Himarë and the Albanian Riviera Road
The stretch of coast between Vlorë and Sarandë — through Dhërmi, Himarë, and Qeparo — is the Albanian Riviera's quieter, more scenic half: dramatic mountains dropping straight into the Ionian Sea, with pebble coves that feel undiscovered compared to Ksamil. A new tunnel through Llogara Pass, opened in 2025, cut the old white-knuckle mountain crossing from about 40 minutes of switchbacks to a 7-minute drive. Best done as a slow road trip rather than a single base.
If Sarandë and Ksamil are the Albanian Riviera's headline act, the road between Vlorë and Sarandë is the encore nobody talks about enough — the same turquoise water, but backed by genuinely dramatic mountains instead of beach-town sprawl, and with a fraction of the crowds even in August.
Towns along the Riviera road
| Town | Vibe | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Vlorë | Larger port city, less resort-y | A practical stop, gateway to the Riviera road heading south |
| Dhërmi | Laid-back beach village with a party-beach strip nearby | A mix of quiet coves and a livelier beach-bar scene |
| Himarë | The Riviera's most scenic mid-sized town | A good, less-crowded base with real infrastructure |
| Qeparo | Tiny, sleepy, split between an old hilltop village and the beach | Travelers actively seeking 'undiscovered' |
The Llogara Pass — now a tunnel, not a nail-biter
For decades, the drive from Vlorë over Llogara Pass was the Riviera road's most notorious stretch — steep switchbacks, sheer drops, and a serious test of nerve. The 6-kilometer Llogara Tunnel, opened in 2025, replaced that entire crossing with a modern, well-lit 7-minute drive straight through the mountain. It's a genuinely major upgrade if you're driving this route yourself and were dreading that section.
Getting around
Renting a car is the most flexible way to see this stretch — the coastal road (SH8) has been progressively widened, resurfaced, and fitted with guardrails and better signage in recent years, and the A2 motorway now connects Tirana to Vlorë as a proper divided highway. Buses and shared furgons also run the coast road, just with far less flexibility for stopping at random coves.
What it costs
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Guesthouse in Himarë or Dhërmi, per night | $30–55 |
| Small rental car, per day (shoulder season) | $25–40 |
| Beach-bar lunch in Dhërmi | $8–15 |
| Fuel, per liter | roughly $1.70–1.90 |
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Assuming this stretch has the same restaurant and hotel density as Sarandë — it doesn't, book ahead in peak season rather than expecting to find something on arrival.
- Driving the coastal road after dark if you can avoid it — Albania's rural road safety guidance is genuinely to prioritize daylight driving here.
- Skipping Qeparo's old hilltop village because the beach is the obvious draw — the abandoned stone village above it is a worthwhile short detour.
Himarë and Dhërmi both make good, less-crowded bases
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