Skip the guided tours from Tirana; grab a $36 private walking tour locally instead to actually understand the medieval grit. The clock tower and the captured US Air Force plane are weirdly specific, but the views of the stone roofs make the steep uphill trek bearable. Spend 90 minutes roaming the dark, damp armory vaults. Go at 9am to beat the afternoon heat. Don't pay for premium skip-the-line; you will be the only one there.
