Albanian Riviera
Go in June or September: the sea is warm, the beach bars are open and the coves are quiet.
When is the best time to visit Albanian Riviera?
The best time to visit the Albanian Riviera is June or September: around 28° by day and the sea at 23–25°. August is the hottest and most crowded month, and most beach bars close from November to April.
Month by month
- Ideal
- Good
- Workable
- Poor / Avoid
- Now
October · Good. Warm early in the month; beach bars close one by one and the first storms arrive.
Pick a month to read its note
January
- High / low
- 14° / 5°
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sea
- 16°
- Daylight
- 9 h 36 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
February
- High / low
- 14° / 6°
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sea
- 15°
- Daylight
- 10 h 42 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
March
- High / low
- 16° / 7°
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sea
- 15°
- Daylight
- 11 h 54 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
April
- High / low
- 19° / 10°
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sea
- 16°
- Daylight
- 13 h 12 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
May
- High / low
- 24° / 13°
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sea
- 19°
- Daylight
- 14 h 18 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
June
- High / low
- 28° / 17°
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sea
- 23°
- Daylight
- 15 h
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
July
- High / low
- 31° / 19°
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sea
- 24°
- Daylight
- 14 h 48 min
- Crowds
- Peak
- Prices
- Peak
August
- High / low
- 32° / 19°
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sea
- 26°
- Daylight
- 13 h 48 min
- Crowds
- Peak
- Prices
- Peak
September
- High / low
- 28° / 17°
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sea
- 25°
- Daylight
- 12 h 30 min
- Crowds
- Shoulder
- Prices
- Shoulder
October
- High / low
- 23° / 14°
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sea
- 22°
- Daylight
- 11 h 12 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
November
- High / low
- 19° / 10°
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sea
- 20°
- Daylight
- 10 h
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
December
- High / low
- 15° / 7°
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sea
- 18°
- Daylight
- 9 h 24 min
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Where to go in Albanian Riviera
Sarandë and Ksamil for the south and Butrint, Himarë for the middle of the coast, and Dhërmi for the beaches below the Llogara Pass.
Sarandë
The Riviera's biggest town, on a bay facing Corfu, with buses to Butrint, Ksamil and the Blue Eye.
Ksamil
Beaches and small islets 20 minutes south of Sarandë; the busiest stretch of the coast in August.
- Butrint
- Himarë
- Dhërmi
- Gjipe
How the places differ
The southern end is the busiest. Sarandë is a year-round town with the ferry to Corfu, and Ksamil, 20 minutes south, has the islets and the crowds. Butrint sits at the very end of the road.
North of Sarandë the coast road climbs and the towns get smaller. Himarë has a harbour, a long beach and an old castle village; Dhërmi sits below the Llogara Pass, with Gjipe's canyon beach a walk away.
Things to do in Albanian Riviera
Swim at Gjipe and the Ksamil islets, drive over the Llogara Pass, and walk up to the old castle village above Himarë.
Drive over the Llogara Pass
The road from Vlorë climbs through pine forest to just over 1,000 m, then drops in hairpins with the whole coast below.
Walk down to Gjipe beach
A pebble cove where a canyon meets the sea. Bring water and shade: there is little on the beach.
Walk up to Himarë's castle village
Stone houses and churches inside old walls above the new town, with views along the coast at sunset.
Spend a morning on Livadhi beach
A long pebble beach a short walk from Himarë's harbour, quieter than Ksamil.
Visit the fort at Porto Palermo
A small three-sided fort on a spit in a sheltered bay, built for Ali Pasha Tepelena in the early 1800s.
Swim out to the Ksamil islets
Small wooded islets a short swim or kayak from the beach, with water clear enough to see the bottom.
Albanian Riviera itineraries: how many days you need
The 7-day southern Albania route spends five days in Sarandë, with day trips to Butrint and Himarë.
Where to stay in Albanian Riviera
Stay in Sarandë for buses and a town that is open all year, Ksamil for the beach on the doorstep, or Himarë and Dhërmi for quieter coves.
Sarandë
Hotels along the bay and the streets behind it, near the buses and the ferry. Open all year.
Ksamil
Closest to the islets and Butrint; quiet outside June–September, packed in August.
Himarë
Guesthouses around the harbour and Livadhi beach, halfway between Sarandë and the Llogara Pass.
Dhërmi
Beach hotels below the pass and guesthouses in the old village above; busiest in July and August.
How much does a trip to Albanian Riviera cost?
Plan on €70–120 per person a day mid-range in summer, €35–50 on a budget and €170 or more for comfort. In August, rooms and sunbeds cost much more than in June.
Mid-range
€70–120
per person, a day
Budget
€35–50
per person, a day
Comfort
€170+
per person, a day
What things cost
- Espresso on the seafront
- ≈€1.50
- Grilled fish dinner
- €15–25
- Bus, Sarandë–Himarë
- from €7
- Double room in July or August
- €60–110
- Two sunbeds and an umbrella in August
- €15–30
Getting to and around Albanian Riviera
Buses link Sarandë, Himarë and Vlorë along the coast road; Sarandë to Himarë takes ≈1.5 h. A car or a boat reaches the smaller coves.
Getting there
- By air
- Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (TIA)
Sarandë to Ksamil
≈20 min by bus
Every 20–30 minutes in summer, every 45–60 minutes out of season; pay the driver in cash. From 100 lek.
Sarandë to Butrint
≈35 min by bus
The Ksamil bus runs on to the Butrint gate, about hourly in summer. From 200 lek.
Gjirokastër to Sarandë
≈1 h 15 min by bus
Several buses a day, 08:00–17:00; ask to be let off at the Blue Eye junction. From 400 lek.
Sarandë to Himarë
≈1 h 40 min by bus
A few buses a day along the coast road in summer, fewer from October. From 700 lek.
Tirana to Sarandë
≈4 h 45 min by bus
Tisa Travel · About ten departures a day from the North–South bus terminal outside central Tirana; the coast-road buses take 6 h or more. From 1,300 lek.
Gjirokastër to Sarandë
≈1 h 15 min by bus
Several buses a day, 08:00–17:00; ask to be let off at the Blue Eye junction. From 400 lek.
Sarandë to Himarë
≈1 h 40 min by bus
A few buses a day along the coast road in summer, fewer from October. From 700 lek.
Tirana to Sarandë
≈4 h 45 min by bus
Tisa Travel · About ten departures a day from the North–South bus terminal outside central Tirana; the coast-road buses take 6 h or more. From 1,300 lek.
Before you go: visas, safety and money
Entry and safety rules are Albania's: EU, UK and US citizens need no visa for a holiday. Bring cash for beach bars and small guesthouses.
Do I need a visa for Albanian Riviera?
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- No visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A valid passport or national identity card is enough.
- UK citizens
- No visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave Albania.
- US citizens
- No visa for stays of up to one year. Your passport must be valid for 3 months beyond your departure date.
- Other nationalities
- A valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU, the US or the UK, already used once, lets you enter without a visa. Otherwise check the ministry's list for your passport and apply at e-visa.al.
Is Albanian Riviera safe?
Neither government advises against travel to Albania. The US State Department rates it Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of crime; the UK FCDO says crime against visitors is infrequent but warns of pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses. The biggest risk is the road: deaths from traffic accidents are among the highest in Europe.
Quick facts
- Emergency
- 112 police · 127 ambulance · 128 fire
- Money
- Albanian lek (ALL). Many beach bars and small guesthouses take cash only; withdraw lek in Sarandë or Himarë before heading to the smaller beaches.
- Plugs
- Type C and F, 230 V
Do I need a visa for Albanian Riviera?
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
- No visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A valid passport or national identity card is enough.
- UK citizens
- No visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave Albania.
- US citizens
- No visa for stays of up to one year. Your passport must be valid for 3 months beyond your departure date.
- Other nationalities
- A valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU, the US or the UK, already used once, lets you enter without a visa. Otherwise check the ministry's list for your passport and apply at e-visa.al.
Is Albanian Riviera safe?
Neither government advises against travel to Albania. The US State Department rates it Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of crime; the UK FCDO says crime against visitors is infrequent but warns of pickpockets in tourist areas and on buses. The biggest risk is the road: deaths from traffic accidents are among the highest in Europe.
Money, plugs and emergencies
- Emergency
- 112 police · 127 ambulance · 128 fire
- Money
- Albanian lek (ALL). Many beach bars and small guesthouses take cash only; withdraw lek in Sarandë or Himarë before heading to the smaller beaches.
- Plugs
- Type C and F, 230 V
Questions people ask
Where is the best base on the Albanian Riviera?
Sarandë, for buses, restaurants and a town that is open all year. Pick Ksamil for the beach on your doorstep, or Himarë for the quieter middle of the coast.
Can I see the Riviera without a car?
Mostly. Buses run along the coast road between Sarandë, Himarë and Vlorë, and to Ksamil and Butrint. Gjipe and the smaller coves need a car, a boat or a walk.
Are the beaches sandy?
Most are pebble or shingle, with clear water. Bring water shoes for the rocky entries around Ksamil and Gjipe.
When does the beach season end?
Most beach bars and boats run from May to October. The sea stays warm enough to swim into October, but the smaller villages are largely closed from November to April.
Where is the best base on the Albanian Riviera?
Sarandë, for buses, restaurants and a town that is open all year. Pick Ksamil for the beach on your doorstep, or Himarë for the quieter middle of the coast.
Can I see the Riviera without a car?
Mostly. Buses run along the coast road between Sarandë, Himarë and Vlorë, and to Ksamil and Butrint. Gjipe and the smaller coves need a car, a boat or a walk.
Are the beaches sandy?
Most are pebble or shingle, with clear water. Bring water shoes for the rocky entries around Ksamil and Gjipe.
When does the beach season end?
Most beach bars and boats run from May to October. The sea stays warm enough to swim into October, but the smaller villages are largely closed from November to April.