Why Honeymoon on the Albanian Riviera
It offers the look of the Greek Ionian islands without the ferry schedules or the island prices. The sea here is clean and deep close to shore. Many beaches are pebble rather than sand, which keeps the water clear even on windy days.
The setting is dramatic. At Dhërmi the old village of stone houses sits high on the hill, with chapels scattered across the slope and the beach far below. Himarë has a hilltop castle quarter above a working town. Qeparo has an older upper village that is almost deserted and a newer lower one beside the sea.
It also suits couples who like a little adventure. You can hike to beaches, rent a boat with a local skipper or drive the coast road to a castle on a peninsula. Then you can come back to a comfortable room with a balcony over the water. Dinners are long, inexpensive and built around whatever came off the boats that morning.
When to Go
June and September are the best months. The sea has warmed into the 70s Fahrenheit, beach clubs and restaurants are open and you can still find a quiet stretch of pebbles. Early October is often lovely too, though some places start closing for the winter.
July and August are peak season. Albanian families on holiday join visitors from Kosovo and the rest of Europe. Jale, Dhërmi and Himarë fill up, parking becomes a contest and room rates jump. Book early if those are your dates. Choose a hotel with its own stretch of beach or a pool so you are not fighting for a sunbed.
May is pleasant for walking and sightseeing, but the water is still cool. From November to April most beach hotels and clubs close and the coast turns sleepy and often rainy. Winter suits a road trip more than a beach honeymoon.
Where to Stay
Dhërmi is the most polished base. The lower village along the beach has the beach clubs and most of the newer boutique hotels. The upper village has stone guesthouses with views straight down the coast and a quieter evening scene. Drymades, just north, has a long beach with a few larger hotels.
Himarë is the practical choice. It is a real town with a seafront promenade, supermarkets and plenty of restaurants. Livadhi beach sits a short drive or walk north of the center. Stay near the water or up in the old castle quarter for views.
For quiet, look at Qeparo, Borsh or Palasë. Borsh has one of the longest beaches on the Ionian, backed by olive groves. Palasë, at the foot of the Llogara Pass, has seen new upscale development aimed at couples who want a resort feel.
Whatever you choose, ask about parking, air conditioning and sea views before booking. Many smaller places do not have all three.
Romantic Things to Do
Walk to Gjipe. Park near the Monastery of St. Theodore and follow the track down through the canyon to a beach framed by tall cliffs. Bring water and good sandals, since the walk back up is hot. Go early or late to beat the boat crowds.
Hire a boat. Skippers in Himarë and Dhërmi run trips to coves you cannot reach by road, with stops to swim in sea caves. A private half-day trip is one of the best splurges on this coast.
Drive the Llogara Pass in late afternoon. The road climbs through pine forest to a viewpoint where the whole Riviera falls away below you. Stop at a roadside grill for roast lamb on the way down.
Visit Porto Palermo, a small fortress linked to Ali Pasha on a spit in a deep blue bay south of Himarë. Then end the day with a sunset drink above the beach at Jale or Livadhi.
Getting There and Around
Most couples fly into Tirana and drive south. The trip to Dhërmi takes about three and a half to four hours via Vlorë and the Llogara Pass. Allow extra time for the switchbacks and stop at the top for the view.
The alternative is to fly to Corfu, take the ferry to Saranda and drive north. Himarë is about an hour and a half from Saranda by road, depending on traffic. This route pairs neatly with a few days in Ksamil.
A rental car is close to essential. The coast road links every village, but buses are infrequent and the best beaches sit at the end of steep side lanes. Drive slowly, watch for goats and oncoming cars on blind bends and avoid the mountain sections after dark. In high summer, arrive at popular beaches before ten to find parking. A boat is often the easiest way to hop between coves.
Food and Drink
Eat fish. Restaurants on the Riviera often display the morning catch on ice and charge by weight. Sea bream, sea bass, red mullet and octopus are common, grilled with olive oil and lemon. Ask the price per kilo before you order a large fish.
The hills behind the coast are sheep and goat country, so lamb and kid roasted slowly over wood are worth a detour, especially at the grills on the Llogara road. Try a Greek-style salad with local white cheese, fried zucchini with yogurt and fresh figs in late summer.
Albanian wine has improved quickly. Look for reds made from the native Kallmet or Shesh i Zi grapes. Raki, the clear grape spirit, comes out at the end of meals and sometimes before them. Coffee culture is strong. A morning espresso on the promenade in Himarë watching the town wake up is one of the better small rituals of the trip.
Honeymoon Tips
Bring water shoes. Most beaches are pebble and some have sea urchins near the rocks.
Carry cash in lek. Beach bars, small restaurants and parking attendants often do not take cards. Euros usually work, but the exchange rate will not favor you.
Check how sunbeds are handled. Many beaches are split into club sections where you rent a pair of loungers and an umbrella for the day. Front rows cost more in high season. Free public sections usually exist at the edges.
If you want privacy, base yourselves in an upper village rather than on the beachfront. The music from beach bars in Jale and lower Dhërmi can run late in August.
Book your first and last nights near Tirana or Saranda so the long drive does not fall on a travel day. Leave room in the plan for a lazy day with no driving at all.
