Albania, a hidden gem in the Balkans, boasts a diverse landscape featuring pristine beaches, rugged mountains, and ancient ruins. We visited Albania Riviera and the country’s two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the historic town of Gjirokastër with its well-preserved Ottoman architecture, and the ancient city of Butrint that has a remarkable fusion of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine influences.

Albania Riviera is pretty underrated, but its beauty is surprisingly paralleled with many known beaches in the Caribbean, Hawaii or other parts of the world. We are lucky to have seen it with our own eyes before it potentially becomes a major draw of international tourism one day. Interestingly, Albania is one of the few countries I’ve visited without seeing any Asian tourist, or big American crowd.

On the other hand, visiting Europe in scorching heat wave after three weeks was not fun.  Everyday I lived in a combination of awe and inspiration in front of the beautiful sceneries, and hesitation and guilt of eating too much ice cream.

Our Itinerary

Out of 9 days, we spent the first and last night in the capital city Tirana.  Due to the hot weather and limited time, we didn’t explore Tirana at all.  For the rest of the 7 days, we rented an airbnb in Himarë, right in the middle of Albanian Riviera.

It wasn’t our original plan to stay in one location, as we wanted to explore different parts of the Albanian Riviera.  However we didn’t find many quality airbnbs for our group size of 6.  The one in Himarë was the most spacious, decently decorated, and conveniently located.

Compared to the more touristic Ksamil in the south, and Vlorë in the north, Himarë was relatively more low key, perhaps due to the distance and effort to get there.  From Tirana, you have to drive on winding mountain road along the coast for 4 hours, not something enjoyable if you have to drive manual like we did.

During our stay, we took a day trip to Ksamil and visited Butrint National Park in the south of Albanian Riveria.

On our way back to Tirana, we stopped by Gjirokaster, which has a UNESCO heritage site in the old town.

All the sites beyond Himarë were brief visits.  Due to the extreme weather (high 90s or even 100F or above), we mostly stayed on the beach for the trip.  If we were to visit in friendlier weather, our itineraries would have been different.

My Favorite Photo Spots

1️⃣ Himarë Castle

Himarë Castle, perched on a hill overlooking the Ionian Sea in Albania, is a historic fortress that offers panoramic views of the surrounding coastal landscape. With origins dating back to ancient times, the castle's well-preserved ruins serve as a testament to the region's diverse history, making it a fascinating site for visitors seeking a glimpse into Albania's past.

This castle was within minutes walk from our airbnb.  We saw it everyday from our patio but didn’t walk up there until day 5, right during sunset.  The view from the hill where the castle stood was breathtaking! 

I didn’t bring my tripod, and only set my camera on the railing for the landscape shot.  The composition might not be the best but I still liked it.

2️⃣ Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Albania, is a captivating town renowned for its stunning collection of well-preserved Ottoman architecture, featuring distinctive stone houses and narrow cobblestone streets.

Nestled between the Gjerë mountains, Gjirokastër's ancient charm is enhanced by the imposing Gjirokastër Castle, offering panoramic views and a glimpse into the region's rich history. We totally fell in love with it. 

It was a great place to enjoy the Albanian culture and buy local souvenirs.  I wish we had more time to explore this town.

3️⃣ Livadhi Beach, Himarë

Lying on the beach for a whole day was never my travel style. But traveling with four kids in the extreme temperature I haven’t experienced for the past 20+ years gave us limited options.

My cameras and phone were constantly overheated, so I wasn’t taking pictures most of the time.

We kept coming back to Livadhi Beach.  And I kept taking pictures.  Undoubtedly, this was our favorite beach during the entire trip. Photography wise, I completely embraced the strong light that was often my least favorite. It brought out the best turquoise color from the beach water. This is the essential part of my teaching in the Document Happiness travel photography course.

Depending on which corner you go, you could form a different opinion of this beach.  The northern part was more local and original, while the southern part was more modern and lavish.

Miamar Hotel was one of the modern structures we absolutely loved. We couldn’t use its pool as we were not hotel guests, but the restaurant experience was great!

4️⃣ Gjipe Beach

Some of us would have rated this one as their favorite if we didn’t have to hike in the scorching sun for nearly 20 minutes (one way).  The bottom of my sandals melted on my way down to the beach. 

I had to walk back up to the car and get a different pair of shoes.  So the 40-minute hike for everyone else turned out to be 80 minutes for me.  Nevertheless, I totally enjoyed the view and couldn’t stop clicking my camera during my lone hike.

The water on this beach was the clearest among all the Albanian beaches we later visited.  However, compared to other beaches, facilities were very basic thanks to the remote hiking trail.

5️⃣ Bar Restaurant Marko

25-minute drive from Gjipe Beach, we stopped by here for dinner. It was right during sunset, and the view was fantastic!

6️⃣ Jale Beach

Another big beach similar to Livadhi.  There were quite a few restaurants.  No hiking was needed.  So it was convenient. 

We spent a whole day there and had both lunch and dinner in a restaurant tucked in the far end called Lemon.  It wasn’t crowded, and had ping pong, foosball, pool tables and swings, great for curious kids to hang out.

7️⃣ Llamani Beach

A random find.  We saw it on the map and simply went there.  We were told it was a private beach, and everything was priced at least double if not triple.

However, the beach umbrellas were just as dense as all the other beaches.  Plus, we lost Orion, my 5 yo for a good 20 minutes.  Fortunately, I found him.

We met two Albanian women living in New York City, and had a great conversation.  That somehow has compensated our negative experience on this beach.

Kids were super happy.  Apollo, my 8 yo, figured out how to swim on this beach, and was escalated.

8️⃣ Butrint National Park

Butrint National Park in Albania, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a captivating archaeological treasure trove showcasing the layers of history from ancient Greek and Roman times to medieval and Ottoman periods. This park encompasses the ancient city of Butrint, revealing well-preserved ruins such as a Hellenistic theater, Roman baths, and a Byzantine basilica amidst a lush and picturesque natural setting.

If you are into history, ruins as well as wetland and birds, this would be a perfect place to explore.  A few kids in our group refused to walk in the extreme heat (over 100F), so we didn’t explore the park as much as we wanted.

9️⃣ Ksamil

Ksamil, nestled along the Albanian Riviera, is a charming coastal village celebrated for its crystal-clear turquoise waters and pristine beaches, making it a popular seaside retreat. With its proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint, Ksamil offers not only a serene coastal escape but also easy access to the rich historical and archaeological wonders of the region.

Ksamil was high on our list but it didn’t turn out to be expected.  It was over 100F the day we visited, and the “best” beach was meat packed.  There was wild fire from Corfu Greece affecting the air quality and visibility (see photos above).  On our way back to Himarë, we had to pull over on a random spot and enjoy the sunset view. That was the best part of the day.

🔟 Vlorë

Vlorë, a coastal city in Albania, is a vibrant destination that combines a rich historical heritage with beautiful beaches along the Adriatic Sea. Known for its significant role in Albania's independence, Vlorë left us great impression with its modern, sleekly designed buildings lined with palm trees. The shoreline of Vlorë could be mistaken as a modern beach town in southern California. We totally didn’t expect that.

Vlorë is home to many cultural and historical sites. We stopped by its Old Town for lunch, and none of the kids were into walking in the heat to explore the town. So we only scratched the surface and didn’t learn much about it. If we have a chance for revisit Albania, I’d love to stop by this town.

We wrapped up the Albania episode of our summer Europe trip, and all agreed that the best part of our Albanian trip was in Himare, exactly where we have stayed.  And our favorite beach was Livadhi Beach, exactly the first beach we visited.

After Albania, we flew to Naples, Italy. Check out our 1-week charter sail In Amalfi Coast, our itinerary and favorite islands.

Similar to the Bulgaria scenario, most of my Albania photos were taken with my Canon R5 + Canon RF24-70mm f2.8 + NiSi 1-5 stop variable filter. See my complete gear list.

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