We Planned Two Weeks in Vlorë, Albania and Lasted One
Welcome to the scenic route, where I send you postcards from wherever I've landed. This is number three of my 2026 travels.
New here? Let me catch you up. Postcard One was two days in Abu Dhabi on a stopover, which is where all of this kicked off. Postcard Two was Tirana, which took three countries to get to and turned out to have way more going on than I gave it credit for. They go in order so feel free to start from the top. This one is Vlorë, which is where the plan changed.
So we drove into an insane storm on the way down from Tirana. I'm talking torrential. Every single vehicle on the road had to turn on their hazard lights and slow down, which is a big deal considering Albania has some seriously fast drivers. Eventually our driver just pulled over, because we could not see a thing. We sat on the shoulder with the rain coming down so hard on the roof that we gave up trying to talk over it.
And then we pulled up to the Airbnb and I looked at the building we'd booked. It was an active construction site. And I mean active. The stairway wasn't even fully built out. Between that and the torrential downpour, I was sure we’d made a grave mistake. It was only a few moments after that the sun came out and not a grey cloud was in sight. Even better, we opened the apartment door and my nerves went right back to normal. It was pristine. Modern, cozy, the complete opposite of everything happening outside it.
I knew as soon as we got to Albania that I wanted to see at least some part of the Riviera. I love a city, truly, but I also love being by the water and I will take any chance to escape the concrete fixtures for nature. So the coast was an obvious given. The question was which part of it. I went back and forth between Durres, Vlorë and Ksamil, all of which looked like amazing options, and what sold me on Vlorë was the boardwalk. I saw it and immediately pictured morning runs along the coast and that is exactly what happened.
Every run came with an audience
I spent my mornings running along the boardwalk, and let me tell you, every single run came with its own audience.
The four mile one drew some proper looks. I've traveled enough as a Black woman that I know the puzzled stare. I know the second glance that goes on a beat too long and it turns into gawking. But Vlorë was on a whole different level. Cars were slowing down so people could stick their heads out and get a real look at me. One man was riding his bike while on the phone and he stopped mid sentence, mouth wide open, and just watched me go by. You don't see a lot of Black people in Albania, especially outside of Tirana, so it's rare enough that people were just fascinated.
Now, I’ll admit the first few runs had me on high alert. I was scanning every car that slowed down and keeping an eye on anyone who stopped to stare. It took a couple of mornings to realize it was curiosity and some real astonishment, nothing more. After that I relaxed into it, and I felt safe running and walking solo the whole week.
My advice to any woman traveling alone, or just heading out on her own somewhere new, is to pay attention to your surroundings and trust your intuition. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Change your route, head back, go somewhere busier, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation for that.
Well…We lasted a week
The plan was to settle in for two weeks. Work remotely, stay put, let the pace drop.
And I knew on day one. Nothing was wrong with Vlorë at all. We were just craving more adventure than a quiet beach town could give us, and a quiet beach town is exactly what we had booked ourselves into. So we changed the dates almost immediately. Our host had a really favorable change policy and we got the money back for the days we cut, which is the kind of luck you can't plan for. Then we rented a car and took off on a two week road trip, because why not.
I used to think rest meant staying put and riding it out. That week reminded me it’s more about paying attention to what you actually need and being willing to change course when you’re not getting it. Two weeks of quiet would have felt like a chore, so one week felt right.
So here's the rundown of our short-lived days in Vlorë.
We were a fifteen minute walk from Lungomare beach, which takes you right onto the boardwalk where all the restaurants and hotels and cafes are. It wasn't empty. It also wasn't anywhere near peak, which honestly is my favorite version of a beach town.
Oh, and my friend Ariana made another guest appearance. You'll remember her from the Tirana postcard, she’d recently moved to Tirana and came down for a short weekend while we were in town.
Ammos Lounge became our sunset spot. It's a great and extremely affordable beach club, the lounge chairs are free as long as you buy something, and the cocktails are excellent. I wasn't impressed by the food, a lot of frozen things reheated, so drink there and eat elsewhere.
Elsewhere is where it got good. Pizzeria Primo for authentic, locally owned pizza. Novus Traditional Food Restaurant, also locally owned, modern feel, and the homemade wine is the reason to go. Casa Gaia by Chef Skerdis in Old Town, then Rolo's Gelateria right next door for a sweet treat after, which is extremely convenient and definitely not an accident. Restorant Salvadore for fresh seafood and amazing homemade pasta, also locally owned. Coffee Shop & Breakfast, which had the absolute best Albanian pancakes. And Maison Des Chefs. No ifs or buts, this restaurant is a certified MUST if you go to Vlorë.
Then there's 11Brunch Coffee Culture, which was by far my favorite cafe in the entire city. I'm a sucker for a coffee shop with an aesthetic and this one has it completely. Charming, sophisticated, pulls you in and makes you want to get cozy and stay a lot longer than you planned. There's a projector throwing classic black and white movies onto a white wall while jazzy saxophone plays underneath. It is truly the perfect place to read, write or get some work done.
In terms of activities? The one thing I'd tell you not to skip is the boat trip to Haxhi Ali Cave, then snorkeling, then a beach hang at Alda Karaburun. Best day of our week, hands down.
So what even is Haxhi Ali Cave? It's a sea cave right at the tip of the Karaburun Peninsula, and there's no road or trail down to it, which means a boat is the only way you're getting in. We booked a small group trip through GetYourGuide for 21 USD per person, which turned out to be a speedboat, so the waters were a little choppy and got choppier the closer we got. We had to wait and time the crushing waves, then go through on the gap between them, and inside the cave the water was completely calm. The cave was limestone, with green moss growing on the sides, and it was damp in a way you could feel in the air. Massive and enveloping, and in some ways a little spooky too. Our guide offered us time to swim and most people stayed on the boat, rightfully so. After the cave, we took the boat to another part of the peninsula, an abandoned beach, but ideal for snorkeling. Next thing I know I'm jumping off the boat for a swim in the Adriatic Sea. It was exactly what I needed.
One afternoon we walked to Old Town from the boardwalk, which took about 35 to 40 minutes because we were in no rush whatsoever. It felt like a different town altogether. Cobbled streets with cafes and restaurants along them, and the whole thing is picturesque. Greater Vlorë has more of a rustic appeal, the buildings are older and some a bit run down, and I liked that too, but Old Town is the part you'll want your camera out for.
We did the 16th-century Muradie Mosque and the Independence Monument, which is the actual spot where Albania's independence was declared in 1912. I didn't expect to find something like that in a small coastal town. We ended up staying about two hours, which is how lunch at Casa Gaia and the gelato next door happened, and then an impromptu photoshoot for the gram.
So if you're planning this coast
Vlorë is the perfect spot for a woman looking for real rest and recuperation. The kind where your whole day has about three things in it and one of them is a swim. Give it two or three days.
Then go south.
Because I'll be honest, I spent a good chunk of my time there wondering about Saranda and Ksamil. I don't regret Vlorë but I did keep thinking about what it would have been like to go further down that coast, and if I were doing it all over again, that is exactly what I'd do.
A greater adventure was calling.
Vlorë, practically
Getting there. Local taxi driver from Tirana, 6,000 Lek or about 75 USD. We found him on the ground rather than booking anything ahead.
Getting around. While in Vlorë, we were central, so we walked everywhere but taxis are easy to hail when you need one. Carry cash, because a lot of places don’t take card or tap.
Where we stayed. An Airbnb in Pelivan Leskaj, 429 USD total for the stay. Active construction site outside, immaculate apartment inside.
When to go. Mid-May. Before the season kicked off, so it basically felt like we had the place to ourselves. Not too hot, not too cold, warm enough to lounge by the pool or the beach during the day and cool enough at night for a light sweater.
Eat. Maison Des Chefs first then Casa Gaia by Chef Skerdis in Old Town with Rolo's Gelateria next door, Novus Traditional Food Restaurant for the homemade wine, Pizzeria Primo, Restorant Salvadore for seafood and homemade pasta, and Coffee Shop & Breakfast, one block from Plazhi MonteCarlo, for the Albanian pancakes.
Work or read. 11Brunch Coffee Culture. Best cafe I found in the whole city.
Sunset. Ammos Lounge. Free lounge chairs with any order. Drink, don't eat.
Do. Small group boat trip to Haxhi Ali Cave, booked through GetYourGuide, then snorkeling and the beach at Alda Karaburun. Give it the full day. Then Old Town on foot from the boardwalk, 35 to 40 minutes each way, the Muradie Mosque and the Independence Monument. Give it two hours.
Skip. Two weeks. Give Vlorë two or three days and keep driving south.
