. You can also check out some highly trusted taxi companies like bluetaxi or beetaxi that you can phone and ensure you are getting home safely. Avoid getting too drunk in an unfamiliar situation and using common sense avoids 99% of issues here in Tirana.

Being rejected from clubs

The issue : This is very common in Tirana especially if you are a group of guys, not following dresscodes, very drunk or a range of other issues. Reservations are also a lot more common in Albania and the need to have a mix of girls & guys with your group.

Solution : You can check around online and phone clubs or use their online website to make reservations, check google reviews for the situation and going when the clubs are less busy can make it easier to get inside however the biggest recommendation for this one is to go with a pub crawl as they already arrange everything beforehand and make your night hassle free.

Not experiencing the true albanian nightlife

The issue : This issue complies with a lot of common issues in Tirana nightlife especially for tourists. It's very easy to get stuck in tourist only spots which could be tourist traps (Or just not as good as local venues), you avoid seeing the true Albanian nightlife as well as avoid learning about the albanian culture & people as well (Maybe the most important) how to drink the traditional albanian drink Rakia!

Conclusion

All in all, Tirana nightlife is a hidden gem of an experience and while there are some issues you may have to navigate as a tourist with some common sense and planning in advance you can usually get away with having a great night, meeting some great people and indulging in the Albanian nightlife while remaining completely safe. If you are still unsure about some of the issues you might face we have created our TiranaSZN pubcrawl with these problems in mind, you are lead by english speaking guides who know the city well and know how to avoid these problems while making sure everyone is having the best night while (Most importantly) remaining safe. You can book here for a stress free night.