North of Sarandë, the coast road winds through a string of villages known as the Albanian Riviera, and it’s one of the most scenic stretches of coastline in the Mediterranean that most travelers still haven’t heard of.
Himarë splits into a quiet old town on the hillside, with narrow stone streets and a small Byzantine-era castle, and a modern beach strip below with guesthouses and tavernas. It’s the calmer of the two towns, with fewer crowds than Dhërmi.
Dhërmi has become the party beach of the Riviera, with beach bars and DJ sets running well past sunset in July and August. By day it’s a proper beach town for swimming, by night it’s one of the liveliest spots on the entire coast.
Gjipe Canyon. Roughly halfway between the two towns, a 30 to 45 minute hike down into this dramatic limestone gorge leads to a secluded beach reachable only on foot or by boat, with a small basic campsite at the bottom for anyone tempted to stay the night.
Llogara Pass. The road connecting the Riviera to Vlorë climbs sharply through Llogara National Park before dropping back to the coast in a series of switchbacks, one of the most dramatic drives in the country, with a viewpoint near the top looking straight down over the sea.
Getting around. Buses and furgons run the coast road in summer, though schedules loosen up outside July and August, a rented scooter gives far more flexibility for stopping at random viewpoints along the way.