For a superb view over Penang and the Straits, take the funicular railway to the top of Bukit Bendera hill. The ride takes 30 minutes and the summit, 830 m (2,727 ft.) above sea level, is, with an average temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, cooler than the steamy coast.

Mount Dajti looms majestically over Tirana, offering a beautiful escape into nature with its national park, dense forests and panoramic views. You can reach the top either by taking the Dajti Ekspres cable car — the longest in the Balkans — or enjoy a scenic drive. Once at the summit, you'll find several restaurants where you can savour a meal while enjoying the serene landscape. The sense of standing above the city, with expansive views stretching in every direction, gives you a feeling of being on top of the world. Dajti Mountain National Park also offers an adventure park for kids and adults, a rotating bar, minigolf, hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as many romantic spots for picnicking.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic church in the U.S., with a striking interior of mosaics, chapels, and domes. Free guided tours are available and give a good sense of its history and architecture.

This small and elegant mosque is one of Tirana's oldest surviving structures. Closed during communist rule, it reopened for worship in 1991 after being shuttered for decades. Many religious sites were destroyed during the atheism campaigns of the 1960s, but this mosque was spared. Its distinctive frescoes, found both inside and outside the portico, depict nature scenes like trees, waterfalls and bridges, which are unusual motifs in Islamic art.