I could go on and on listing reasons why I love Tirana, but today, I’ll focus on just one: street art.

The Albanian capital is known for its colourful buildings and murals which pop up even in the least likely places. All this thanks to Edi Rama – once Mayor of Tirana, now Albania’s Prime Minister, and MurAL Fest, taking place almost every year.

The abundance of colour and street art hooked me pretty much within minutes from arriving in the city, and I quickly became fascinated. So much so that I wrote a post about them.

But that was four years ago, and now it’s time for an update! I dedicated most of my recent trip to Tirana to tracking new artworks and revisiting old favourites. Scroll on and go for a virtual tour of Tirana murals with me!

@matuklon

Join me for a quick virtual tour of Tirana’s streetart, with murals by Franko Dine, Alexa Lincu & other cool street artists! For more, visit my blog matuklon.com ♥️ #Tiranë #visitTirana #iloveAlbania

♬ growth — Gede Yudis

City Centre

Title: Biblioteka
Artist: Franko Dine
Year: 2020
Location: Rruga e Dibrës 25

If you’re arriving in Tirana from the airport by bus, it’s likely that you’ll quickly spot Biblioteka (Library) by renowned local street artist Franko Dine. It honours Albanian writers Ismail Kadare and Dritëro Agolli, picturing their books and framed photos. On the cluttered bookcase you’ll also see works by Kafka, Balzac and Dostoyevsky, and… an adorable ginger cat taking a nap!

Title: Mother’s Care
Artist: Case Maclaim (Andreas von Chrzanowski)
Year: 2021
Location: Rruga e Barrikadave 7

At the third MurAL Fest, German artist Case Maclaim used this very prominent spot to address the 2019 earthquake in Albania. It represents parental protection over a child, but the public reaction was mixed. I must say that I also find something uneasy about the disembodied hand resting on the girl’s chest…

Title: Lucila en Albania
Artist: Mabel Vicentef
Year: 2019
Location: Rruga Ramazan Shijaku

I like how many of Mabel’s murals combine portraiture and nature painting to a slightly surreal, collage-like effect. Lucila is a friend of the artist, and the picturesque landscape was inspired by Lake Shkodër and mountains in the North of Albania.

Title: Il Perturbante
Artist: Gods in Love (Alessandro Suzzi)
Year: 2018
Location: Rruga Selma Riza

The title of this piece by Italian artist Gods in Love has two meanings. Firstly, “disturbing” or “unsettling”, which this blue, human-like figure with perforated head surely is. But it actually refers to Sigmund Freud’s concept of the uncanny, and the manifestation of repressed desires and impulses. A very enigmatic work, and one of my very favourites!

Title: For the Street Dogs of Tirana
Artist: MOTS (Diogo Ruas and Jagoda Cierniak)
Year: 2019
Location: Rruga Myslym Shyri 65

This one was created for the second edition of MurAL Fest by the Portuguese-Polish duo MOTS. Also known by its Albanian title Për qentë e rrugëve të Tiranës, it’s an endearing dedication to stray dogs of Tirana. This one is pictured in a monumental pose, resembling a political hero. The artists’ intention was to protest against mass killings of homeless dogs in Albania, and encourage animal adoption.

Title: Creating Spaces
Artist: Alexa Lincu
Year: 2024
Location: Rruga Reshit Çollaku

Bucharest-based artist Alexa Lincu made this eye-catching mural for the 2024 edition of MurAL Fest. Books have featured frequently in her compositions in the past few years. She told me that through the use of bright colours, she’s trying to encourage people to read more. As a book lover and a librarian, I support the idea wholeheartedly!

Blloku

The trendiest and liveliest area in Tirana is also known for a high concentration of murals.

 

Title: Gjurma Jonë
Artist: Franko Dine
Year: 2022
Location: Rruga Perlat Rexhepi

It took some deep research to find out that it’s a low-key creation by Franko Dine, based on a sketch by Najada Hamza. The different types of footwear spread on the ground, set to a verse from Maya Angelou’s “And Still I Rise”, symbolically illustrate the title which translates Our Footprints. The mural was unveiled during the finale of the first edition of FemFest, which appropriately fell on the International Women’s Day.

Title: Valentina
Artist: Wuper Kec
Year: 2023
Location: Rruga Janos Hunyadi

This mural brings a much-needed splash of colour to an otherwise gray side street. I needed to find out who the model is, and she turned out to be the artist’s wife. Wuper told me it’s just an “everyday scene from life”. Valentina is captured posing at a table, with a plate of appetizing figs displayed in front of her.

Title: Unity and Diversity
Artist: Yann Lazoo
Year: 2018
Location: Rruga Adem Jashari

Yann Lazoo’s Unitet dhe Diversitet near the Grand Park of Tirana portrays a diverse group of people in monochrome blue, enclosed in a colourful circle. It sends a simple, yet powerful message of interconnectedness.

Title: Change Prospective
Artist: Chekos Art (Francesco Ferreri)
Year: 2018
Location: Rruga Sami Frashëri

One of the works that kicked off MurAL Fest back in 2018, made by Italian artist Chekos Art of the 167/B Street collective. He said: “The impulse of beauty is in beauty that changes you without even having to think about it. Just look at it”. Indeed, I always take a moment to “look at it” on my way to or from the Grand Park.

Title: Kathmandu Girl
Artist: Stinkfish
Year: 2019
Location: Rruga Ymer Kurti

For the second edition of MurAL Fest, Mexican-Colombian artist Stinkfish painted Kathmandu Girl, based on a photo of an actual girl, taken in the Nepalese capital back in 2013. Like all his creations, it uses bright, vibrant colours, with some psychedelic elements.

Title: Ena
Artist: Wuper Kec
Year: 2021
Location: Rruga Gjin Bue Shpata 5

This one is right next to Selman Stërmasi Stadium, and I don’t know how it’s taken me a few years to notice it! It pictures model Ena Barašević, wearing a white T‑shirt with Dragon Ball Z carelessly tucked into her jeans, posing and looking confidently into the camera.

Komuna e Parisit

Title: Horse
Artist: Helidon Haliti
Year: 2024
Location: Komuna e Parisit Street

Helidon Haliti deserves a special mention as the initiator and curator of MurAL Fest. Without him, we wouldn’t be admiring these stunning artworks, and Tirana would surely have less character. In 2024, he contributed a colourful image of a horse.

Title: Madre
Artist: Theic Camilo Nuñez
Year: 2018
Location: Komuna e Parisit Street

At the first MurAL Fest, Uruguayan artist Theic Camilo Nuñez of the Licuado collective contributed Madre (also known as Nënë or Mother). He said: “In this mural I portrayed my mother, (…) the one that ties each knot of our family circuit”. Indeed, the said mother is tying a knot on a black ribbon, with a rather serious, yet patient demeanour.

Title: Djali Mistrec
Artist: Franko Dine
Year: 2017
Location: Rruga Mustafa Qosja

Children are frequent characters in Franko’s murals. In this one, the titular Naughty Boy looks like he’s about to play a prank on the other one. Quite fittingly, a children’s playground was soon build right in front of this mural.

Title: Weird Ice Cream
Artist: Vidam
Year: 2016
Location: Rruga Hiqmet Delvina

Berlin artist and illustrator Vidam paints “crazy characters and funny scenes filled with colour, love and joy”. His blue, flamboyant cat adorning the culture centre Tulla puts a smile on my face, and I don’t mind doing a slight detour just to take a look at him whenever I’m in the area. Originally untitled, Vidam has now named the mural Weird Ice Cream, after The Weird collective which he’s a part of.

Title: You Are a Sunflower
Artist: unknown
Year: 2017
Location: Rruga Medar Shtylla

You Are a Sunflower is an NGO operating in Western Balkans, supporting children with cancer and blood diseases. Its logo, a button embedded within a sunflower, has popped up all over Tirana, becoming a work of art in its own right.

Title: untitled
Artist: SAME84
Year: 2021
Location: Rruga Skënder Luarasi

You may be wondering why some of the murals feature logo of a certain sugary drink. Well, yes – Coke sponsored the third MurAL Fest. At first, I wasn’t sure if they’re artistic statements or just adverts commissioned by a global brand. Although slightly undermined, they’re still worth hunting for. This one was made by Greek artist SAME84.

West

Title: untitled
Artist: Pablo Astrain
Year: 2022
Location: Bulevardi Bajram Curri

Pablo’s contribution to the fourth MurAL Fest is typical of his works: figurative and in a dark palette, placed in a vague narrative. There were some last-minute problems with the original sketch, and a photo of his assistant smoking at a hotel was used as a reference. I like how Pablo retained much of the original purple on the wall, giving you impression that the mural is wrapping around the whole block.

Title: Attraction
Artist: Taxis (Dimitris Trimintzios)
Year: 2019
Location: Rruga Irfan Tomini

The work of this Polish-Greek artist is strongly human-centred, exploring inner struggles, societal pressures and tormenting feelings. I’ve reached out to him about the backstory of this mural, but was left with no answer. Might never find out who is attracted to the depicted model – or who she is attracted to.

Title: Gaia
Artist: Wild Drawing
Year: 2021
Location: Bulevardi Gjergj Fishta

This mural is in a prominent location on one of Tirana’s main boulevards. Depicted is a modern take on the mythical Mother Earth, with sprouting seeds floating around her. The Bali-born, Athens-based artist known as Wild Drawing said: “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today”. I like how he incorporated the building’s window into the design.

21 Dhjetori

The area named after 21 December is my favourite part of Tirana and that’s where I always stay in the city. Surely, the abundance of cafés and street art has something to do with it!

Title: The Dream
Artist: Franko Dine
Year: 2018
Location: Rruga Muhamet Gjollesha

A girl suspended from above is revealing a rather sad-looking teddy bear. There could be many ways to interpret the symbolism of this scene. Unfortunately, persistent googling didn’t provide a single hint and I’m still wondering what Franko was trying to communicate here.

Title: Mendi
Artist: Zabou
Year: 2023
Location: Rruga Muhamet Gjollesha

French artist Zabou made this impressive realistic portrait of a local student. A photography enthusiast in real life, Mendi is aptly depicted holding her camera. “Her eyes and smile, overlooking the long avenue, will mesmerize you!” promises the artist.

Title: I Have to Go…
Artist: Solo and Diamond
Year: 2019
Location: Rruga Muhamet Gjollesha

Stylized as a scene from a comic strip, it’s one of several collaborations between Italian artists Flavio Solo and Stefano Biagiotti (Diamond). Spiderman fits with Solo’s superhero theme, while the woman must be a creation of Diamond who specializes in female portraiture. I find the overall effect to be slightly disjointed.

Title: Love Is Key
Artist: Jako (Manuel Giacometti)
Year: 2022
Location: Rruga Muhamet Gjollesha

Part of an ongoing project in which Jako spreads the message of universal love. Normally working on much smaller walls, the artist admitted that painting this large-scale mural was hard and challenging, but also satisfying at the same time.

Title: Ukraine
Artist: Franko Dine
Year: 2022
Location: Rruga Myslym Shyri

A variation on Franko’s earlier work Take This Flower, replacing balaklava with a flag of Ukraine draped around the boy’s head. The rose about to be fired through a slingshot makes for an ambiguous commentary on the Russian invasion.

Title: Do Not Judge
Artist: Artez (Andrej Žikić)
Year: 2018
Location: Rruga Myslym Shyri

With this piece, Serbian artist Artez wanted to challenge assumptions, stereotypes, and the judgemental nature of humans. He said that we form opinions based on what we see, but it’s easy to misinterpret a story if we’re unable to see the whole picture. “By controlling the flow of information, certain groups of people are able to manipulate the way we think, and influence our opinions,” he added.

Sources

Albania: Streetart Tirana — Muralfest Tirana — Dekor & Vizart Project — Artworks Gallery. Vagabundler
Street Art in Tirana. Street Art Cities
Tirana street art: guida urbana alla città albanese. Disagian
Artists Create 13 Amazing Large Scale Street Art Murals in Tirana. Invest in Albania
Mural Spotting in Tirana. Seth Barham
Tirana’s vibrant street art and murals. Artefact
The mural in Tirana that is dividing the public — Is there something disturbing about it? Hashtag.al