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Region guide
Albanian Riviera.
The Mediterranean you haven’t ruined yet.
About the region
Ninety kilometres of Ionian coastline, between Vlorë and Sarandë, where the Ceraunian mountains drop straight into turquoise water. This is the stretch of Albania that made the country’s last decade of tourism — Ksamil’s offshore islets, Dhërmi and Himarë in the middle, and the switchback drive over the Llogara Pass at the northern end. It still feels cheaper than anywhere in the Aegean. It won’t, for long.
What to know
- Best time: late May through early October. June and September are the sweet spots — warm water, lighter crowds.
- Ksamil’s tiny island-hopping coves are the most photographed stretch; Dhërmi and Gjipe Beach are quieter.
- Renting a car is the right call — the coast road between Vlorë and Sarandë is the point.
- The Llogara Pass, between Vlorë and the Riviera proper, is one of the great European coastal drives. Do it at sunset.
Cities in the Albanian Riviera
Sarandë
The gateway to the Albanian Riviera. Turquoise coves, Greek-island-class beaches, and a town that's still cheaper than anywhere in the Aegean. Ksamil is twenty minutes down the road.
Vlorë
Where the Adriatic meets the Ionian. Albania's 1912 birthplace, a corniche for sunset walks, and the only Albanian city that looks straight onto two seas.