Vlore is not a resort and it is one of the more useful places in Albania. It is a working port city of a couple of hundred thousand people with a long seafront, a square where the modern country was declared into existence in 1912, and a position exactly at the hinge of the coast: north of it the Adriatic is flat sand and resort strips, south of it the road climbs a thousand metres over a pass and drops into the Ionian. A great many people drive straight through. A night here improves the trip considerably.
What to see
The Independence Monument and the museum in the house where the declaration was signed.
The seafront promenade, several kilometres of it, which is where the city walks in the evening.
The Muradie mosque, in the old centre, small and sixteenth century.
Zvernec, a monastery on a wooded island reached by a wooden causeway across a lagoon.
The Kanina castle, on the hill above the city, for the view.
The beaches south, towards Radhime and Orikum, which are better than the city ones.
Why the position matters
North of Vlore: flat Adriatic sand, Durres, resorts, shallow warm water.
South of Vlore: the Llogara pass, pine forest at a thousand metres, then the Ionian.
Three hours from Tirana, three to four from Saranda.
A ferry to Italy from the port.
The natural overnight between the capital and the southern coast.
The last real city before the Riviera villages.
Practical notes
Buses and furgons connect Vlore with Tirana, Saranda and Berat frequently.
Cash for markets, furgons and small restaurants.
Seafood on the promenade is the local speciality and is cheap.
Summer is hot and the city fills with domestic holidaymakers in August.
Parking in the centre is easier than in Tirana and not free.
The pass can be closed or slow in bad winter weather.
Eating here
Fish and seafood, on the front, priced by weight and cheaper than the Riviera.
Roast lamb, at the top of the Llogara pass, which is the regional dish.
Byrek, from bakeries, which is breakfast.
Local wine, from the hills inland, which is barely exported.
Espresso, everywhere, at any hour.
Ice cream on the promenade in the evening, which is what the city does.
Where this fits in an Albania trip
One night, between Tirana and the southern Riviera, in either direction.
For the coast that starts here and runs south, our guide to the Albanian Riviera covers the villages.
For the specific beaches worth driving to, our guide to the best beaches in Albania covers the list.
And for the wider question of choosing this coast over the Greek one, our Albania or Greece comparison covers the trade offs.
The short version
Stop here for a night rather than driving Tirana to Saranda in one go, because it splits a six hour day and puts the Llogara pass in the morning. See the independence museum, walk the promenade in the evening and eat fish on the front. Take an hour for the monastery island at Zvernec, which almost nobody does. Then drive the pass early, stop at the top for the lamb and the cooler air, and descend into the Riviera with the day ahead of you.
