Nightlife · 7 of the best in Tirana
Blloku after dark
Where Tirana goes out
About Blloku after dark
Blloku, “the Block”, was closed to ordinary citizens until 1991, reserved for the country’s leadership. Today its grid of streets around Rruga Pjetër Bogdani and Ismail Qemali is packed with bars, lounges, restaurants and clubs, and it is the undisputed centre of Tirana’s nightlife. Evenings start late with a coffee or a cocktail; on weekends the streets stay busy well after midnight, and clubs fill up from about one. Dress smart casual, keep an eye on your belongings, and take a licensed taxi home.
The forbidden quarter
Ish-Blloku, “the former Block”, is a grid of streets in south-west central Tirana. After the Second World War, factories here were cleared for an enclosed, guarded complex of villas and apartments for members of the Politburo and their families. Ordinary citizens were not allowed in, and on most maps the area was unmarked. Enver Hoxha’s own villa still stands on Rruga Ismail Qemali.
From secret to social
When the quarter opened in 1991, it changed fast. Villas became bars, gardens became terraces, and new apartment blocks filled the gaps. Today Blloku is the city’s busiest area for cafés, restaurants, boutiques, lounges and clubs, sometimes called the playground of the young Albanian elite. In summer, some of its bars even move to the Riviera.
For forty years ordinary Albanians could not walk these streets. Now they are where the whole city comes to go out.
How a night goes
Evenings start late. Albanians meet for a coffee or an aperitif around eight, eat around nine or ten, and move to the bars afterwards; clubs fill from about one. The busiest streets are Rruga Pjetër Bogdani and Rruga Ismail Qemali, with Radio Bar, Nouvelle Vague, Kino and dozens of others within a few minutes’ walk.
Our advice: start with a drink at Radio Bar or Komiteti, eat in Blloku, then follow the crowd; dress smart casual, keep an eye on your phone and take a licensed taxi home.
Why it's on our list
- Bars, lounges and clubs
- Busy until late
- Weekends are busiest
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Blloku after dark before you go.
Plan your visit
- Where Around Rruga Pjetër Bogdani and Ismail Qemali
- When From 8 pm; clubs from 1 am
- Dress Smart casual
- Getting home Licensed taxi or Speed Taxi app
What’s nearby
Distances from Blloku after dark are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Rruga Vaso Pasha100 m1 min walk
- Taxi rank, Rruga Vaso Pasha100 m1 min walk
Key sights
- Postbllok – Checkpoint250 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- The Pyramid of Tirana450 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 4 min
- House of Leaves650 mWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Bunk’Art 2750 mWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Skanderbeg Square800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Tirana Castle800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Et’hem Bey Mosque850 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Clock Tower of Tirana850 mWalk 11 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- National Historical Museum1.0 kmWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri)1.3 kmWalk 16 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 7 min
Getting around
- Tirana International Airport (TIA)13 kmCar or taxi 43 min