Cyclops’ Eye

First protected in the 1960s, Dajti National Park now covers more than 28,000 hectares east of Tirana, where Mount Dajti rises to 1,613 m. Oak and beech woods shelter wolves, wild boar and brown bears, and the 4.7 km Dajti Ekspres cable car climbs from the city’s edge to the plateau.

Set inside the Parku i Madh (Grand Park), Tirana’s Artificial Lake was created in the 1950s for flood control and covers 55 hectares. Its lakeside paths are busy with walkers, runners and cyclists, with cafés and sports areas along the way.

The Grand Park of Tirana wraps around the Artificial Lake, formed in 1955 behind a 400 m dike built by volunteer labour. More than 120 species of trees, shrubs and flowers grow here, and paths lead to St Procopius Church and the mausoleum of the Albanian royal family, built in 2012.

Bovilla Lake (Liqeni i Bovillës) is a reservoir held back by a 91 m dam on the Tërkuzë river, and since 1998 it has been the main source of Tirana’s drinking water. The cliffs and canyon around it draw hikers and climbers, but it is not a place for swimming.

Laid out in 1950, Parku “Rinia” (Youth Park) is a green space beside Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, a short walk south of Skanderbeg Square. Its lawns, trees and cafés make it a common meeting point, and the monument to 100 years of independence stands inside.

Tirana’s public zoo, finished in 1966 and rebuilt in 2022, lies in the south of Tirana between the Grand Park and the Botanical Garden. Its residents range from wolves, foxes and eagles to swans and ducks on the ponds, with a pavilion for smaller birds.