Walking Albania's Coast: A Riviera Still Finding Its Feet

By Michele Salazar

There is a stretch of the Ionian coast where the mountains fall almost straight into the sea, the water turns a blue you half expect to be exaggerated in photos, and the villages sit so quietly on the hillsides that you start to wonder where everyone has gone. This is southern Albania in spring, and for a week in April it was mine to walk through, mostly alone but for a shepherd or two and the occasional group of hikers coming the other way.

I joined the Albania Coastal Walk, basing myself in the seaside town of Himarë for five nights before moving up into the mountains of Llogara National Park and finishing in the capital, Tirana. The routes trace the most scenic sections of coast to the north and south of Himarë, following ancient mule paths and goat trails that shepherds have used for centuries, along with a few more recent additions like the so-called Prisoners Trail, cut during the communist era. Here is how the week unfolded.

Arriving on the Riviera

The trip begins with a transfer from Tirana, a drive of around four hours that ends with a steep, winding descent to the coast. The final stretch is the one that stays with you, the road dropping through the mountains until the Ionian opens up ahead and the town of Himarë appears along the shore.

Himarë made an easy base. I stayed at the southern end of town, a quieter and less developed pocket than the busy northern promenade, though everything was still within an easy stroll. My hotel sat right on the water, and after settling in I regrouped with the group for the first of many long, unhurried dinners: soup and bread, eggplant and capsicum in balsamic, a bright salad of orange and iceberg lettuce, and a whole fish to finish.

Kudhes to Qeparo: an easy start through the olive groves

The first walking day set the tone. A short transfer dropped us near the village of Kudhes, and from there the trail climbed gently through olive groves towards the settlement above. The villages up here feel sparsely populated and almost untouched, and the walking was relaxed, with only slight undulations along the mountainside and a few rocky sections underfoot.

We stopped for a sit-down lunch in Old Qeparo, a lovely spot shared with a couple of other walking groups, before the path dropped down old shepherd trails to Qeparo Beach and the chance for a swim in water so clear it looked lit from below. On the way back we called in at Porto Palermo Castle, sitting on a small island reached by a narrow causeway. It was closed the day we visited, but the setting alone was worth the stop.

Vuno to Himarë: cliffs, coves and a coast in transition

Day two of walking was longer, starting in the village of Vuno and opening onto exposed coastal terrain with little shade. This is a hike-and-swim kind of day, passing beach after beach and cove after cove, each one holding that same vivid turquoise water.

It also showed me a side of the Riviera worth knowing about before you come. In April, the beachside resorts sit almost deserted, half-built and overgrown, with only a few workers preparing for the season ahead. There is a strange, cinematic stillness to it, like a film set waiting for its cast. There is also a fair amount of new construction along the coast, a reminder that this part of Albania is changing quickly. The small bays and clear water more than made up for it, and there was time for a final swim about an hour from the hotel.

The Prisoners Trail: Lukovë to Borsh

With rain forecast for the inland hills, our guide Kreshnik swapped the order of the next two days, so we took to the coastal Prisoners Trail from Lukovë to Borsh. We started a little later to let the morning showers pass, then wound down through terraced olive groves towards the southern end of Bunec Beach, the coastline unfolding in sweeping vistas of turquoise framed by rugged hills.

Much of the day felt like a beach walk, though the trail spent most of its time on the headlands above the shoreline, with wild thyme lining the path and releasing its scent as we passed. Concrete bunkers dotted the hillsides throughout, one of the more than 170,000 scattered across the country and a constant reminder of Albania's communist past. It made for a relaxed day with a real sense of history layered underneath.

Into the mountains: Lukovë to Piqeras

This was the day the trip changed character. Where the earlier walks had been gentle, the mountain route from Lukovë to Piqeras is a different proposition: remote, rugged and quietly wild. From the moment I left Lukovë until I reached Piqeras there was almost no sign of human life beyond the odd shepherd's hut. In a full day of walking I crossed paths with just one other group.

The scenery was the reward for the effort. Expansive coastal views, rugged mountain terrain, and hillsides lit up with wildflowers that softened the harder edges of the landscape. The trail is not clearly marked and can be heavily overgrown in places, so navigation takes real attention. The middle section traverses exposed mountainside on narrow goat paths, with steep drops and a tangle of animal trails, and the final descent runs down a loose, rocky track. It is more demanding underfoot and more remote than the coastal days, and all the more memorable for it.

That evening brought one of the highlights of the whole week. We climbed to the castle ruins above Old Himarë to watch the sun drop over the Ionian, the elevated ground giving us a panorama across the coast and the mountains behind. Dinner followed nearby at the excellent Fig & Olive, on a terrace overlooking the water. The temperature fell fast once the sun went down, and I was glad of Kreshnik's earlier advice to pack an extra layer.

Llogara National Park and Mt Gjipali

After five nights in Himarë we packed up and moved to Hotel Sofo, a mountain lodge in Llogara National Park with an alpine feel closer to something you might find in Austria than on a Mediterranean coast. Bags dropped, we set straight out on foot.

The change in terrain was immediate. Where the coastal trails had been rough and improvised, the path here felt like a proper alpine route, climbing steadily through forest thick with moss-covered rocks before breaking above the treeline into open, exposed ground. Strong winds and a sharp drop in temperature made this the most demanding day so far, particularly near the antenna towers on the ridge, where the cold was biting. The views were the payoff: the rugged coastline on one side and the dramatic peaks of the Ceraunian Mountains on the other.

Maja Qorres via the Dhjopuri Saddle

The final full day of walking was the hardest, with more than 1,000 metres of climbing on a steep route to Maja Qorres by way of the Dhjopuri Saddle. The distance was modest but the sustained ascent made it a proper challenge, well beyond what the earlier coastal days had asked of us.

The first section climbs to the saddle at a moderate grade, and from there walkers had a choice. Those wanting a shorter day could rest at the saddle and return, an option about half the group sensibly took. For the rest of us, Kreshnik led on to the summit of Maja Qorres at 2,018 metres. Beyond the saddle the terrain steepened sharply, and the final push involved a genuine scramble with plenty of hands-on rock and careful footing. Anyone uneasy with heights would find it intimidating, but reaching the top felt like a real achievement. Sitting beside a patch of snow while looking down to the sparkling coastline far below was one of the standout moments of the trip.

That evening we drove back to Tirana and rounded off the walking with dinner at Mrizi i Zanave, a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant serving traditional Albanian cooking. A fitting way to close the week.

An extra day in Berat

With time to spare in Tirana, I took a two-and-a-half-hour bus into central Albania to Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage town known as the City of a Thousand Windows for the white Ottoman houses that cascade down the hillside below its castle. The old town, the castle district and the riverside setting made a lovely contrast to a week of coast and mountains, and I would happily recommend it as an add-on to anyone with a spare day.

Should you walk it?

If you come expecting a gentle stroll from beach to beach the whole way, this trip will surprise you, and I mean that as a compliment. The coastal days are relaxed and accessible, but the mountain stages ask more of you, both physically and in terms of navigation. That range is part of what makes the week so satisfying. You move from swimming in hidden coves to standing on a snow-dusted summit, all within a few days.

A reasonable level of fitness and a willingness to embrace a country that is still developing its trail network will serve you well. Come with that, and Albania's coast offers something increasingly rare in Europe: a corner that still feels like your own.

Practical Information

When to go

Spring and autumn are the sweet spots. In April the hillsides are green and covered in wildflowers, the trails are quiet, and the resorts have yet to fill for summer. Daytime walking is comfortable, but the higher mountain days can be cold and windy, so pack accordingly. The summer months bring the crowds and the heat, which makes the exposed coastal walking far less pleasant.

Getting there

The trip starts and finishes in Tirana, with a transfer of around four hours to Himarë along the Albanian Riviera. The drive is scenic in its own right, passing lagoons and coastal viewpoints before the final descent to the sea.

What to pack

Layers are essential. The coastal days can be warm and exposed, while the mountain stages bring wind and a sharp drop in temperature, especially in the evenings and on the summits. Bring sturdy, well-broken-in footwear, as the trails range from smooth cobbled paths to loose, rocky descents. Sun protection, plenty of water and swimwear for the beaches will all earn their place in your pack.

Good to know

Trail markings along the coast are basic and often faded, and reliable maps are scarce, so the navigation materials provided are worth studying. Tap water in Himarë is not drinkable, but bottled water is easy to buy nearby. And keep an eye out for the bunkers: once you spot your first, you will see them everywhere.

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