Foreign tourists are flooding in this summer. Many want to see where famous Albanian writer Ismail Kadare lived and worked. French visitors lead the group. They often know his books well. Visiting his home brings his stories to life. They also want to understand more than just his books. They are curious about his life under the communist regime and how a free mind survives in an isolated land.

For literature lovers, the Ismail Kadare house museum and Dritëro Agolli’s home in Tirana offer a profound, intimate glimpse into the authors’ creative worlds. Preserved original artifacts and authentic room layouts make these spaces deeply engaging. Rising tourist interest has secured their place on city itineraries, with multilingual audio guides launching soon to enhance the visitor experience.

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Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja said that this initiative opens doors to our cultural heritage, sparking passion for the nation’s art and history.

This Sunday, there should not be missed the exhibition “Zofia Rydet: Sociological Register” at the “Marubi” National Museum of Photography, curated by Clare Grafik and Karl Hordzie.

The project carries the visual universe of Polish photographer Zofia Rydet, including a rare selection of photographs from Albania in the 1960s.

According to Minister Gonxhja, the free admission is an opportunity for all citizens to get closer to art and culture, making cultural heritage more tangible and sensitive for the general public.

All Sunday, visitors can also enjoy free access to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions at participating museums and archaeological parks. /p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today in the social media images of Shkodra’s museums and archaeological sites which are seeing a, promising trend, with high youth attendance captivating visitors of all ages.

According to data published by Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja, Shkodra Archaeological Park, driven by popularity at Rozafa Castle, ranks as the nation’s second most visited site this year, drawing over 3,475 domestic and foreign tourists.

Over 20,000 visitors toured Albanian cultural sites in January, highlighting robust interest in history and heritage beyond the traditional tourist season.

National museums have registered 11,315 visitors early this year, while archaeological parks and cultural fortresses have attracted thousands more. /e.i/a.f/p.s./

This new service aims to facilitate the ticket purchasing process, offering a safe and fast way to visit the country’s most popular cultural destinations.

Through this service, visitors can purchase their tickets for: the museums of Kruja, Berat and Shkodra; Shkodra and Gjirokastra fortresses and Apollonia Archaeological Park.

This step is part of the government’s initiatives to digitize public services and promote cultural tourism in Albania.

Through e-Albania, every visitor can obtain their ticket online, with just a few clicks, easier way to have a taste of the country’s rich history and culture. /e.xh/j.p/p.s./

According to figures published by the Kruja Historical and Ethnographic Museum, the “Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg” Historical Museum alone has attracted about 120 thousand visitors, remaining one of the most visited destinations in the country.

While the Ethnographic Museum has been visited by about 20 thousand visitors, maintaining great interest in cultural heritage.

“This number confirms Kruja as one of the most important tourist and historical points in Albania”, is read in a report of Kruja Historical and Ethnographic Museum.

Kruja remains a symbol of national pride, and its museums are attracting an increasingly large number of visitors from the country and the world, contributing through tourism to the development of the local economy.

Kruja’s characteristic bazaar with its narrow cobblestone streets, where traditional handicrafts are offered, is one of the favorites of tourists. But, the tourists do not leave Kruja without visiting the National Museum “Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg” and the Kruja Ethnographic Museum. /k.s/r.e/p.s./

The museums complex and the traditional Bazaar attracted more than 190 000 visitors during 2024, marking an increase of over 60% on the year, the Director of the History and Ethnographic Museum Mehdi Hafizi told Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) on Friday.

“As many as 900 local and foreign sightseers visited the museum centre in Kruja on the last Sunday of December 2024 alone,” Hafizi added.

The Skanderbeg History Museum, which remains one of the most popular attractions together with the Old Bazaar in the historic town, attracted a large influx of both local and foreign tourists during year-end holidays, with visitors coming mainly from Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and Spain.

Kruja Castle has proudly stood on top of a rocky cliff, high above its city, for the last fifteen centuries, witnessing the long turbulent history of this place, which was once the centre of Arbëria (Albania’s ancient name). The Castle is situated at an altitude of 557m above sea level and it houses the Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg National Museum, one of the most visited attractions in Albania today. Built in the early 1980s, crowning the castle walls, this recognisable museum structure has become an icon of this city’s skyline. The museum was constructed as tower type dwelling, mostly built in the north of Albania, as a venue and memorial for the most important and popular figure in Albanian history.

Inside, the exhibits reveal insights into Skanderbeg’s life, his historical victories and achievements, as well as copies of Skanderbeg’s weapons: his recognizable helmet crowned with a goat’s head, and his sword.

Kruja is a charming medieval town, beautifully situated among mountainous peaks and the green valley stretching all the way down to the Adriatic coast.

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“Tirana Municipality has already purchased the Sarajet building to transform it into a museum, as the house is a genuine monument of culture. The other house we plan to turn into a museum site is the main building at the Republican Guard quarters. We are seeking to build a local heritage museum there too. Next year, as Tirana becomes the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue, we will invest in two museums,” Veliaj said.

Tirana Mayor brushed aside accusations over demolition of the former National Theatre Building, saying the new theatre complex is set to be built stronger, better and the largest in the next 100 years,” he said.

Veliaj also invited Tirana students to join a range of cultural events scheduled to  celebrate Tirana’s nomination as Mediterranean Capital of Culture next year. He also noted that around 11 million tourists have visited Tirana as the city is increasingly becoming a popular destination for foreign visitors.

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Gonxhja said via a post on the social media on Sunday that more than 12000 local and foreign tourists visited the country’s national museums on the International Museum Day on Saturday alone.

The Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation posted photo images of the museums, where a series of cultural and artistic events took place to mark the International Museum Day.

“An incredible day full of activities, unique exhibitions, workshops, and magical nights with carefully curated artistic programs in collaboration with local government authorities, with the number of visitors to the museums estimated at over 12 000 yesterday alone, three times higher than on a normal day,” Gonxhja said.

Admission to all museums will be free on the last Sunday of each month, aiming to further promote cultural engagement and exploration.

The surge in museum visits and tourist arrivals reflects Albania’s rich cultural heritage and its increasing popularity as a cultural destination.

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The Directorate of Tourism, Cultural Heritage and Sports in the municipality of Gjirokastra told ATA that, “During January-May period, these museums were visited by 7107 local and foreign visitors”.

“In May, the Ethnographic Museum had 1,128 visitors, the “Kadare” museum 676, the “Tunnel” 350 and the museum in “Citadel” was visited by 1,408 visitors,” said the Directorate of Tourism, Heritage and Sports in the municipality of Gjirokastra.

The investments made in the Ethnographic Museum and “Kadare” for their revival have made them offer the proper standards for local and foreign visitors.

In addition to tourist values, the museums in the stone city are also centers of care and promotion for the values of historical and cultural heritage. The Museum of Weapons, Ethnography, etc., have already become well-known brands for museums not only at the national level, but also internationally.

As a museum city with rich cultural heritage, Gjirokastra is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is visited by a high number of local and foreign visitors every year./k.s/p.s./

The head of the National Centre of Museums in Berat, Agron Polovina told Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) on Sunday that around 8000 local and international tourists, almost twice as much compared to the same period of the previous year, visited the Iconography Onufri Museum since beginning of 2023.

“Around 1000 visitors, mainly Spanish, Germans, French and Slovenians, visited the site in the first days of May alone,” Polovin said.

Foreign tourists make up the largest share of the number of visitors to Berat’s museums and cultural heritage sites as history monuments and the cultural heritage sites are becoming top tourist destinations in Albania.

Berat, the museum city in south-central Albania also known as the city of one above another windows because of the with tiered houses on the slopes that are predominantly horizontal in layout, remains an important tourist destination that attracts local visitors and international tourists from all over the world interested in history, ancient and medieval architecture.

Berat, located in south-central Albania, around 70 km from Tirana,  is one of the most beautiful towns in Albania and the Balkan Peninsula. Included on UNESCO’s world heritage list, Berat is the best well-preserved Ottoman-era city in Eastern Europe.

The city bears witness to the coexistence of various religious and cultural communities down the centuries. It features a castle, locally known as the Kala, most of which was built in the 13th century, although its origins date back to the 4th century BC. The citadel area numbers many Byzantine churches, mainly from the 13th century, as well as several mosques built under the Ottoman era which began in 1417.

Some of the most visited sites in Berat are the Berat Castle, the Ethnographic Musum, the Iconography Onufri Museum, Mangalem and Gorice neighbourhoods, the Halveti Tekke etc.

Berat also boasts Mount Tomorr, a site of pilgrimage for Bektashi believers that is also becoming popular for religious tourism.

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