Divjakë-Karavasta National Park
Albania's largest lagoon, home to Dalmatian pelicans, with a cool pine forest and a long sandy beach on the Adriatic.
Things to do on the coast
Ancient cities, monasteries, castles, lagoons, boat trips and long lunches. Everything here is an easy day out from Fier, Vlorë, Himarë or Ksamil.
22 to choose from
22 places, in driving order from north to south
Ardenica Monastery
A hilltop monastery founded in 1282, where Albania's national hero Skanderbeg was married — with one of the finest painted church interiors in the country.
Apollonia Archaeological Park
A 2,600-year-old city on a hill above the plain — columned civic buildings, a theatre for music and a medieval monastery, with the sea on the horizon.
Byllis Archaeological Park
A ruined Illyrian city high above the Vjosa valley — a theatre cut into the hillside, early Christian basilicas and views that stretch to the mountains, usually with hardly anyone else there.
Pishë Poro & the Vjosa Delta
Where one of Europe's last wild rivers meets the sea — pine forest, dunes, lagoons with flamingos, and a long, wild beach.
Zvërnec Island & Narta Lagoon
A 270-metre wooden footbridge to a pine-covered islet and its Byzantine monastery — with flamingos in the lagoon if your timing is right.
Orikum Beach
A long beach at the foot of the mountains, Albania's first marina, and an ancient Greek city hiding at the edge of town.
Karaburun Peninsula
A wild, roadless peninsula of sea caves, white hidden beaches and ancient inscriptions — the Riviera's greatest adventure.
Llogara Pass
The gateway moment — pine forests, paragliders, roast lamb, and the instant the whole Ionian appears beneath you.
The Big Bunker
A Cold-War relic turned the Riviera's favourite photo stop — a concrete dome hanging over the bluest view in Albania.
Gjipe Canyon
A limestone gorge that runs from the hills straight down to the sea — sheer walls, cool shade, climbing routes, and a beach waiting at the mouth of it.
The Tavernas of Livadhi
Grilled fish a few metres from your sunbed, mussels in white wine, raki you didn't order but received anyway — lunch as the Riviera intends it.
Himarë Boat Trips
The Riviera's secret coves don't have roads — they have boats. Himarë's harbour is where the coast's best swimming days begin.
Himarë Castle
A lived-in hilltop old town inside ancient castle walls — alleys, ruined churches and the best sunset view over the whole Himarë coast.
Porto Palermo Castle
Ali Pasha's triangular fortress on its own tiny peninsula — dark vaulted halls, rooftop sea views, and a swimmable cove right beside the walls.
Borsh Springs & Olive Groves
Cold mountain water surfacing among the largest olive grove in Albania — with restaurants set over the running springs and a castle watching from above.
Krorëz Bay (Kakome)
No road, no resorts, no noise — a bay of fine pale pebbles and glass-clear water that you can only reach by sea.
Lëkurësi Castle
The definitive sunset of the Albanian south — a hilltop castle terrace with Sarandë bay below, Ksamil to the south and Corfu floating on the horizon.
The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër)
A natural spring rising from more than 50 metres below — a hypnotic, glowing blue pool in the forest that no photo quite captures.
The Ksamil Islands
Four small islands close enough to swim to, with water between them in the shades of blue that made Ksamil famous.
Mussels of Butrint Lagoon
The far south's signature dish — mussels farmed in the lagoon beside Butrint, steamed with white wine, garlic and lemon, eaten minutes from where they grew.
Butrint National Park
A 2,500-year-old city wrapped in forest and lagoon — Greek theatre, Roman ruins, Byzantine mosaics and Venetian towers, all on one shaded walking loop.
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