The Riviera & south

A small coastal town on a green hillside above the sea in daylight

Updated 8 November 2026

Albania Without the Crowds: Where to Go Instead of Ksamil

Albanian arrivals keep climbing, but the squeeze is in a few hotspots. Himara, Dhermi, Palase, Borsh and inland bases, and how quiet each really is.

Rows of straw and white parasols with sunbeds laid out on a pebble beach, seen from above

Updated 4 November 2026

Free vs Paid Beaches in Albania: What the Rules Actually Give You

Albanian rules reserve part of the coast as public beach. What that means in practice, why it varies by municipality, and what sunbeds cost in peak season.

Straw umbrellas and sun loungers lining a pebble beach beside turquoise water in Ksamil

Updated 18 October 2026

Saranda or Ksamil: Where to Base on the Albanian Riviera

Saranda vs Ksamil as a base on the Albanian Riviera: beaches, hotels, restaurants, transport, day trips and crowds, with a clear verdict per traveller.

Ksamil beach in Albania with turquoise water and small offshore islands

Updated 16 October 2026

Three Days in Saranda and Ksamil

An honest three days in Saranda and Ksamil: a day by day plan for beaches, Butrint at dawn, quiet coves, and the five mistakes that swallow a short trip.

The seafront promenade at Vlore with pine trees and the Adriatic beyond, Albania

Updated 16 October 2026

Vlore: Where Albania Declared Independence and the Riviera Begins

A working port city with a long promenade, the square where the country was founded in 1912, and the road south that becomes the best drive in the Balkans.

The beach and promenade of Saranda curving around the bay with the town behind, Albania

Updated 16 October 2026

Where to Stay in Saranda and Ksamil: An Honest Guide

Where to stay on the Albanian Riviera: Saranda for restaurants and transport, Ksamil for the water, quieter villages between, and what a sea view costs.

The white sand and turquoise sea of Ksamil with small green islands offshore on the Albanian Riviera

Updated 15 October 2026

The Albanian Riviera: The Best Places on the Coast

The best spots on the Albanian Riviera, from the islands of Ksamil to Dhërmi, hidden Gjipe, laid-back Himarë and lively Saranda, and how to link them.