Tirana & Mount Dajti — City & Summit

09:00 Hotel pick-up in central Tirana. Begin at Skanderbeg Square — your guide will explain the extraordinary story of Albania's national hero who held off the Ottoman Empire for 25 years, and why his double-headed eagle still flies on every Albanian flag. Walk to the Et'hem Bey Mosque (built 1791–1823), one of the finest Ottoman mosques in the Balkans, which famously stayed open throughout the atheist dictatorship. Cross to the National History Museum — the entire façade is a giant socialist-realist mosaic, 24 metres wide, one of the most striking pieces of public art in Europe. 10:30 Stroll through Blloku — the neighbourhood the Communist Party kept sealed to ordinary Albanians for 45 years. Now it's all cafés, concept stores, and street art. Your guide points out the former residences of Enver Hoxha and other party leaders. 11:30 New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri): a beautiful covered market rebuilt in 2016, where you'll find gjizë cheese (Albania's answer to feta), wild mountain honey, sun-dried figs, fresh byrek from the oven, and strong Albanian coffee. Taste as you walk. 12:30 Drive to the Dajti Ekspres cable car station (15 min). Board the gondola — the 4.5 km ride takes 15 minutes and rises through dense forest before emerging at the mountain station at 1,613 metres. The views over the Tirana basin are extraordinary, and on clear days you can see the Adriatic coast 30 km to the west. 13:00 Lunch at the Dajti summit restaurant — a forest terrace with mountain views. Grilled meats, Albanian salads, and raki if you're so inclined. 14:30 Free time at the summit: walk the forest trails, visit the small petting zoo, or simply sit and watch paragliders launch from the ridge. 16:00 Cable car descent. Return to your hotel by 16:30. The rest of the day is yours — you've earned Blloku drinks tonight.