Built as a monument to Enver Hoxha this vast pyramid housed a museum dedicated to him. It now stands part-derelict as an Ozymandian reminder about the passing of regimes – and as an irresistible challenge to those with a head for heights; there is usually at least one person either triumphantly or gingerly making their way up or down its sheer sides. It’s a good...

Shkodra is considered the cultural capital of the Northern Albanians and has a gently civilised atmosphere which makes it nice for strolling. Above the town sits the dramatic Rozafa castle, dating back to Illyrian times when it was used against the Romans, and which gives great views of the three rivers which converge at this point. There’s not much interpretation...

The square at the heart of town named after the national hero against the Ottomans, Skanderbeg. He sits on a horse in the middle of the square, his face set towards the north where he had his castle in Kruja. As all capital city architecture, this one provides a digest of the country’s heroes – looking north is the long boulevard...

The Martyrs’ Cemetery (in Albanian ‘Varreza e Deshmoreve’) is just outside town, about a 15 minute drive along Rr Elbasan. It is dominated by the enormous and rather marvellous statue of ‘Mother Albania’ which can be seen from the city. Visit at sunset for particularly dramatic photographs of this landmark. She watches over the graves of 900 people killed during...

If you hadn’t heard about it in advance you might be bemused to see this random collection of old concrete on a corner of Tirana’s main boulevard. However, the concrete monstrosities here are reminders of even worse monstrosities committed in the name of Communism – in Albania and beyond. There’s a piece of the Berlin wall and some pit props...