Kombinat — short for the textile combine Stalin built here in 1951 — is a sprawling working-class district on the western edge of Tirana, dominated by the half-derelict factory complex and rows of socialist-era workers' housing. The neighbourhood has its own character: a busy daily market, friendly cheap restaurants, and the most authentic glimpse of how most Tirana residents actually live.
Visitors rarely come this far west, which is its own argument for the trip. The neglected factory facade, with its monumental socialist relief sculptures, is worth a look. A 20-minute bus ride from the centre.