Day trip · 40 minutes from Tirana
The Roman amphitheatre, the Archaeological Museum and the seafront of Albania’s great port city.
Albania feature
A Roman amphitheatre among the houses, and the sea 40 minutes from Tirana.
See the amphitheatre and the museum, walk the seafront and have lunch by the sea.
Read the full back story below, then plan your trip.
The back story
Albania’s great port city, founded by Greeks as Epidamnos, with one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans hidden among its houses, and long beaches 40 minutes from Tirana.
2nd century AD
One of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans, with a Byzantine chapel inside.
AmfiteatriExplore View on map
Epidamnos and Dyrrachium
Finds from ancient Durrës, on the seafront.
Rruga TaulantiaExplore View on map
Tirana’s nearest beach
The seafront promenade, the Venetian Tower and the beaches south of the city.
Shëtitorja TaulantiaExplore View on map
Walls from the 5th century
The round Venetian Tower and the late 5th-century walls of Durrës’s fortified old city, by the port.
Kulla VenecianeExplore View on map
Built in 1502
The oldest mosque in Durrës, completed in 1502, the year after the Ottoman conquest of the city.
Skanderbeg’s sea fortress
A rocky cape north of Durrës with the ruins of a castle built by Skanderbeg in 1463 and the church of St Anthony.
About 40 minutes from Tirana
Frequent buses run between Tirana and Durrës; a bus also links Durrës with the airport.
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