There’s no shortage of lively bars and lounges to indulge in Tirana. Not to mention, tons of hidden gems.

For a rising capital, Tirana is bursting with new cocktail bars and shisha lounges. Just as most of the trendy restaurants are in Blloku, it’s also the same neighborhood where vivacious cocktails are waiting to be unveiled. Specifically, head over to Rruga Mustafa Matohiti since it’s a popular street for drinks.

A number of bars are cafés during the day then transform to lounges at night, meanwhile some of these institutions serve food, especially sushi. Below is a list of recommendations from my friend Roanna as well as my own research prior to the trip. Hope you have a tasty time sampling various drinks and immersing yourself in the local nightlife culture.

Spanning over two floors that emanate different moods; Sense is a shisha lounge, restaurant and a lively bar. Right in the heartbeat of the city, Sense was built in the former villa of King Zog, thus accentuates an authentic historical elegance within the establishment. Its fusion menu is similar to most swanky hotspots in Tirana: an integration of Japanese and European. The shisha selection is comprehensive with a wide variety of aromatic flavors.

NAGA Lounge is a beloved hangout spot among locals since it offers inventive cocktails and exudes a unique tribal ambiance through plush pillows, carved wood walls paired with subdued interior lighting. Feeling hungry? NAGA also serves global dishes that blend flavors from France, Japan and Italy. Creative concoctions that you must try is “The Crown,” (Jasmine, whiskey, fresh lemon, angostura, caramel.)

Around the corner from NAGA is MUMA – another prominent bistro bar frequented by Albanians in-the-know. Open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., the restaurant menu spans from American and French breakfast favorites to fancy sushi rolls fitting for a trendy night out. For drinks, MUMA carries a range of German and Irish beers as well as worldly wines.

As the first cocktail bar in Tirana, Colonial Cocktail Academy impressively works with 600-1000 bottles of liquor. Check out the digital drink menu here, you’ll see pages of a newspaper that lists delectable cocktails including: Sweet Dreams (vodka, lime cordial, orange liquor, ginger ale, fresh strawberry petals,) Margharita Calabrese (white tequila, mango, orange liquor, red pepper, fresh lemon juice,) Rose de Colonial (rose petals, vodka or whiskey, rose syrup, secret ingredient) … just to name a few. There are two major areas in the bar: the interior is adorned with Buddhist statues and Asian-inspired decorations, while the airy exterior makes a charming terrace utterly romantic. Though the bar is more fun and vibrant at night, it’s also open during the day for an afternoon drink or a cup of coffee while working on the laptop.

For the best view of the city from above, head over to the Sky Hotel’s rooftop bar: Sky Tower Bar. The bar is also a fine-dining restaurant, the interior space isn’t shy to boast retro, but you should head over and have a glass of bubbly at any time during the day to admire the panoramic view of a rising city.

If rooftop bars are up your alley, then try another great spot: Observator Wine and Piano Bar. From the 13th floor and a dome-shaped rooftop that resembles the city’s iconic bunkers, here’s a captivating place to appreciate a 360-degree view of Tirana. Located NOT in Blloku but in the northern part of the city, the breathtaking view is vastly different from the Sky Tower. Since the bar is open throughout the day, we highly recommend catching the sunset from here.

As mentioned in a previously published article, “13 of the Best Restaurants You’ve Gotta Try in Tirana,” LIFT Steak & Rooftop Bar is one of the chicest rooftop bars in the city. The cocktail menu itself is already a feast for fans of refined mixology. But for those parched from a chilled Gin & Tonic, LIFT features almost 40 G&T-based concoction, spanning from a classic HENDRICK’S Cucumber Peel to a unique CITADELLE which derives from Indian tonic, orange zest, cinnamon. The bar is a stylish pair to LIFT’s steakhouse which equates to the ultimate oasis for beef connoisseurs. The steaks alone range from Prime Filet Mignon to Dry Aged Prime New York Steak.

Nouvelle Vague is an homage to the French film movement during the 1950s. Popular among locals, the café is similar to other coffee shops in Tirana by shifting to a hoppin’ bar at night serving delicious cocktails using fresh ingredients. The names are also fun puns in the Albanian language, for example, “Rum si unë,” is the name of a rum cocktail that also refers to the Albanian saying “Lum si unë” which means, “lucky me!” The friendly staff also serves tasty coffee for worker bees.

For a less posh vibe, switch over to a more hipster route and stop by Bunker1944 Lounge – a refuge now transformed into a cool bar embellished with décor from the Communist regime. Since Albania’s history is an enormous part of the travel experience, grabbing a drink at Bunker1944 Lounge brings your entire voyage to a full circle moment.

Komiteti is best of three worlds: a café and a museum during the day, then it shifts to a bar at night. When the sun is out, Komiteti is a lovely spot for working on the computer or reading a good book. The interior displays 17,000 historical trinkets from the Communist era, it’s sheer proof of owner Arbër Çepani’s passion to create an intriguing and warm destination in the middle of Tirana. Antiques, furniture, textiles are all vintage items that Arbër isn’t selling but using to design a truly Albanian space that guests can be entertained while experience. From evening to night, the bar comes to life with DJs and menus full of tasty rakis.

Radio Bar is a feast for the eyes. The spacious bar is also a café during the day, showcasing interesting curios: typewriters, retro posters, phone and television sets from the 70s…and so much more. The walls are plastered with vintage Albanian movie posters and photos from the country’s fascinating past. It’s hard not to reflect upon the Communist era within the walls of Radio Bar, but in a colorful and cheeky approach.

For rum aficionados, Hemingway Bar is your jam. Cozy and colorful, Hemingway oozes a casual bohemian aura that welcomes a liberating mentality: anything goes. Both locals and travelers mingle as they taste all types of drinks that are made with meticulous attention. Since it’s located near Skanderbeg Square, Hemingway makes the perfect stop after an afternoon of sightseeing.

For the perfect wine night, Bufe is a delicious option. Although it’s been flying under the radar, Albania’s Mediterranean climate and landscape make the region ideal for winemaking. The hot and dry summers, along with mild winters have allowed Albania to foster one of the oldest wine making traditions in the world. Bufe offers local wines by the glass so you can spend the night tasting a wide variety of Albanian wines, or yummy bottles from other countries.