When the regime fell in 1991 the barriers came down, and within a few years bars and cafés began opening in the ground floors of its houses and apartment blocks. Today Blloku is Tirana’s liveliest district for eating out, coffee and nightlife, packed with restaurants, boutiques and terraces that fill up from morning until late at night.
Walking its leafy streets, visitors can still spot the old villas of the former elite, including Hoxha’s villa, between the modern cafés, a striking reminder of how much the city has changed.
