Top Things To Do In Vlorë: Albania’s Bustling Seaside City

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Among the many things to do in Vlorë, our favourites are relaxing by the seaside and exploring the colourful old town.


Vlorë, Albania


We arrived in Vlorë at dusk in the middle of December. The last dregs of a wintry sun had lit the sky, and its reflection in the sea, in gilded strokes of orange and red. The furgon, an express service straight from Tirana Airport to Vlorë, had swooshed through the Albanian countryside on buttery roads and dropped us a few metres away from our hotel. On the way, we had seen a paraphernalia on houses and businesses peppered along the way; then, after Durres, to our far left were soaring mountains, some snow-capped peaks. We watched the sun begin its descent across a cloudless sky, then linger over the horizon, the light thickening steadily from bright to darkened honey.

We spent the evening strolling up and down the promenade, watching Christmas lights light up the gloom of winter, and enjoying the many things to do in Vlorë. Gentle waves splashed onto the concrete, onto stairs that led into the water. The crescent promenade looked like a necklace of diamonds; dots of lights twinkled all along the bay. Exhausted from our journey, we sat down for an early dinner at Novus Traditional Food, a canteen-style restaurant where you can pick from the day’s menu. Our hunger quenched with delicious stuffed peppers, moussaka, and beef and vegetable stew, we went straight to bed and woke up to a pastel-pink light spreading over the mountains, lighting up the dark blue waters of the sea.

While the seaside was empty, thanks to it being the low season, in the city centre it was business as usual. Taxis and vans jostled for space, bicycles flew past us on demarcated cycle paths, and on the pavements, in cafes men smoked with abandon and indulged in animated discourse. The bazaars were overflowing with an abundance of produce– there were piles of jewel-like oranges and shiny persimmons, football-sized cabbages and plump blush-red tomatoes– and men and women in winter jackets and hats were deliberating on the freshness. We noted that on the streets of Vlorë men outnumbered women, and a lot of them were elderly men going about their business– shopping for groceries or chatting with friends over coffee and cigarettes– on a sun dappled winter morning. We stopped for coffee and byrek and ambled through the old town of Vlorë. We saw the colourful cafes and hotels and walked past the handsome clock town, past argjendaritë with windows adorned with fine jewellery, and stopped for a while to admire the bright red facade and grandeur of the Vlorë Town Hall.

Because Vlorë is a busy city, there are two different facades to it: the touristy one brimming with restaurants, bars, and cafes that stretches along the promenade, and a few streets away from the sea the other more local one which is a bit grimy around the edges but provides travelers with an honest snapshot of everyday life. In the latter, the refreshing salt of the sea is muddled with tobacco and diesel fumes, the plush sofas of urbane cafes are replaced with plastic chairs, and footpaths are narrower and you have to gently push your way through the crowd. The old town centre of Vlorë is almost untouched by tourists except for the few of us that gather with bags and backpacks at the bus station. It offers an excellent window to the daily lives of Albanians.

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Where is Vlorë

Vlorë is located on the Albanian riviera. Because it is one of larger cities in the country, it is one of the most accessible seaside destinations in Albania. It is about 2 hrs west of Tirana, the capital of Albania. Albania was the second Balkan country we visited after our weeklong trip to Serbia and we had a wonderful time!

MOBILE NETWORKS IN ALBANIA: We bought a cheap e-sim from Airalo for our trip to Albania. Service was excellent and we had good connectivity in the all the places we visited. It was easy to set up; just make sure your phone supports e-sim.

How to Reach Vlorë by Public Transport

Vlorë is very accessible by public transport.

BUS TO VLORE FROM FROM TIRANA AIRPORT: Hermes Transport is a local bus company that runs regular services from Tirana Airport to Vlorë. The email on the airport website does not work but you can WhatsApp the number on the Hermes Aeroport Google listing should you have any questions. Tickets are 1200 LEK (December, 2024) and paid in cash to the driver.

BUS TO VLORE FROM TIRANA: Buses from Tirana to Vlorë regularly depart from the Regional Bus Terminal – North and South Albania. If like us you are staying close to Skanderbeg Square, local buses 4, 5B, and 13B will get you to the terminal. In Tirana, Google Maps seem to provide a mostly accurate timing and schedules for local buses.

BUSES TO VLORE FROM OTHER CITIES: Regular services are available to Vlorë from all major Albanian cities such as Korce, Berat, Sarande, Gjirokaster, Durres, and more.

Where to Stay in Vlorë

If you do not have a car, make sure to check if your hotel is easily accessible by public transport. If you are staying on or near the promenade or on Boulevard Ismail Qemali, this shouldn’t be a problem. We recommend staying on or near the promenade as it makes it easy to cover all the main things to do in Vlorë on foot.

REGINA GARDEN | We stayed at Regina Garden in Vlorë and we enjoyed our stay. The hotel is located right next to the Museum of Independence. We booked a sea-view room for a very reasonable price on Booking.com. While not luxurious, we had a very comfortable ensuite room with a balcony that offered lovely views of the sea and the promenade. Staff were very polite and helpful. Breakfast was included and it was very generous. The hotel also runs its own tours should you be interested in exploring areas around Vlorë.

YACHT HOTEL | Another great option on the promenade is the Yacht Hotel which offers easy access to the beach. The rooms have incredible views of the sea! So, if you are looking to relax in a sea view room, this hotel is a good choice. There’s also a restaurant and a bar in the premises.

HOTEL LIRO | Hotel Liro is an adult-only hotel that offers unbeateable views of the Adriatic Sea. They have a private sea pool and the views from the rooms are breathtaking. Service is fabulous and there’s an in-house restaurant and bar. If you are travelling on public transport, the local city bus stops just outside the property.

How Many Days Are Enough for Vlorë

One full day is enough to see the main attractions in Vlorë but if you want to go beyond Vlorë’s stunning seaside promenade and get a taste of everyday life, wander through the bazaars and sip coffee with the locals, then add another day to your plan.

Vlorë is also an excellent place to start your trip south to the Albanian riviera. If you are visiting in summer and have an extra day on hand, we recommend that you take a furgon to Dhermi, one of the loveliest villages on the Albanian riviera.

How to Get Around Vlorë

Most of the must-visit places in Vlorë are within walking distance. A few attractions such as St. Mary’s Monastery are best reached by local taxi. Negotiate a price before you start your journey or book a taxi from your hotel.

Vlorë has local buses that start in the old town and take you to most of the main attractions in Vlorë. Look for the white buses that say “Bashkia Vlorë”. Three buses have the same route (Uji Ftohte, Uji I Ftohte, and Tulla Uji Ftohte) along the promenade. We used this bus route to travel all the way to Hotel Liro at sunset. It was a beautiful ride up the promenade when the sky was lit in soft tones of red and orange by the setting sun. If you are staying at a hotel on the promenade, this is the local bus that will get you to the bus station. Bus stops are clearly marked. Note that local Vlorë bus routes are not on Google maps (December, 2024).

The other three bus routes are Çole Spital, Tulla Unaze, and Tulla Plazhi I Vjeter. Fares are 40 LEK cash only and is collected by an attendant on the bus.

Things to do in Vlorë

There is an interesting mix of things to do in Vlorë, from strolling leisurely on the promenade to exploring local markets.

Stroll Up and Down the Promenade

Our favourite thing to do in Vlorë was strolling along the beautiful promenade. The palm-fringed seaside promenade of Vlorë may remind you of sunny Los Angeles. It is on this sweeping pedestrianised area that locals gather for a chat, to trade gossip in the evening, or to partake in xhiro, the great Albanian tradition of evening walk to socialise and chat with friends and families. Evenings on the promenade in December are full of locals enjoying the cool evening breeze and the small Christmas Fair that occupies a corner of Lungomare. There are groups sat on the stairs that lead into the sea, little groups of older women sharing stories, children playing about– it is a very convivial atmosphere and we very much enjoyed it.

Relax on the Beaches of Vlorë

There is no doubt that one of the best things to do Vlorë was enjoying its long, sandy beaches. In summer, the beaches of Vlorë are packed with tourists. Beach umbrellas and reclining chairs fill the sunlit white beaches. You can sunbathe to your heart’s content and return with a golden tan, or swim in the bright blue waters of the Adriatic Sea. Summer also sees a lot of shacks open up and you can party till late! In the winter, the umbrellas are all gone; and the beaches are empty. When we visited in December, the beaches looked nothing like the photographs we had seen with all those bright-coloured umbrellas and sunbathing tourists. We took advantage of the solitude and strolled along the beach and enjoyed a espresso at one of the few open eateries on the beach with just a few locals for company. You can stroll in the sun– don’t forget the sunscreen because even in winter the sun is blazing–, or bring a picnic for a quick lunch after a dip in the sea.

Eat Some Albanian Food

When we landed in Vlorë, we had no idea of Albanian food. We had never had Albanian food before and did not know what to expect. The first restaurant we ate at was a place called Novus Traditional Food Restaurant. Because of its location near the promenade, you would think it was touristy but it absolutely wasn’t. Novus is a canteen-style restaurant and the menu changes daily, and the staff is amazing. As in a buffet, food is cooked and you order from the day’s selection. They took the time to patiently explain to us all the dishes they had available that day and we decided to go with the rice-stuffed peppers (vegetarian), a hearty slice of moussaka, and a beef and vegetable stew. Each item was simple, homecooked, and delicious, and came with a basket of freshly baked bread as is the tradition in Albania. Like all canteens, Novus is primarily a lunch place– even during the off-season they were absolutely packed in the afternoon– and they close early in the evening.

Our other memorable meal in Vlorë was at a local eatery named Sofra e Lakrorit. At Sofra e Lakrorit, you have to book tables in advance on WhatsApp and also pre-order your dishes from a menu that the chef sends. It is unique because everything is cooked on fire, in large lidded iron pans. Everything is cooked to order and absolutely fresh and delicious! We had a spinach and tomato lakror, a traditional Albanian pie, homemade sausages that were grilled to perfection, and the most incredible, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth grilled courgettes and peppers. If you love meat, they do a grand mixed meat platter. However, order judiciously as portions are massive; we had to carry a quarter of our lakror back to the hotel and had it for lunch the next day! We finished our meal with a fragrant orange cake called revani and a shot of throat-burning raki.

Overall, we had some really good local food in Vlorë!

Visit the Museum of Independence

If you are interested in Albania’s history and its journey to independence, you must visit the Museum of Independence in Vlorë. Located in the heart of Vlorë, this museum is housed in the building where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was signed on November 28, 1912 by Ismail Qemali, the leader of the independence movement and the first Prime Minister of Albania. The museum provides an insightful look into the pivotal events surrounding Albania’s fight for autonomy from the Ottoman Empire and guides you through the stages of Albania’s independence movement, from the initial uprisings to the eventual declaration.

One of the most striking features of the museum is its atmosphere, which evokes a sense of patriotism and pride. As you explore the rooms, you’ll learn about the significance of the region in shaping Albania’s modern identity. The Museum of Independence in Vlorë is not just a place of historical education but also a powerful tribute to the resilience of the Albanian people.

Explore Vlorë’s Old Town

One of the best places to visit in Vlorë is the old town. The old town of Vlorë is a mix of touristy and everyday. It is only a short walk from the seaside but feels like a totally different place. Bazaars packed to the rafters with produce, meat, and essentials are busy with shoppers. On the pavement, are piles of luscious oranges and shining persimmons, huge cabbages and bright green peppers. It is almost like being back in Calcutta again, on College Street where we liked to snack while watching humanity rush past us. In Vlorë, furgons and cars heave through the sticky traffic. There are people lugging their bags– anything from suitcases to birdcages– to and from the bus station and the crowd. No-fuss cafes filled with cigarette-smoking men chatting over espresso and newspapers blend with new-age cafes with their long list of drinks. Flower sellers wait at street corners with baskets full of pink and purple blooms. Taxi drivers ask if you need a ride somewhere. The old city is busy and has many hidden gems that are best explored on a guided walking tour of Vlore with a knowledgeable local guide.

Some of the main points of interest in the old town of Vlorë are:

  • Muradie Mosque: Built in 1537 during the rule of the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the Muradie Mosque is the oldest mosque in Vlorë. The domed building with its prayer hall and minaret features intricate brick work and is a wonderful example of Ottoman architecture.
  • Jew Street: Jew Street (or “Ruga e Hebrenjve”) in Vlorë is a historical and cultural gem, offering a glimpse into the city’s diverse past. The Jewish community in Vlorë dates back to the 15th century, with Jewish merchants, artisans, and families who mostly arrived from Spain contributing significantly to the local economy and culture. Though the Jewish community in Vlore no longer exists, the street remains an important symbol of the city’s historical diversity and a reminder that in Vlorë, no Jews surrendered to the Germans. Along the street, you can still see some of the old houses and buildings that once served as homes and shops for the Jewish residents.
  • Muradie Quarters: This part of the old town was restored recently. The most attractive part is an alley of pastel coloured guesthouses and cafes that reminded us of our trip to Subotica, a city full of stunning Art Nouveau buildings in Serbia. It is very Instagrammable! In winter, it was empty except for a few guests sipping their coffess and a couple of stray cats sunning themselves but come summer, the Muradie Quarters is a hive of activity.
  • Vlorë Town Hall: The eye-catching Vlorë Town Hall features a distinctive red facade, which stands out in the city’s architectural landscape. The building combines elements of traditional Albanian design with modernist influences, showcasing a blend of regional styles. Its bold color and unique design reflect the town’s vibrant history and cultural heritage.

Visit St. Mary’s Monastery and Zvërnec

If you are tired of the hustle and bustle, visit Zvërnec, one of Albania’s most popular Instagrammable destinations. Located on a serene island in the Narta Lagoon, St. Mary’s Monastery in Zvërnec is one of Albania’s most peaceful and picturesque places. The monastery, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dates back to the 14th century and is surrounded by trees and tranquil waters. The church itself is a remarkable example of Byzantine architecture, with frescoes that tell the story of Albania’s religious and cultural heritage. The atmosphere here is calm and reflective, making it an ideal spot for visitors seeking peace and a connection to Albania’s ancient Christian traditions.

To reach the monastery, you can cross a wooden bridge from the village of Zvërnec, a charming settlement with traditional houses and stunning views of the lagoon. You can also go kayaking in the Narta Lagoon. The surrounding area is also rich in biodiversity, making it an excellent spot for nature lovers and bird watchers, so don’t forget to bring your binoculars. Nearby are the ancient ruins of the city of Onhezmi, adding even more cultural depth to the journey.

There is no public transport to Zvërnec. You have to book a taxi. A round trip can cost anywhere between £40-£60, including wait times.

Visit the History Museum in Vlorë

The History Museum is housed in a beautiful building that once served as a royal residence. It has an extensive collection of exhibits that highlights Vlorë’s role in Albanian history, from ancient times through to the modern era. There are exhibits from various times in histiry including the ancient Illyrian and Roman periods, the medieval era, and the more recent struggles for independence.

One of the museum’s most prominent features is its extensive coverage of the Albanian national movement, particularly Vlore’s importance during the country’s fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire. It showcases key moments, such as the Declaration of Independence in 1912, with artifacts, documents, and portraits of the leaders involved. Visitors can explore displays on the region’s involvement in the two World Wars and the country’s Communist period, which deeply influenced Vlore and the rest of Albania.

In addition to its historical exhibits, the museum provides insight into the traditional lifestyle of the people of Vlore, including their customs, dress, and crafts. With its educational exhibits and inviting atmosphere, the History Museum of Vlore is an essential stop for anyone seeking to understand the historical and cultural significance of this vibrant city.

Stop by the Independence Monument

The Independence Monument in Vlorë is one of Albania’s most significant national landmarks. Located in the heart of the old city, this monument commemorates the historic declaration of Albania’s independence on November 28, 1912. The monument, a symbol of Albanian freedom, stands proudly in front of the beautiful bay of Vlore, offering visitors both historical insight and stunning views. Erected in 1972, it features statues of key figures, including Ismail Qemali, who led the movement for Albania’s independence, as well as other prominent leaders of the time.

The surrounding area is an open space, making it a popular spot for locals and tourists alike to pause and reflect on the country’s history. The monument’s location is symbolic, as Vlorë was the site of the declaration, a historical event that marked Albania’s break from the Ottoman Empire.

Visit the Karaburun Peninsula – Albania’s Best Hidden Gem

If you want to go really offbeat in Vlorë, or in Albania really, you must visit the Karaburun Peninsula. From the Vlorë promenade, you can see the wooded peninsula jutting out as a natural barrier. The Karaburun peninsula is uninhabited, and only accessible by foot or boat which makes it an incredibly adventurous destination. The rugged cliffs, lush green hills, and the sparkling turquoise waters stretching out before you create a picturesque scene that seems almost otherworldly and makes it one of the top things to see in Vlorë. The surrounding waters are part of the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park, a magical place redolent with rich marine flora and fauna and spectacular sea caves that you can see on a snorkelling trip. If you are into diving, this is the place! 

Boat trips from Vlorë such as this tour to Karaburun and Sazan Island will take you to secluded spots like Haxhi Aliu and Grama Bay, where you can take a dip in the crystal-clear waters or relax on the quiet shores. If you’re up for some adventure, you can hike along the peninsula’s rugged trails, uncovering ancient caves and the Karaburun Monastery, which dates back to the Byzantine era.

See the Sunset from Vlorë Beach

Sunsets from Vlorë Beach are stunning! Though the sun sets behind the Karaburun Peninsula and you cannot see the bloodred disc melt into the horizon, the skies at sunset are lit in dazzling shades of red, orange, and gold, and it is absolutely mesmerising. Sit on the beach and enjoy the sunset, or get a table outside one of the countless restaurants along the promenade and watch the sky transform into a vibrant tapestry as you down a drink.

Climb the Steps to Kuzum Baba

For a bird’s eye view of Vlorë, climb the steps to Kuzum Baba, a small hill that overlooks the city. It offers gorgeous views of the blue Adriatic Sea and the mountains surrounding Vlorë. There’s a temple atop the hill which is of religious importance to the Bektashi sect.

Spot the Street Murals of Vlorë

We love to spot public artworks and murals in cities we visit and Vlorë was no different. As you stroll through the streets of Vlore, you’ll notice colourful murals adorning walls and facades. These works of art are not just aesthetically striking but also carry deep meaning, reflecting local heritage, social issues, and the city’s connection to both its past and future. Some murals celebrate the country’s history, such as the struggle for independence or the country’s natural beauty, while others focus on modern themes, including environmental conservation, identity, and multiculturalism. The use of bold colors and intricate designs makes the murals stand out, and each one tells a story unique to the city’s cultural and social context.

For art enthusiasts and casual visitors alike, exploring these murals provides an exciting way to engage with Vlorë’s contemporary spirit. As the city continues to evolve, these street murals will undoubtedly remain an important part of its urban identity, offering a creative bridge between the past and the present.

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Comments

3 responses to “Top Things To Do In Vlorë: Albania’s Bustling Seaside City”

  1. Sonia Avatar
    Sonia

    Albania has been on our list for a while. Vlorë looks like an ideal base for exploring.

  2. Tina Avatar

    Vlorë is officially on my bucket list now. Looks absolutely incredible!

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar

      I bet it is lovelier in the summer! It is perfect if you like a busy city and also sandy beaches to relax on.

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