Tirana wasn’t supposed to be a standout. It was more of a “this makes sense geographically” stop than a “we’ve always dreamed of going here” destination. No offense to Tirana—it just didn’t come with the same hype as some of our other stops. And yet…we have enjoyed our time here.
We had a period of rain and some illness that forced us into something we don’t always allow—slowing down. It was ok because we love our Airbnb. We read, played games, and leaned into a rhythm that felt suspiciously like normal life… just in a different country. It was cozy. Then the sun showed up, and everyone collectively decided: we are going outside immediately. Lucas, Henry, and Michael rented bikes and spent the day riding around Tirana’s massive lake park with friends. It’s one of those places that makes you forget you’re in a city—wide paths, trees everywhere, space to just go. Michael rented an e-bike and is hooked.
We took an impromptu trip to Parliament with Anya, the art teacher. The Prime Minister of Albania is an artist, and the first floor of Parliament is an art gallery. The kids explored the exhibit and then did some art of their own. It already felt like a slightly unusual field trip, and then, in true travel fashion, it got weirder—in the best way. Jake and Gabe found a piano and just started playing. In Parliament. Casually. Like this is something kids do all the time. The staff even filmed them. There’s something about travel that creates these completely unplanned, slightly surreal moments where you just think, well… this is definitely going to be a story later.
One thing we’ve learned is that life doesn’t pause just because you’re traveling—you just figure out how to do it somewhere else. One of those things is taking care of the unglamorous but important health stuff. We all got checkups. The boys had bloodwork done and saw a pediatrician, and Michael and I did the same—bloodwork and EKGs. I also squeezed in a breast ultrasound and a pap exam. Not exactly bucket list activities, but necessary. We also managed to get our teeth cleaned. It’s not the part of travel people post about, but staying healthy on the road matters. And honestly, there’s something satisfying about figuring out how to make that happen in a completely different country.
One night, we went to watch some of our friends perform at a local music school where Dexter has been taking drum lessons. It wasn’t a big production—just kids playing music—but those are often the best kinds of nights. There’s something about watching kids do their thing, in a completely different country, surrounded by a mix of locals and travelers, that reminds you how small and connected the world can feel.
Not everything in Tirana was light and easy. Lucas, Henry, and I went with Jake and Vicki to visit the House of Leaves, and it left an impression. It’s a museum that walks you through Albania’s communist past—specifically the surveillance and control people lived under for decades. It’s not abstract when you’re there. It’s personal. You hear real stories, see how closely people were watched, how quickly things could turn. Those are the lessons that don’t get forgotten.
There were a lot of cool and unique moments of connection sprinkled throughout our stay. Michael went to a cooking class with some nomad friends and, at another point, found himself playing pool with Kristian—it’s one of their favorite hangout activities. Lucas even joined in one night and they were out until 3 am. The last week in Tirana was jam packed with an easter hunt at the park, tracking the Artemis space flight, last-minute ping pong, art lessons, gym, and physiotherapy, and walks around the Lake. We also checked out the rotating bar in Tirana for some great sunset views. There was also a small taste of home: Michael, Lucas, and Henry found a barbecue spot owned by a man from Georgia in the U.S. Somehow, halfway across the world, they ended up eating food that felt very familiar. Travel is funny like that.
Tirana was good to us.
