Stand in the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre’s arena among the houses.

Piazza (the promenade) — the port’s seafood terrace: grilled sea bass and mussels from the bay.

Restorant Joni — the old-town fish house near the walls, generations of regulars.

Beach-strip grill rows — qofte and corn on the sand, the Tirana weekend ritual.

Apollonia café at the amphitheatre corner — espresso over the arena walls.

Seafront hotels on the promenade — full-service rooms over the bay.

Boutique guesthouses in the old town — quiet lanes steps from the amphitheatre.

Beach-strip resorts south toward Plepa — pool-and-beach family stays.

Hotel Arvi — the practical port-side classic.