Dhërmi to Himarë: Beaches, Old Town & Castle

Of all the outings from Dhërmi, the Dhërmi to Himarë run is the easiest win: Himarë is only about 20 minutes south down the coast, the largest town on this stretch of the Albanian Riviera, with its own string of beaches, a hilltop old town crowned by a castle, and the best concentration of tavernas on the coast. It makes a relaxed half- or full-day, and it's the obvious first day trip if you're finding your feet. Here's what to see and how to string it together.

TL;DR: Dhërmi to Himarë

The quick, scenic hop

Himarë sits about 15–20 km down the SH8 from Dhërmi, a 20–30-minute drive past coves and olive slopes. It's short enough that you can go for lunch and a swim and be back for sunset, or make a full day of it with a beach. A car or scooter is easiest, but this is also the one day trip that's genuinely doable without a car: the summer furgons on the coast road run between the two, and a taxi is cheap for a small group (see Dhërmi without a car). For the whole southbound coast, this is the first leg of the Dhërmi to Sarandë drive.

Himarë's beaches

Himarë has more beaches than Dhërmi, spread along the town and the coast just south:

• Livadhi — the long, family-friendly strand on the way into town, shallow and backed by pines, with beach bars and watersports.
• Spile — the main town beach, walkable from the centre and handy for a quick swim between sightseeing and lunch.
• Potami — a popular pebble beach just south, with clear water and beach clubs.
• Filikuri and the coves — smaller, harder-to-reach spots best via boat trip along the coast.

Sunbeds run the usual cash-in-lek rates, roughly 1,500–3,000 lek (€15–30) a pair. For how they stack up against Dhërmi's, see the best beaches near Dhërmi.

The old town and castle

The part that makes Himarë more than a beach stop is the old town — Kastro (Kalaja) — on the hill above the modern seafront. Founded in antiquity as Chimaera (the source of the modern name) and lived in ever since, it is the only continuously inhabited medieval quarter on the Albanian Riviera. A steep lane climbs to a walled warren of stone houses — many restored, some ruined — inside a hilltop castle whose fortifications reach back over two millennia, dotted with the Orthodox churches of Himarë's historic Greek-speaking community and long views over the coast. It's an atmospheric hour's wander, best in the softer light of late afternoon when the day-trippers have thinned. Wear proper shoes for the cobbles and the climb.

Where to eat

Himarë has the best-value, best-quality tavernas on this part of the coast — this is a place people drive to for dinner. Expect fresh grilled fish and seafood, traditional Himarë-area cooking, and honest prices: a grilled whole fish is often around 1,000–1,500 lek (€10–15), mains 600–1,000 lek (€6–10), a carafe of local wine just 300–400 lek (€3–4). The town seafront and the old town both have good options; browse the wider dining picture in where to eat in Dhërmi and the restaurants section.

Getting around Himarë once you're there

Himarë is bigger and more spread out than Dhërmi, so it helps to know the lie of the land. The town divides into the modern seafront (Spile) where most restaurants, shops and ATMs sit, the hilltop old town (Kalaja) above it, and the beaches strung north and south — Livadhi on the way in, Potami just south. With a car, park near the seafront for the town and beaches, and drive up toward the old town rather than tackling the steep climb on foot in the heat. Parking is generally easy and cheap outside peak August weekends.

Because Himarë is a hub, it also makes the natural launchpad for pushing further south: Porto Palermo Castle is only about 8–10 km beyond, and the hillside village of Qeparo sits just past that, so you can bolt either onto a Himarë day without much extra driving. It's the first real town on the Dhërmi to Sarandë run, which is why so many coastal itineraries pause here.

Practical notes worth carrying:

• Cash in lek for beaches, tavernas and parking; Himarë has ATMs, unlike the smaller coves.
• Furgons and buses on the Vlorë–Sarandë coast route stop in town, making Himarë the easiest car-free day trip from Dhërmi.
• Time your climb to the old town for the late afternoon, when the light is best and the cobbles have cooled.

A suggested half-day

A relaxed Himarë plan from Dhërmi:

1. Drive down mid-morning (~25 min) and swim at Livadhi or Spile.
2. Lunch at a seafront taverna — grilled fish and a carafe of wine.
3. Climb to the old town and castle in the late afternoon for the views.
4. Back to Dhërmi for sunset, or stay on for dinner.

It's the most repeatable outing on the best day trips from Dhërmi list, and if you're weighing where to actually base yourself, the Dhërmi vs Himarë comparison digs into the trade-offs.

Stops just beyond Himarë

If Himarë alone doesn't fill your day, it sits at the head of a run of worthwhile stops just to the south, which makes it easy to extend into a longer coastal outing. A few minutes on is Porto Palermo, where a triangular castle linked to Ali Pasha guards its own sheltered bay — an easy, photogenic 15-minute detour. Beyond that, the hillside village of Qeparo looks down over the sea from its old stone quarter, and further south Borsh unrolls Albania's longest beach, roughly 7 km of sand-and-gravel backed by olive groves. Any one of these turns a Himarë lunch run into a proper half-day down the coast. If you keep going, you're effectively driving the first legs of the Dhërmi to Sarandë route — see the best day trips from Dhërmi for how they chain together.

Himarë's Greek-speaking heritage

Part of what gives Himarë its distinct character is its history. Like Dhërmi, the town and its surrounding villages are home to a long-established Orthodox Christian, Greek-speaking community, and that heritage runs through the old town's churches, the place names and the local identity. The hillside villages inland — Qeparo, Kudhës, Pilur and others — preserve the same stone-built, church-topped character, and several are worth a short detour if you have a car. It's a reminder that this coast was a settled, layered place with its own culture long before the beach clubs arrived, and it gives a day in Himarë more depth than the sunbeds alone suggest. The old village of Dhërmi tells a parallel story just up the coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Himarë from Dhërmi?

Himarë is about 15–20 km south of Dhërmi along the SH8 coast road, a drive of roughly 20–30 minutes. It's the closest and easiest day trip from Dhërmi — short enough for a lunch-and-swim outing, or a full day if you add a beach and the old town.

What is there to do in Himarë?

Himarë has several beaches (Livadhi, Spile, Potami), a hilltop old town and castle above the modern seafront, and the best concentration of tavernas on this stretch of coast. A typical visit combines a swim, a seafood lunch and a late-afternoon climb to the old town for the views.

How do you get from Dhërmi to Himarë without a car?

In summer, shared furgons (minibuses) run the coast road between Dhërmi and Himarë, and a taxi is affordable for a small group. It's the one day trip from Dhërmi that's genuinely practical without your own vehicle, though furgon schedules are informal, so confirm times locally.

Is Himarë or Dhërmi better?

They're close and complementary: Himarë is a larger town with more beaches, shops, tavernas and an old town, while Dhërmi leans more toward beach clubs, nightlife and a quieter village feel. Which suits you depends on your trip — our Dhërmi vs Himarë guide breaks down the choice in detail.

Is the old town in Himarë worth visiting?

Yes. The old town (Kalaja) on the hill above Himarë is a walled quarter of stone houses and Orthodox churches inside a ruined castle, with sweeping coastal views. It's an atmospheric hour's wander, best in the late afternoon; wear sturdy shoes for the steep, cobbled climb.