Not far from Tirana, there is Mount Dajti, which promises an unforgettable escape into Albanian nature, writes Estelle Brana in an article published in the French magazine "EnVols".

Amidst stunning views, cultural stops and contemplative hikes, this national park is ideal for adventure lovers and tourists seeking peace and quiet, reports ATSH.

Dajti Mountain, a limestone massif steeped in Albanian history, reveals its natural contrasts 26 kilometers from Tirana.

The green park overlooking the capital offers exploration between heaven and earth, according to KosovaPress.

The Balcony of Tirana

They call it the "Balcony of Tirana" because of its height of 1 meters, where it seems as if all of Albania lies, the capital like an animated model, the fields like a living mosaic and, on a clear day, the Adriatic Sea shining on the horizon.

The "Dajti Ekspres" takes you through forests and valleys in 15 minutes. This long cable car connects the outskirts of Tirana with the upper station.

Experienced climbers can continue to the main peak, Mount Dajti, or to the peak of Tujan, viewpoints where Albania reveals its true nature.

A sacred place and biodiversity

A national park since 1996, Dajti is home to more than 1 plant species covering an area of ​​000 hectares, including several endemics.

Beech, oak, and black pine dominate this landscape where wild boars, foxes, and sometimes wolves roam in the shade.

Ornithologists have recorded 180 species of birds there, including the golden eagle soaring over the 65-million-year-old limestone reliefs.

Sports activities include: hiking, horseback riding, and skydiving in the area around the centuries-old pine trees.

Nature on the edge of the park

Beyond the main massif lies a territory with many views. To the north, the Brar Canyon attracts you with its dizzyingly wide walls – a connection between eras – an Ottoman bridge eroded over the centuries.

Not far away, the Pigeon Cave amazes with its limestone galleries, an underground sanctuary where ancestors found refuge more than 10 years ago.

The Black Cave circular trail winds its way towards a geological formation dating back to the Jurassic era, further evidence of Albania's underground wealth.

In summer, when the sun shines with its fiery rays, the turquoise waters of the Erzen Canyon offer refreshment to brave swimmers, while the Shëngjergji Waterfall, accessible after a short walk, enchants with its crystal clear waters in an amphitheater of greenery.

These natural refuges, still untouched by mass tourism, preserve the traces of a nature that, in these deep valleys, continues to dictate its law.

Between tables and traditions

Dajti Mountain holds a precious Albanian identity. In mountain restaurants like “Ballkoni Dajti” – traditional dishes like tava e kosit, pickles and trileçja – tell the story of the country’s cuisine, accompanied by a breathtaking panorama.

On weekends, hiking, a local tradition of a long picnic, brings the mountains to life.

Families and groups of friends gather there from Tirana for barbecues.

In the surrounding villages, away from the tourist areas, time passes differently. There you will encounter an almost sacred hospitality that transforms the stranger into a friend.

Traces of history

From the Illyrian ruins of the 6th century BC to the now abandoned communist military installations, Dajti bears the earliest traces of the ages.

During the communist period (1944-1991), the mountain housed bunkers and strategic observation posts, now populated but still visible to the attentive eye.

Dajti also served as a refuge for resistance fighters during the Ottoman occupation and later during World War II, as evidenced by the memorial stones scattered along the forested slopes.

These worn stones whisper the history of a resilient Albania, a crossroads between East and West, that has passed through the ages without ever losing its spirit, like this mountain that, undisturbed, continues to watch over Tirana.