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Town or villagekm 107Himarë coast

Himarë

A seafront promenade, a castle above, a harbour of waiting boats — the best base for exploring the whole coast.

Type
Town & beaches
Access
On the SH8
Crowd
Buzzy but real
Best for
Basing yourself
Directions

Updated October 2026

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Know before you go

Himarë is the Riviera's working heart — a real town that happens to sit on beautiful water. The promenade fills every evening, the harbour sends boats to Gjipe and the hidden coves each morning, and the old town waits inside castle walls on the hill above.

Stay here and everything is in reach: Livadhi over one headland, Jale and Dhërmi to the north, Qeparo and Porto Palermo to the south. Town beaches Spile and Potami mean you don't even have to drive for a swim.

Best baseCastleHarbourPromenade

Getting to Himarë, parking and when to go

Getting there

Himarë sits on the SH8 coast road, around 1h15–1h30 from Vlorë now the Llogara tunnel is open, and about the same from Sarandë. Vlorë–Sarandë coaches stop in town. From Corfu, take the ferry to Sarandë and drive or bus up the coast.

Parking

Street parking along the promenade fills from late morning in July and August. Arrive before 10 a.m., or park higher up in town and walk down. Some lots charge a small daily fee, so keep a few hundred lek handy.

The town beaches

Spile is the main public beach in front of the promenade — sand and small pebbles, and free to use. Potami is one bay south and quieter, and Livadhi is over the headland to the north.

When to go

Beach bars, boats and restaurants run fully from June to mid-September. July and August are the hottest and busiest. June and September give you a warm sea and easier parking; May and October are quiet with fewer places open.

Essentials

Supermarkets, pharmacies and cash machines are around the centre near Spile. Carry some cash for parking, sunbeds and smaller tavernas — not everywhere takes cards.

Getting around

Most beaches around Himarë are under 20 minutes by car. Boats from the harbour reach Gjipe and the coves north of town — book the evening before in high season. See boat trips from Himarë.

Where to stay

Balcony view from Apollon's Apartments over Himarë bay at sunset
Featured

Apollon's Apartments

Apartments in Himarë

Sea-view apartments on the hillside above Himarë, with private balconies, kitchenettes and free parking. Potami Beach is under 1 km away.

See the apartments

Promenade hotels

Hotels along the seafront put the whole town — beach, restaurants, boats — outside your door.

Old-town guesthouses

Inside the castle quarter, restored stone houses offer history, views and evening quiet.

Apartments for longer stays

Himarë has the coast's best supply of self-catering apartments — ideal for a week-long base.

Where to eat

Harbour seafood

Restaurants by the port serve whatever the boats landed — ask what's fresh rather than ordering from memory.

Promenade dining

The evening xhiro runs past pizzerias, grills, gelato and cocktail bars — something for every table.

Old-town terraces

Up in the castle quarter, a handful of tavernas do slow dinners with the lights of the bay below.

Don’t leave without

Himarë Castle old town

Wander the hilltop quarter at golden hour — ruined walls, lived-in lanes and views down the whole coast.

Morning boat trips

Boats leave the harbour daily for Gjipe, Aquarium Bay and coves with no names — book the evening before.

Spile & Potami beaches

The town's own beaches bookend the promenade; Potami's spring-fed water is bracing and brilliant.

Himarë questions, answered

What are the best beaches in Himarë?

Spile is the town beach on the promenade, Potami is the quieter bay 2 km south with very clear water, and Livadhi is the long bay just north. Jale, Gjipe, Qeparo and Borsh are all within about half an hour.

What is there to do in Himarë?

Walk up to the castle old town at sunset, take a boat to Gjipe and the hidden coves, visit Porto Palermo Castle, hike up to Old Qeparo, and finish with the evening walk along the promenade.

Are Himarë's beaches sand or pebbles?

Mostly small pebbles, with some sand on Spile. Water shoes make getting in easier, and the pebbles keep the water very clear.

How do I get to Himarë?

By car on the SH8 coast road, or by the Vlorë–Sarandë coaches that stop in town. Tirana airport is about four hours away; from the south, Corfu plus the ferry to Sarandë is a popular route.

Is Himarë good for families?

Yes. It's a real town with shops, pharmacies and plenty of apartments with kitchens. Potami and Livadhi are the easiest family beaches, with parking and food close by.

When is the best time to visit Himarë?

June and September: warm sea, everything open, and far fewer people than in July and August.

Nearby

Along the coast road

North along the coastThe Tavernas of Livadhi