It’s the end of the high tourist season, the crowd are leaving and the days are getting a little cooler — and tourism experts say it is the perfect time for tourists who like a more quiet time to discover Albania’s marvellous southern coast — the Riviera.
“The beaches are often open until mid-September and the exploring gets a little easier without the crowds and the heat,” says one tourist who always visits the Albanian Riviera in September.
Prices tend to be cheaper too, he adds.
“Unsung, undeveloped and eminently affordable, the Albanian Riviera has all the natural attractions of its Croatian counterpart further north but without the crowds and considerable expense. Here you have white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and Mediterranean villages barely changed since long before King Zog.”
That’s how U.S-based Frommer’s travel guide described the Albanian Riviera in 2012 when it named the southern coastal area stretching from Vlore to Saranda along the Ionian Sea as the top value destination around the world.
“Paragliding and hiking provide peaceful recreation in a landscape dotted with lemon groves, olive plantations, and castles built by medieval Sultans intent on taking Corfu. Borsh is considered the warmest spot in Albania. Romans, Greeks and Venetians scrapped for its three-mile-long beach, the longest on Albania’s Ionian coast.”
In nearby verdant Qeparo, Greeks and Albanians live amid olive groves planted before Napoleon, positioned above a beautiful beach you’ll barely have to share.
For real isolation, swim between the four Ksamili Islands just south of Sarand롩n Albania’s extreme southwest, blessed with a beachside bar, maybe two.
Back in 2012, The Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest national newspaper, placed the Albanian Riviera as the top destination among the six best places to visit in 2012.
“The beaches and the scenery in the Ionian Coast of Albania, also known as the Albanian Riviera are stunning, and you won’t find yacht-loads of tourists,” said Globe and Mail.
Albania offers a miscellaneous picture of coastal and mountain tourism and has been attracting more and more foreign tourists in the past few years being nicknamed as “A New Mediterranean Love” and “Europe’s Last Secret”.
Vlora, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian
The Albanian coastline south of Vlora down to Saranda offers one of the most scenic and spectacular views along the Adriatic and Ionian coasts. The road past the tunnel follows the rocky cliffs and blue waters of the Adriatic, with charming hotels and popular beaches along the way. South of Orikum, the road heads inland and moves down a dramatic valley with steep mountains on either side. There are many small villages situated high in the mountains and visitors will see small booths by the side of the road with mountain tea, raki, wine, honey, olive oil, and fresh milk for sale.
At the end of the valley, the road twists and turns through a steep pass and the vegetation changes from fields to pine forests. Flag pines, which are named for their flat tops, shaped by decades of wind whistling through the pass, can be seen. There are many roast lamb restaurants serving succulent and juicy roasted meats.
At the top of the pass, visitors will be treated to a 1000 m (3,281 ft) elevation view of the Ionian Sea, with a steep slope plunging down to the water’s edge. Hair-raising switchback turns bring drivers closer to the sea once again, passing small villages and quiet beaches. Sit back, enjoy the view and the quiet life in this unspoiled area of the Albanian Riviera.
Located in south-western Albania where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet, Vlora enjoys a beautiful position as the gateway to the Albanian Riviera, which is the gem of Albanian tourist destinations. The town with its wide boulevards decorated by huge palm trees has a real southern Mediterranean feel to it. It is located in front of Karaburuni peninsula and Sazani Island, close to various sandy and rocky beaches and the scenic nearby mountains. Vlora hosts Albania’s second largest port, having regular ferry boat connections with Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi.
The oldest traces of civilization in the area of Vlora date back to the 6th century B.C. In ancient times, the city was founded as a port, and was known under the name of Aulona, famous for its olive groves and vineyards.
At the fourteenth century, Vlora became an important trading and handicraft centre noted apart from wines and salt, for its swords, its ships and its silk.
The Turkish invasion took place in 1417. In 1531 Sultan Suleiman built a fortress, which is believed to have been designed by the architect Sinan of Albanian origin. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Vlora had again become an important economic centre and port, it was taken by Ali Pasha Tepelena in 1812.
Although an important town throughout history its claim to fame came on November 28th, 1912, when Albanian leaders led by Ismail Qemali declared the country’s independence there to end five centuries under Ottoman rule. The town was the first capital of independent Albania.
Lagoon of Narta – a place worth visiting for the nature lovers. The lagoon is rich in species of water fowls and fish. On the shore of the lagoon there are Narta and Zverneci villages, which are well known for their local wine. In the small island in front of Zverneci there is a Byzantine church of Saint Mary (XVI century). The island is covered by dense Mediterranean woods and together with the cape of Triporti makes a very nice natural place.
Kanina Castle – was built in the village with the same name which is about 6 km south-east of Vlora. The castle rises on the side of the Shushica Mountain, about 380 meters above the sea level. The elders of Kanina say that 5 “nations” worked on the castle: Illyrians, Romans, Venetians, Byzantinne and the Ottoman. Inhabited in antiquity since the 7th or 6th century BC and fortified since the 2nd half of the 4th century BC, it was also of great importance in late antiquity and in the Middle Ages. The defensive circuit is about 1,000 m long and encloses an area of about 3.5 ha.
Orikum – the ancient town of Orikum was established in the 7th – 6th century BC by Hellenic settlers. The settlement of about 5 ha in extent lies on a low limestone hill right at the southern end of the Bay of Vlora, about 30 km from the city of Vlora. It is close to a harbour which was mentioned by Julius Caesar as having great strategic importance. Approx. 4 km from modern Orikum is located Archaeological Park of Orikum. On the outskirts of the Archaeological Park is the Marmiroi Church, dated back to the time of Byzantine Emperor Theodorus, around the 13th century AD.
Grama – is a small bay on the west coast of the Karaburun peninsula, which since antiquity has offered shelter to shipping from storms and rough seas. On the rocks around the bay can be seen many inscriptions scratched by seafarers, including one by the Byzantine emperor Manuel II (1391-1425).
Pass of Llogara – Leaving Vlora through the scenic coastal road to Saranda you will climb up towards the Pass of Llogara, a National Park covered by dense forest of pine trees, 1027 m above sea level. There is a tourist village with wooden made villas. Llogara is an excellent place for air sports such as paragliding, delta plan etc. The mountain is very close to the beach, so you can combine the mountain climate with the warm of the sea.
Churches of Saint Stephen and Saint Mitri -in the village of Dhermi (XII -XIV centuries)
Fortress of Porto Palermo (Ali Pasha Tepelene Castle) – This coastal fortress lies about 60 km to the south of Vlora, near Himara, and was built at the beginning of the 19th century by Ali Pasha of Tepelene for his beautiful young wife. The width of the stones is 1.6meters. This castle was designed by a French engineer and was constructed in the shape of a pentagon.
Amantia – An Illyrian town near the modern village of Plloc, about 40 km to the south-east of Vlora. Amantia was founded at the end of the 4th century BC. Archaeological excavations have revealed the defensive walls, the stadium, a temple, a basilica and many artefacts, which tell us much about the development of the settlement and its trading connections with the Mediterranean world. The defensive walls were built to encircle the acropolis in the 4th century BC. The stadium of Amantia, which is remarkably well preserved, had a capacity of 3,000 spectators and was built in the 2nd half of the 3rd century BC.
(Information from Frommer’s, Western Balkans Geotourism Mapguide, Travelling in Albania, Vlora Municipality)
