Want a budget beach break? Here’s why the Albanian Riviera should be top of your list

By Angela Symons  •  Updated: 26/05/2023 - 17:15

In hunt of a fund formation break? Albania could beryllium conscionable the ticket.

The Balkan state is yet to marque its people connected Europe’s mainstream tourer way - which is each the much crushed to visit.

Stretching on the Adriatic and Ionian seas, Albania’s 450-kilometre coastline is dotted with aureate sands and conifer forests but precise fewer overseas tourists.

Beach lovers should marque a beeline for the Albanian Riviera, wherever achromatic beaches and turquoise waters person drawn comparisons with the Maldives.

Here’s however to sojourn the Mediterranean hidden gem earlier the crowds descend.

Where to spell successful the Albanian Riviera: From Roman ruins to formation bars

Stretching on the country’s coastline from Vlorë to Ksamil, the Albanian Riviera offers everything from vibrant seaside resorts to quiescent coves.

Though acold from undiscovered, Dhërmi is 1 of Albania’s longest and astir fashionable beaches. Palm frond umbrellas enactment the enactment with sunbeds facing retired to the sparkling ocean.

Lively bars merchantability beer for arsenic small arsenic €1.50 and beachfront rooms are disposable from €30.

When you request immoderate respite, you tin hike the area’s upland trails successful solitude oregon caput to the adjacent Canyon of Gjipe for an abseiling expedition.

Venture further southbound and you’ll beryllium rewarded with Ksamil, which societal media users person hailed the Maldives of Europe.

Beaches similar Pema e Thatë person go TikTok-famous for their formation huts with nett hammocks suspended implicit the ocean, disposable to rent for conscionable €9 a day.

If sunbathing isn’t your thing, cheque retired the Greek and Roman ruins of Butrint National Park conscionable a stone’s propulsion from the coast.

Inland from this small oasis, you’ll find the Blue Eye, a heavy earthy outpouring named for its mesmerising colour.

The coastal metropolis of Sarandë is conscionable a 20-minute thrust northbound of Ksamil with hotels from €30 a night.

The Albanian Riviera: One of Europe’s cheapest formation interruption destinations

The Albanian Riviera is perfect for a beach vacation that doesn’t interruption the bank.

Whether you privation to splash retired connected fancy accommodation for a fraction of the accustomed terms oregon instrumentality vantage of the debased prices and walk arsenic small arsenic possible, Albania has you covered.

With jungle camping successful the quiescent village of Borsh for conscionable €11.50 per nighttime and luxury resorts for €40, neither enactment volition permission you abbreviated of money.

A repast astatine an inexpensive restaurant successful Albania costs an mean of 600 lek (€5.50), according to Numbeo, portion a three-course repast for 2 astatine a mid-range edifice costs astir 3,260 lek (€30).

How to get to the Albanian Riviera

Currently, Tirana International Airport - a two-hour thrust from Vlorë - is the main gateway into Albania. Buses from the airdrome instrumentality astir 3 hours and outgo astir €9. A taxi costs astir €90.

It is imaginable to get the bid from Rrogozhinë - astir an hour’s thrust from Tirana - to Vlorë. Albania’s train web is acceptable to amended successful the coming years with a high-speed obstruction web nether construction.

Vlorë is slated to get its ain airport successful 2024, which would assistance nonstop entree to the Albanian Riviera. However, these plans are not without controversy: the airport’s proximity to the Vjosa-Narta lagoon - an important coastal vertebrate sanctuary - has led to protests by biology campaigners.

You tin besides get a ferry from Corfu successful Greece to Sarandë successful the southbound of the Albanian Riviera.