Vlorë County

In Vlora County, the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea, and in between lies the coastline that put Albania on the map as a travel destination. A vacation in Vlora County takes you to turquoise bays, over the Llogara Pass, and to ancient ruins at Butrint. Barely visited twenty years ago, the Albanian Riviera is now well filled in summer – but outside peak season it is still surprisingly quiet.

Vlora: City of Independence

Albania's independence was proclaimed in Vlora on November 28, 1912, and a monument and a museum commemorate the event. The city on the gulf of the same name has a long waterfront promenade, the Lungomare, and one beach after another to the south. The Ottoman Muradie Mosque from the 16th century is attributed to the architect Mimar Sinan. Off the bay lie the Karaburun Peninsula and Sazan Island, once a military base and now the destination of boat trips into a marine national park with caves and clear water. Also on the gulf is Orikum, with its marina and the remains of the ancient city of Orikos.

The Riviera: Himara and the Bays

Beyond Orikum, the road winds up to more than 1,000 meters at the Llogara Pass, where black pines grow and paragliders take off. At the top, the view opens onto the Riviera, which on clear days stretches as far as Corfu. Below follow Dhërmi with its white pebble beaches, the mountain village of Vuno, Jala, and finally Himara, with its hilltop castle and a Greek-speaking minority. Farther south you'll find Lukovë, with olive groves and secluded bays, and the Bay of Porto Palermo, where a fortress built by Ali Pasha stands on a spit of land.

Sights in Vlora County: Saranda and Butrint

Saranda is the most visited town on the Riviera, with hotels, restaurants along the promenade, and ferries to Corfu. From Lëkurësi Castle you look out over the bay. A few kilometers to the south lies Ksamil, with small islands set in crystal-clear water, often crowded with sun loungers in summer. The highlight is Butrint National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian ruins lie in a forest on the shore of a lagoon, from the theater to the baptistery with its mosaic floor. Inland, the spring of Syri i Kaltër, the Blue Eye, bubbles up deep blue from the ground.

Food, Getting There, and the Best Time to Visit

On the table you'll find freshly caught fish, mussels from the Butrint lagoon, olives, feta, and mountain honey; inland, around the villages of the Qendër Vlorë municipality, there are also lamb dishes. The best time to visit for swimming is June through September; May and October are better for hiking and archaeological sites. Most people arrive via Tirana Airport and then by bus or rental car, or alternatively by ferry from Corfu to Saranda. A new airport near Vlora is meant to provide direct access to the region in the future. Buses run along the coastal road, but for hidden bays and mountain villages a rental car is the better choice; the switchbacks over the Llogara Pass do call for patience, though.