Vlore: A trip to the Albanian coast

With Albania becoming a popular destination in recent years, especially during the summer months, you may be looking for a place to escape to the seaside after a visit to the capital Tirana, or other destinations in the north of the country such as Kruje.

If you are, head to Vlore city (or Vlora city) which sits in Vlore Bay on the Adriatic Sea. It’s a place that’s definitely worth visiting as part of a trip to Albania. It’s also within easy reach of other nearby coastal resorts.

Vlore is the third largest city in Albania and is where Albania’s declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire took place. A visit here therefore gives you the opportunity to learn more about the history of Albania while also having some well deserved rest and relaxation.

This post outlines the best things to do in Vlore to help you plan your trip.

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Where is Vlore?

Vlore is a town on Albanian Riviera, a beautiful coastline on the western side of the country.

It is around a two and a half to three hour drive from the capital, Tirana.

We hired a taxi driver to get us here which was reasonably priced and took us door to door, but you can also book a guided tour and day trip here.

It’s also only a couple of hours from Sarande in southern Albania. From here, you can catch a ferry across the Ionian Sea to the Greek island of Corfu.

Why did we choose to visit Vlore?

We chose to go down to the city of Vlore for our trip to the Albanian coast because of its relative proximity to the capital, Tirana (it’s about a three-hour drive).  

We were also interested in its history, so were drawn to it as the place where the country’s declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire took place in 1912.  A short break here therefore provided a great opportunity to relax on the Albanian coast whilst learning more about a country that we knew relatively little about.

Top things to do in Vlore

Vlore is a sizeable resort. It is notable for its long palm tree fringed promenade along the seafront (Plazhi i Ri) and a main street leading away from the ferry port to Flag Square (Sheshi i Flamurit).  

Around here there are plenty of things to see and do.

Stroll around the old town

As you’d expect, Vlore’s old town is worth strolling around (since our visit it has also been renovated). Its colourful buildings house bars and restaurants where you can try some of the local cuisine. There are also small shops that you can browse in, and a few historical places that you should visit while here.

It’s easy to find these places yourself.

But you can alternatively book a walking tour of the old town which will take you to the main sights with a local guide. This is a perfect way to get a feel for the place and learn about some of the important historical information about Vlore.

See the Monument of Independence and Muradie Mosque

In Flag Square, the country’s independence is commemorated with its Independence Monument and the national flag with its double-headed black eagle.

As you’ll see if you wander up to it, the black stone statue is striking in both size and aura with its flag waving warrior on the top.

It’s also in this area where you can find the 16^th century Muradie Mosque, a simple, but attractive religious building.

Visit the Museum of Independence

If you’re interested in Vlore’s role in Albania’s break for independence from the Ottoman Empire, visit the Museum of Independence. This is a short walk from the port. 

For a small fee, you can walk around a handful of rooms in the original headquarters of Ismail Qemali, the leader of the independence movement and head of the first government after 1912.

Given its significance in the history of the country, it’s one to put on your list of things to do in Vlore.

We learnt some interesting facts. I was particularly fascinated to hear about the discussions that were had amongst other European leaders about where the Albanian borders should be drawn (the country was very nearly much smaller).

We were also told about how the creation of the first government was a true coalition, representing the Muslim, orthodox Christian and Catholic groups in the country.

Take in the views of the town

Opposite Flag Square you will see a communist monument. If you climb the steps, you’ll get a good view over the city. Likewise, if you head for Kuzum Baba with its tyrbe/monument high on the hill.  

Looking at the new developments that sit side by side with older buildings, it is clear that regeneration is occurring at a fast pace here and that a lot of money is being invested to modernise the town.

Chill out on the beach

As you can tell from the above, there are a few things to see and do in the town. Other than this, Vlore is all about its coastal location.

In Vlore itself, there is a long palm tree fringed promenade along the seafront (Plazhi i Ri). You’ll find various cafes and seafront restaurants along this if you want to stop off for a bite to eat.  The food has a distinctly Italian touch (pizza, pasta and seafood). This is probably not surprisingly given Vlore’s location opposite Brindisi (you can catch regular ferries to and from the Italian port).

You can then head down onto the beach for some rest and relaxation.

This part of the resort feels much more European than some of the other parts here, and certainly more than some of the more medieval or communist places we visited in Albania (for example Kruje).

The beach here is obviously more of a ‘city beach’. But Vlore’s position on the Albanian coast, means it’s easy to find other more secluded places to chill out on the sand.

For example, Dhermi beach is only around 40 kilometres away. You can also take boat trips out to nearby islands and beaches.

Go on a boat trip

While you’re spending time on the Albanian coast, you should get out on the water.

There are plenty of boat trips you can take that will give you the chance to explore the area from a different vantage point – and that will be a lot of fun!

Look out across the coast from Uji i Ftohte

As well as actually spending time on the beach and/or going out on the water, you can also head up out of the main town to the smaller resort area of Uji i Ftohte. This is just a short distance away.

It’s here where you can get some great views of the coastline and where we realised why we made the effort to come to Vlore.

There are hotels along the cliffs above the town that have simply stunning views of the Bay of Vlora and Karaburun Peninsula (apparently, an amazing place for hiking). 

The water is clear and turquoise blue (a cliché I know, but it really is!) and the views of the surrounding areas are spectacular.  This is when you start to see just what the guidebooks are talking about.

Would I recommend Vlore for an Albanian beach break?

Overall, I’d definitely recommend Vlore for an Albanian beach break. It’s relatively easy to get to from the capital Tirana, and it makes a nice beach break to combine with a few days of sightseeing in the capital.

Combine a stay outside of the town with trips in to find out more about its history and you’ll no doubt have a great few days away.

How to get to Vlore

You can reach Vlore from Tirana in three ways. You can use public transport – either a bus or furgon.

The latter is apparently quicker than the bus but only leaves when the vehicle is full, so you may be delayed while you’re waiting for it to fill up. These drop off passengers at the Muradie Mosque so you’d probably still need to take a taxi to your hotel.  

As we were travelling on a time budget (and I didn’t find it that easy to locate bus timetables to check the times that they went), we took a taxi. This was around a three-hour drive.

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