Know before you go
Vlorë is where the Adriatic hands over to the Ionian, and where most Riviera road trips begin. Unlike the villages further south, this is a proper city: hospitals, banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, car hire and a long waterfront — the Lungomare — where the beach runs right alongside cafés and hotels.
The city beaches are sandy and shallow near the centre, turning to clearer pebble coves as the Lungomare runs south. It's the easiest place on the whole coast to arrive late, stock up, and start the drive south the next morning — or to base yourself for boat trips to Karaburun and Sazan.
All amenitiesLungomare promenadeBoat tripsNightlife