Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Sam
The Albanian Riviera is an amazing travel destination, home to gorgeous beaches, coastal towns, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and more! Situated in southern Albania, the riviera stretches from Dhermi to Sarande and is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. The beaches of the Albanian Riviera make it an enticing destination, especially considering they’re substantially less crowded than other European hotspots. We spent 3 weeks discovering several amazing places to visit along the riviera, including Sarande, Himare, Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye, and of course many beautiful beaches. Find out the best places to visit, where to stay and much more with this travel guide to the Albanian Riviera.
How to get to the Albanian Riviera
The easiest way to get to the Albanian Riviera is to fly into the Greek island of Corfu and take the ferry over to Sarande/Saranda, Albania. During peak season there are normally over 10 boats a day running to Sarande, so you don’t have to stay overnight on Corfu itself if you don’t want to.
Prices during peak season start from €19 one-way on the slower ferry boat or from €24 one-way on the quicker boats. The slower ferries take around 70 minutes to get from Corfu to Sarande whereas the quicker boats make the journey in just 40 minutes.
Click here to find out more and book your ferry from Corfu to Sarande!
If you decide to make your way from Corfu to Sarande then be aware that the Greek Island is one hour ahead of Albania, so make your plans accordingly.
Unfortunately the Albanian Riviera has no international airport so the other main way to get to there is to fly into the capital Tirana and travel down the coast from there. Construction is due to start shortly for an international airport in Vlore and if plans go ahead it is due to open in March 2025.
One of the easiest ways to get from Tirana to the Albanian Riviera is by renting a car, and it takes around 3 hours to reach the start of the riviera in Dhermi. Click here to find great car rental deals on the Discover Cars website!
It’s also possible to get here via a bus, which means heading into Tirana’s bus terminal where buses generally go every 2 hours to Sarande and take around 5/6 hours for 1300 Lek.
Only a few airlines fly into Tirana airport, which means generally flying into Corfu is a better option. If you want to explore more of Albania though you may want to fly into Tirana before making your way down to the riviera.
Make sure to check out our guide to the best places to visit in Tirana if you plan on visiting Albania’s capital city!
Getting around the Albanian Riviera
To discover the full beauty of the Albanian Riviera it’s best to rent a car. Renting a car allows you to travel around more freely and visit places that aren’t as easily accessible by public transport.
Driving in Albania is perfectly safe and the roads are in good condition, so it’s easy enough to get around.
Public transport in the Albanian Riviera isn’t always the most reliable as buses don’t stick to a strict timetable. This means taking day trips to beaches and towns can be an issue if you don’t rent a car.
It ends up being a lot easier to get around if you rent a car, which is why we recommend renting one for the entirety of your trip. Thankfully, renting a car is relatively inexpensive in Albania, so it won’t end up costing too much either!
Click here to find the best car rental deals for your trip!
Best time to visit the Albanian Riviera
Summer is the best time to visit the Albanian Riviera, as the glorious sunshine and weather gives you the chance to make the most of the beautiful beaches. The weather is best during July and August as temperatures can exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
Unsurprisingly, with good weather comes crowds of tourists. The Albanian Riviera is increasingly popular with tourists, and so July and August is very much peak season in the area.
During peak season the beaches are at their busiest and accommodation prices are at their highest, but thankfully are still reasonable compared to other European destinations.
If you visit during the shoulder season months of June and September then the weather should still be good but the beaches won’t be as busy. Saying that, you can still get an influx of tourists at beaches during these months too, but it shouldn’t be as busy as July or August.
It’s best to avoid visiting the Albanian Riviera from October to March as the weather it isn’t as warm during the autumn and winter months. The area is a lot quieter during these months, but you can’t appreciate the beaches properly without good weather, and sunny days aren’t that likely.
April and May can be good times to visit as temperatures can reach up to around 25 degrees Celsius if you’re lucky. This makes it a good time to visit if you want to avoid crowds as well as the warmest months of the year!
Crowds generally tend to congregate in popular destinations such as Ksamil, Sarande, and Dhermi. If you’re planning to explore outside of these spots then it means there’s likely to be fewer tourists around!
Best places to visit in the Albanian Riviera
Sarande
The town of Sarande, also known as Saranda, is the main city in the Albanian Riviera. It’s a great base for exploring the area, and is also home to a number of public and private beaches.
One of the easiest ways to get to the Albanian Riviera is to travel from the nearby Greek Island of Corfu. If you’re coming from Corfu then Sarande is a perfect starting point for exploring the riviera.
The town’s location means it’s well placed near some of the best things to do in the Albanian Riviera. Find out more about what the town has to offer with our guide to the best beaches in Sarande!
Ksamil
Situated approximately a 30-minute drive from Sarande, the small village of Ksamil is home to some of the best beaches in the Albanian Riviera and Albania as a whole which makes it a must visit on any itinerary in the area. There are several beaches in the village, but the pick of the bunch is Spiaggia Di Ksamil – a wonderful sandy beach with dazzling blue water.
As one of the country’s most beautiful beaches it can get quite busy. Thankfully there are a number of other beaches in Ksamil which tend to be less busy, the only downside is that they’re pebbly beaches.
There are also some other quieter beaches on the stretch of coast between Sarande and Ksamil. For example, Monastery Beach is a lovely spot to visit if you have your own car.
If you don’t have a car then it’s easy enough to get from Sarande to Ksamil by bus, which costs just 100 Lek. However you decide to get there though, don’t miss the chance to visit the amazing Spiaggia Di Ksamil beach!
Blue Eye
The ‘Blue Eye’ is an incredible natural phenomenon in the form of a stunning blue water spring and a must visit when in the Albanian Riviera. With a pool in excess of 50 metres deep, it resembles an eye thanks to the deep blue water in the centre of the spring and the lovely turquoise water that surrounds it.
Swimming isn’t allowed in the eye itself, so it’s cordoned off to protect the wonderful nature. Many people ignore this though by going for a swim or jumping into the ‘Blue Eye’ from a viewing platform.
Fortunately you are allowed to go in to the more shallow bits of water, but swimming in the eye itself is off limits. The water is icy cold which is great hot summer days – just prepare yourself before going in!
Located around a 30-minute drive from Sarande, the Blue Eye is easy to get to if you’ve rented a car. It’s possible to park by the entrance, which is extremely convenient.
If you aren’t renting a car then take the inexpensive bus from Sarande to Gjirokaster and ask the drive to stop at the Blue Eye. Unfortunately the bus route doesn’t go directly past the entrance, so once you get off it’s around a 2-3 kilometre walk to the eye itself.
As of 2024 entrance to the Blue Eye costs just 50 Lek and 100 Lek for parking, which makes it great value even if you don’t visit for long!
Gjipe Beach
The stunning Gjipe Beach and is a must do for our travel guide to the Albanian Riviera. Located in the middle of Gjipe Canyon, it’s certainly one of the country’s most picturesque beaches thanks to the beautiful nature surrounding it.
It’s a pebbly beach, but the wonderfully blue, crystal clear water makes it an amazing spot to visit regardless.
Gjipe Beach used to be one of the best kept secrets in Europe, but has become more busy in recent years as more people take holidays in the Albanian Riviera. Nowadays the beach can get quite busy, but if you get there early hopefully you can avoid the crowds!
The beach is located around a 30-40 minute drive from the town of Himare. There is a car parking fee of 250 Lek, and it’s around a half-hour walk from the car park to Gjipe Beach itself.
If you haven’t rented a car then you can either take a bus or speedboat from Himare to Gjipe Beach.
Butrint National Park
The Albanian Riviera may be best known for its beaches, but it’s also home to some fascinating history most notably at Butrint National Park. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s home to some incredible ancient ruins, as well as wetlands, freshwater lakes, marshes, open plains, islands and more!
Butrint is the largest archaeological park in Albania, with ruins from various civilisations including the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. To learn more about the site’s history make sure to visit the Venetian Castle that is now home to an interesting museum.
There’s so much history to enjoy within the national park that you can easily spend half a day, or even a full day, exploring what it has to offer!
Butrint National Park is conveniently located around a 30-minute drive from Sarande, which is perfect if you decide to rent a car. Alternatively, you can take the bus there which should take around half an hour.
Buses drop you off directly by the entrance to the park, and to catch a bus back just return to the same spot. Although there are no official bus timetables in Albania, the buses run once an hour in each direction.
Entrance to Butrint National Park costs 1000 Lek as of 2024.
Himare
Himare is our favourite town in the Albanian Riveira, so we definitely recommend spending a few days enjoying what it has to offer. If destinations like Dhermi and Sarande are too busy for you, then Himare is the perfect place as it’s one of the quieter towns along the coast.
The beaches in and around Himare are amazing and blessed with dazzling blue sea that will make you want to dive straight in! There are 3 lovely beaches in the town itself – Spile Beach, Prinos Beach and Potami Beach – as well as several other beautiful beaches nearby, including Gjipe Beach, Livadhi Beach, Gjiri i Filikurit Beach and Jala Beach.
With lots of great beaches to choose from, Himare is a great base from which to explore the Albanian Riviera. To top if off, there are some wonderful restaurants in the area serving good quality food at reasonable prices!
Find out more about this lovely little town with our guide to the best things to do in Himare!
Gjirokaster
The Old Town of Gjirokaster, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the best places to visit in the Albanian Riviera. This brilliantly preserved Ottoman Old Town makes for a refreshing change from the area’s beautiful beaches, and so it’s an ideal destination for any history lovers.
Situated in a valley between the Gjere mountains and the Drino river, the city is surrounded by beautiful nature. A visit to the well-preserved Gjirokaster Castle gives you the chance to enjoy lovely views of the Old Town, as well as the surrounding mountains.
Aside from visit the castle, the main thing to do in Gjirokaster is to wander through the cobblestone streets and admire the unique Ottoman architecture of the Old Town.
Buses run every hour from Sarande to Gjirokaster, and take around 1-1½ hours to get between the two. A bus should cost around 400 Lek, and will drop you a relatively steep 30-minute walk from the Old Town, but thankfully taxis are available if you’d prefer.
Albanian Riviera Tours
Blue Eye and Lekuresi Castle Tour
This wonderful guided tour takes you to explore the natural wonder of the Blue Eye, as well as the ancient Lekuresi Castle in South Albania. The tour includes all entry fees and departs in the morning from Sarande.
At the Blue Eye, you’ll be amazed by the sparkling blue and crystal clear water, as well as the beautiful surrounding greenery. From Lekuresi Castle you will enjoy stunning panoramic views of Sarande, Butrint Lagoon, and the nearby Greek island of Corfu.
Tours depart from Sarande and cost just €59 per person, with a minimum of 2 people required for the trip to run.
Private Albanian Riviera Tour
Explore the stunning Albanian Riviera with a private guided tour that takes you to some of the region’s most beautiful spots. Over the course of around 10 hours you will visit a variety of amazing spots including Himare, Dhermi, Borsh, Qeparo, and Vuno.
Being a private tour the itinerary can often be altered slightly if there are some other spots on this list that you would prefer to visit too! These amazing tours of the Albanian Riviera start from around €64 per person, with a minimum of 3 people required for the trip to run.
Click here to book this amazing tour on the Viator website!
Where to stay in the Albanian Riviera
Ksamil
Blue Water Villa
The Blue Water Villa in Ksamil is a wonderful option if you want to stay near the centre and close to the nicest beaches in the Albanian Riviera. Just a short walk from Ksamil’s beaches, the hotel offers modern air-conditioned rooms and free private parking on site.
Staff are kind and helpful too, so will strive to make your stay as good as it can be! Prices start from just 10,300 Lek per night.
Click here to see the brilliant Blue Water Villa on Booking.com!
Himare
Vila Kosteli
If you’re looking for where to stay in the Albanian Riviera then Vila Kosteli is perfect. Ideally located by the Himare beachfront, it’s a lovely place to spend a few days.
All rooms at the hotel have air conditioning as well as a balcony, some of these rooms you will be able to enjoy sea views from the comfort of your room.
Prices at the hotel start from 12,000 Lek per night.
Click here to book a stay at the lovely Vila Kosteli on Booking.com!
Dhermi
Elysium Hotel
The stunning Elysium Hotel is one of the best luxury hotels in the Albanian Riviera. First things first, the hotel has a huge swimming pool for you to cool off in during the hot summer days.
On top of that, the rooms are modern and luxurious, making the hotel a great place to relax. There’s free parking on site and the service is incredible too, so you’re bound to have an amazing stay!
Situated in Dhermi, the hotel is well situated for exploring the Albanian Riviera. Prices at the hotel start from 16,170 Lek per night.
Click here to take a look at the amazing Elysium Hotel on Booking.com!
Sarande
Buze Boutique Hotel
Sarande is one of the best places to stay in the Albanian Riviera, and one of the best hotels in the area is the brilliant Buze Boutique Hotel. With a lovely outdoor swimming pool and a private beach, the hotel has everything you need for an amazing stay.
There’s free private parking available at the hotel, which is perfect if you’re renting a car to explore. Prices start from 22,550 Lek per night, with breakfast included in the price.
Click here to take a look at the Buze Boutique Hotel on Booking.com!
Alternatively, VRBO have some fantastic accommodation options if you want to rent a property instead of staying at a hotel during your time in the Albanian Riviera! Click here to see the amazing options on the VRBO website!
Looking for other places to travel in Eastern Europe? Check out our one week Montenegro itinerary.
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