Ultimate Guide to the Albanian Riviera

BEACHES April 2024 12 min read

The Albanian Riviera is 150 kilometres of Ionian coastline running from the port city of Vlorë in the north to the Greek border in the south — a stretch of limestone cliffs, hidden coves, olive groves, and turquoise water that has been, until very recently, one of the best-kept secrets in the Mediterranean. The beaches here rival anything in Greece or Croatia. The prices do not.

What makes the Albanian Riviera different is the combination of dramatic geography, genuine unspoiled character, and the absence of the mass-tourism infrastructure that has sanitised so much of the Mediterranean coast. That is changing, and not slowly — but the window to experience it at its most authentic remains open.

The Llogara Pass

The Riviera begins, for most travellers, at the Llogara Pass — a mountain crossing at 1,027 metres above sea level where the road crests and the Ionian suddenly appears below: a vast expanse of deep blue that stretches all the way to the horizon. The descent from the pass to the coast is one of the most dramatic road journeys in Europe — switchbacks through pine forest giving way to glimpses of coves and cliffs that grow more spectacular with every turn.

The Llogara National Park at the pass itself is worth stopping for: pine-scented mountain air, a handful of simple restaurants serving roast lamb and mountain herbs, and views on a clear day that take in the Greek islands of Corfu and Cephalonia floating on the horizon.

Dhërmî

The first major village on the descent is Dhërmî — a hillside settlement of white stone houses above a series of coves with some of the finest swimming on the coast. The main Dhërmî beach is a long crescent of fine pebble backed by olive groves and beach bars that operate through the summer months. Beyond it, a series of smaller coves accessible only on foot or by boat offer more seclusion. Gjipe Canyon — an hour's walk or a short boat ride from Dhërmî — terminates at a beach enclosed by 300-metre limestone walls that feels genuinely remote.

Himarë

Himarë is the main town of the Riviera — a place with a strong Greek cultural identity, an impressive medieval castle above the new town, and a seafront strip of restaurants and bars that comes alive from June to September. The beaches either side of Himarë (Livadhi to the north, Potami to the south) are among the most popular on the coast. The old castle town above — reached by a steep road or a footpath — offers the best views on the Riviera: the bay below, the Ionian stretching south, and on very clear days, Corfu.

Palasa, a few kilometres north of Himarë, is one of the Riviera's quieter surprises: a village perched high above a turquoise bay with very little tourism infrastructure and beaches that empty out almost entirely after August.

Sarandë & the South

Sarandë is the Riviera's southern anchor — a mid-sized resort city that has grown substantially in the past decade and represents Albania's most developed coastal destination. The city itself is lively and unpretentious, with a long promenade, good seafood restaurants, and a ferry connection to Corfu that runs year-round. From Sarandë, the ancient city of Butrint (30 km south) and the Blue Eye spring (25 km east) are both easy half-day excursions.

Ksamil, 12 kilometres south of Sarandë, is the Riviera's most photographed spot: a small village with three inhabited islands visible just offshore, shallow turquoise water between them, and beaches of fine white sand and pebble that are genuinely beautiful. At peak season (July–August) it is crowded; in late June or early September it is idyllic.

The Albanian Riviera rewards those who come without a fixed plan — who are willing to stop at an unmarked cove, eat at the restaurant with no English menu, and follow a track down to a beach that doesn't appear on any map. That flexibility is easier with a private vehicle and a general sense of direction. The coast does the rest.