The Albanian Riviera road trip is the drive down the SH8 coast road from Vlorë to Sarandë — roughly 120–130 km of switchbacks over the Llogara Pass, hidden pebble coves, and one seaside town after another, with Dhërmi sitting almost exactly in the middle. It is pure driving of about 3.5–4 hours, but with beach stops most people spread it over two or three days and use Dhërmi as their base. Here is the whole route, north to south, with the numbers you need to plan it.
TL;DR: the Vlorë–Sarandë drive
| Detail | The short answer |
|---|---|
| Total distance | ~120–130 km along the SH8 |
| Pure driving time | ~3.5–4 hours; budget 6–7 hours in peak-summer traffic |
| How long to allow | 2–3 days with beach and town stops |
| Where to base | Dhërmi — halfway, central to every stop |
| High point | Llogara Pass, ~1,027 m (or the Llogara Tunnel underneath) |
| Best months | June–September; late June and September are quieter |
| Getting a car | Hire in Albania (Tirana, Vlorë or Sarandë) — Greek/Corfu rentals usually can't cross the border |
| Money | Albanian lek; ~95 lek ≈ €1; carry cash for tolls, sunbeds and fuel |
Why base yourself in Dhërmi
Dhërmi is the natural pivot for this drive: it is about 50 km south of Vlorë and roughly the same distance again from Sarandë, so every headline stop on the Riviera is an easy half-day out and back. You can sleep in one place, unpack once, and still reach the Llogara Pass, Gjipe, Himarë and Porto Palermo without repacking the car each morning. See where to stay in Dhërmi for the neighbourhoods, and the best beaches near Dhërmi and best day trips for what fills the days.
The route, north to south
| Leg | Distance | Driving time | Why stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vlorë → Llogara Pass | ~35 km | ~50 min | The climb and the panoramic descent to the coast |
| Llogara → Dhërmi | ~15 km | ~25 min | White-pebble beaches, beach clubs, the old village |
| Dhërmi → Himarë | ~15 km | ~20 min | Riviera's main town, castle, tavernas |
| Himarë → Porto Palermo | ~10 km | ~15 min | Ali Pasha's castle on its own bay |
| Porto Palermo → Borsh | ~20 km | ~30 min | Albania's longest beach (~7 km) |
| Borsh → Sarandë | ~30 km | ~45 min | Gateway to Ksamil and Butrint |
Times are for clear conditions; the SH8 is a two-lane mountain road, so allow more in July and August, when the switchbacks around Llogara can slow you to a crawl.
Vlorë — the northern gateway
Most road trips start in Vlorë, the last big town before the mountains and the point where the fast A2/SH4 motorway from Tirana ends. It is a working port city with a long waterfront; many travellers simply pick up a hire car, stock up on cash and water, and push straight on for the pass.
The Llogara Pass — the drive of the trip
South of Vlorë the road climbs into the Ceraunian Mountains to the Llogara Pass at about 1,027 m, cresting in pine forest before the road tips over the edge and the entire Riviera opens up below you. It is the single most memorable stretch of the SH8. Since 2024 there is also the ~6 km Llogara Tunnel (Albania's longest) bored straight under the mountains: it turns a 40-minute mountain haul into a few minutes, and after running toll-free through 2025 a toll of around 250 lek (about €2.50) per car each way — 500 lek for a return — came in from 2026, paid in cash at the booth. Take the tunnel to save time, the old pass road for the views — you can do one each way.
Dhërmi & Drymades — the midpoint base
Down on the coast, Dhërmi and neighbouring Drymades share the same white-pebble shore and clear turquoise water below the mountains. This is the recommended overnight: beach clubs, tavernas, a hillside old village with St. Mary's Monastery above it, and boats running out to Gjipe Beach and the sea caves. Sunbeds on the main beaches typically run ~1,500–3,000 lek (€15–30) a pair, cash in lek.
Himarë & Porto Palermo — the middle Riviera
About 20 minutes south, Himarë is the largest town on this stretch, with its own beaches, a hilltop old town and the best concentration of tavernas on the coast. A little further, the castle at Porto Palermo — linked with the 19th-century ruler Ali Pasha Tepelena — sits on a low headland in a sheltered bay, an easy and photogenic stop about 35 minutes from Dhërmi — and one of the coast's best photo spots.
Borsh — the longest beach
Past Porto Palermo the coast opens into Borsh, whose beach runs for roughly 7 km — the longest on the Albanian Riviera, and Albania's longest unbroken beach (Velipoja in the north is longer in total, ~14 km, but a lagoon canal breaks it up). It is a broad strand of grey pebble and mixed sand backed by olive groves that rarely feels crowded even in August — a good place to stretch the drive with a long, lazy swim. The village proper sits about 2 km inland, an olive-farming settlement of some 2,500 people whose groves have pressed oil for centuries and still turn out some of Albania's most prized olive oil — worth a short detour if you want lunch away from the sand.
Sarandë & Ksamil — the southern end
The road ends near Sarandë, the Riviera's biggest resort town and the port for the Corfu ferry. Just south, Ksamil has the most Caribbean-looking water in Albania, turquoise and dotted with tiny swimmable islets, and the UNESCO-listed ruins of Butrint lie a short drive beyond. Many drivers make Sarandë–Ksamil–Butrint a full day of its own.
Renting a car & driving the SH8
A car is really the only sensible way to do this trip — bus and furgon (shared minibus) services run the coast in summer but are slow and infrequent. A few practical notes:
- Hire inside Albania. Pick up in Tirana, Vlorë or Sarandë. Cars rented in Greece or on Corfu almost never allow crossing into Albania, so if you arrive by ferry, rent on the Albanian side in Sarandë instead.
- Fuel and cash. Fill up in the larger towns (Vlorë, Himarë, Sarandë); carry lek in cash for the Llogara Tunnel toll, fuel at smaller stations, sunbeds and parking.
- Drive defensively. The SH8 is paved and scenic but narrow and winding, with blind bends, the occasional pothole and summer traffic. Take the switchbacks slowly and don't plan tight timings.
- Stay connected. Albania is outside the EU, so EU roaming bundles don't apply here — a data eSIM such as Saily is a cheap way to keep maps and bookings working on the road.
For the full arrival picture — Tirana airport, the pass, the ferry — see our getting to Dhërmi guide, and practical info for money, tipping and the local tourist tax.
What the trip costs
The Riviera is still cheap by Western-European standards, but summer prices have climbed and the small cash outgoings add up. Rough per-day figures for two people, in lek with the euro equivalent:
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car hire | ~€30–50 / day | Lower off-season, higher in Aug; book early |
| Fuel | pump-priced in lek | Fill up in Vlorë, Himarë and Sarandë |
| Llogara Tunnel toll | ~250 lek (€2.50) | Per car, one way, cash only |
| Two sunbeds + umbrella | ~1,500–3,000 lek (€15–30) | Per beach, cash in lek |
| A taverna lunch for two | ~2,000–4,000 lek (€20–40) | More at beachfront clubs |
Prices vary widely by season and venue, so treat these as planning guides rather than fixed quotes. The one constant is cash: beach operators, small fuel stations, parking attendants and the tunnel booth all want lek in hand, so top up in the towns and don't rely on a card between them.
When to drive it
June to September is the swimming season, but the shoulders reward you. Late June and September keep the water warm while thinning the August crowds that clog the Llogara switchbacks and fill the beach clubs. July and August are hottest and busiest — book accommodation and popular sunbeds ahead, and start each driving leg early to beat both the heat and the traffic. Outside those months many beach bars shutter and coast transport thins to almost nothing, so it becomes a car-only, quieter, cooler trip. See the best time to visit Dhërmi for the month-by-month picture.
How many days do you need?
You can drive Vlorë to Sarandë in a single long day, but it wastes the point of the coast. A comfortable plan:
- 2 days: one night in Dhërmi, one in Sarandë, swimming your way south.
- 3 days: add a full day for Ksamil and Butrint, or a boat trip and a slow morning on the Llogara Pass.
Base in Dhërmi and you can also run the whole thing as a series of day trips without moving hotels — see the best day trips from Dhërmi for how they string together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Albanian Riviera road trip take?
The SH8 from Vlorë to Sarandë is about 120–130 km and roughly 3.5–4 hours of pure driving, but with beach and town stops most people spread it over two or three days. Budget 6–7 hours if you drive it straight through in peak-summer traffic.
Should I take the Llogara Pass or the Llogara Tunnel?
Both, ideally — one each way. The pass road climbs to about 1,027 m for the Riviera's best views; the 2024 tunnel underneath saves roughly half an hour and charges a small toll of around 250 lek (€2.50) per car, paid in cash since 2026.
Can I drive a Corfu rental car on the Albanian Riviera?
Usually not. Greek and Corfu-based rental companies almost universally forbid taking their cars into Albania. If you arrive by ferry from Corfu, the simplest fix is to rent a separate car on the Albanian side in Sarandë.
Where is the best base for a Riviera road trip?
Dhërmi. It sits roughly halfway between Vlorë and Sarandë, so the Llogara Pass, Gjipe, Himarë, Porto Palermo and Borsh are all easy half-day trips, and you can stay put instead of changing hotels each night.
What currency and payment should I bring?
Albania uses the lek (about 95 lek to €1 in 2026, and strengthening). Beach sunbeds, small fuel stations, parking and the Llogara Tunnel toll are cash-in-lek, so carry notes even though larger hotels and some clubs take cards.
