Planning to visit or stay in Himarë? Our travel guide’s got you covered!
When it comes to the Albanian coast, most travellers need to make a choice about where they'll base themselves for a few days or longer.
For us, Himarë is one of the better options.
A small coastal town with a beach, rather than a beach with a modern tourism development growing around it, life revolves around the summer season. As well as offering up an excellent long crescent stretch of public beach, Himarë is the ideal hub for chilled out beach days, boat tours to secluded bays, and beach-hopping day trips along the stunning Albanian Riviera by rental car or public transport.
It may lack the fancier hotels and holiday resorts you'll find elsewhere, and is a bit dishevelled or dog-eared in parts, but it was a good fit for our travel style and budget.
Indeed, every traveller we spoke to much preferred laid-back Himarë to the more popular, more expensive, and more Insta-famous flashy southern resort town of Ksamil.
In this short guide, we've shared everything you need to know to plan your visit - whether it's just a day trip or for a few nights on your Albania road trip. From the best things to do in Himare to our pick of the beaches to visit in and around, we've also included the essentials on transport connections, where to eat, amenities, and the best accommodation available for your travel style.
This is our guide to Himarë (which is also spelled Himara).
The Himare Essentials
What / Small beach holiday town on the Albanian Riviera
Where / 1.5 hours from Ksamil, 3.5 hours from Tirana - easily accessed by rental car or alternatively arrange a private transfer
When / May to September, but really busy in July-August
Do / A boat trip to Grama Bay or Pirates Cave
Visit / Himara Castle and the old town ruins
Go / Spectacular beaches a short drive north and south
Eat / Fresh grilled fish at Zgara Te Çunat
Stay / The delightful Soñar en el Mar Hotel, Himara Hostel, or our Airbnb apartment
Plan / Our Albania Itinerary
The Best Things To Do in Himare, Albania
Hang Out On Himarë Beach
If you look at a map, you'd be forgiven thinking there's just a single stretch of beach in Himarë, but it's actually three or four depending on how you divvy them up.
Split by the concrete jetty, backed by restaurants, bars and apartment blocks, and linked by a modern walkway, these aren't amongst the very very best beaches in Albania, but they're still pretty damn good when the sun is out. The water is calm and ideal for swimming, they're not dominated by private beach clubs, and each is easy to access on foot from the town centre.
So, whilst we wouldn't suggest people go out of their way for a beach day at these, if using the town as a base, the Himarë town centre beach offer up everything you need for a lazy day sunbathing steps from your accommodation.
To the right of the concrete dock, you've got the sliver of Spile Beach / Plazhi i Spillese (maps), where some sections are narrow between the walkway wall and the waves that there's only space for one group of people. To the left, backed by more restaurants and bars, it's the larger and longer Himarë Beach / Plazhi I Himarës (maps), which widens out considerably and is the busier of the two sections.
These two sandy free beaches were right outside our Airbnb apartment, and where we chose to hang out most, with Spile Beach usually offering the quieter atmosphere.
Continue left and along the walkway, and you'll arrive to a small square with nice views and a wheelchair access ramp down to Sfageio Beach (maps), which is actually pretty indistinguishable from Himarë Beach!
Plazhi i Maraçit / Marachi Beach (maps) is further along, and requires a 5-10 minute walk from the town centre along the main road. It's more exclusive than the other three, with limited access points and only a small section of public beach tucked in the corner. If you're staying in that part of Himarë, it will be a more convenient option, but for those staying in the town centre, just stick to the other three!
Travel Tip // When we say ‘free beach’, we mean those areas where you’re able lay your own towel or chair down, as opposed to the lidos (beach clubs) you have to pay to use. Most of our favourite beaches in and around Himarë have ample free beach space in peak summer, whilst many in and around Ksamil only offer a sliver. We've shared more travel better tips and advice in our guide to the best beaches in Albania
Visit Prinos & Potami Beaches
Prinos and Potami are only around the other side of the southern cliff, but we almost missed them!
Don't make the same mistake.
A relatively long stretch of fine pebble beach, the two seamlessly pass from one to another with little obvious demarcation. However, for some they may be more to your liking than Himarë’s more cramped town beaches, especially if you’re just looking for a lido day in clean, calm surroundings.
On foot, it’s a straightforward 10-15 minute walk along the main road from Himarë centre, or a 5-minute drive.
Prinos is the first section you’ll arrive at, and its fancier enclave with various beach clubs in neatly organised straw parasols and sun beds, whilst Potami is more relaxed and has lots more free beach available, with a lovely little rocky cove with crystal clear water at the far end.
How To Get There + Parking | You can find Prinos beach here on Google Maps. The main road parallel to it is much wider than other beaches, so it’s calmer and less congested on arrival than Himarë and many others. Decent options for free on-street parking as well. If you continue and turn right to reach Potami, the road does narrow quite a bit with fewer parking options and more congestion if several cars are arriving/entering.
Know | The Prinos lidos we visited were charging 500 lek per person, so noticeably more affordable than those available in beaches to the north and south. There are several restaurants and beach bars here, but the beach clubs thin out in Potami, and we’d go so far as to say it’s basically a free, public beach.
Stay | There are a bunch of accommodation options backing on to and overlooking Prinos and Potami, but with the exception of Oniro in Sea & Sun, the standard seems to be lower than around the corner in the centre of Himarë. Also, as a base, we'd prefer to be in/near the atmosphere and amenities of the centre, with Prinos more like a holiday resort set-up.
Tip // If you have time on your hands or are looking for isolation, you may wish to be a bit more adventurous and kayak, boat, or walk/rope to the remote and unspoiled Filikuri Bay just round the hill from Potami (maps).
Go Up To Explore OLD Himarë
One half of Along Dusty Roads was very reluctant to head up here before we left Himarë, assuming that it would just be a few ruins and a view.
And, whilst it most certainly is just a few ruins and a view, the historic part of Himarë is far more beguiling than that.
A ghost town atop a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea, in the early morning amongst the abandoned buildings and maze of cobbled streets being reclaimed by nature, it felt like we were the first to have stumbled upon it in decades.
It's thought to have been founded by Greeks 3,500 years ago, mentioned by Pliny in the 1st century, grew to become a powerful fortified stronghold for the Byzantines, and resisted the Ottomans before it was eventually abandoned in favour of the new port and settlement by the sea.
It's a real shame that such an important historic and religious site was left to become such a ruin, but one has to remember the circumstances Albania found itself in for the 20th century. Thankfully, the shoots of restoration and conversation efforts are there, and we expect more to come as tourism and funding increases.
Thankfully, for today's visitor, you still can marvel at the remarkably well preserved Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, replete with its bright, vibrant frescoes, and the harmony between the old stone, the wildflowers, and the sea. The castle is still there amongst everything, but it can be a little difficult to discern from the other walls and buildings.
We were also delighted to stumble upon a cute little family-run Cafe Butterfly, with a terrace to enjoy coffee, juices, beers, traditional dessert, and views out over the Ionian. Once you've had wander around, we highly recommend dropping by there.
So, although it may just be a few ruins and a view, it is absolutely worth stopping by for a change of scene and pace from the beaches.
Tickets | We didn't have to pay any entry fee as there was nobody around, but there was a large official Himara Castle sign stating that it's 300 lek per person (subsequent research confirms this, but also that it isn't always staffed).
How To Get There | You can find the entrance here on Google Maps
The site is open everyday from 9-7pm in the summer season, 4pm outwith that. To avoid confusion, the historic part of Himarë is also known as Himara Castle, Himarë Fshat and Babakus; if you visit one, you're also visiting the other three! It was also once called Chimaera, from which we get the name Himare!
The entrance is 3km uphill from the new town, and we'd suggest driving up or taking the bus rather than attempting it in the summer heat. If you’re not based in Himarë, you should visit here before driving down to the town.
There are about half a dozen free parking places outside, across the road from Bar 300, but there may be more available if you turn into the left (not 100% sure it's permitted, but we saw cars there when we left). There may be a friendly goat and a donkey knocking about too.
We recommend setting aside around an hour here, including time at the cafe, which is only seasonally from around March to October. Note that there are only one or two information signs as well.
Travel Tip // From the cliff and the castle, you'll see Livadi Beach below (maps). Whilst it's perfectly fine, we don’t recommend it over the town beaches or Prinos & Potami.
head out on A Beach-Hopping Boat Trip
If you'd like to see Grama Bay, Himarë is the place to go.
Some consider it to be amongst the best beaches in Albania, but it and Sant Andreas Bay (maps) can only be accessed by sea or via a 10km hike from Palase.
This is why a boat tour along parts of the gorgeous Albanian Riviera coastline is one of the most popular things to do in Himarë, particularly amongst local holidaymakers. Initially, we were 100% set on doing this activity, but after chatting to a few of the companies and better understanding the itineraries, we decided to prioritise heading out on the coast with our car.
We regret that slightly and, if you're on holiday in Albania, going out on the crystal blue waters will likely be a memorable way to spend the day.
You'll see a handful of kiosks on the dock offering boat tours, and the prices, routes, and experiences are very similar across all the various companies. The two most popular group trips are to the north to see Grama Bay (5-6 hours, €50 - €70 per person) or the slightly closer Pirates Cave (2-3 hours, €20- €30 per person), with both usually involving multiples stops to swim and take photos alongside actual time at the beach.
From Himare, the boat route north passes the following beaches and bays: Livadi - Aquarium - Jale - Shell and Pellumbave - Gjipe - St Theodores Caves - Pirates Cave - Dhermi - Sant Andreas Bay & Grama Bay (maps)
Note that you won't stop at or have time on all those beaches - many you will just stop long enough for a photo.
Though the group tours to Grama Bay and Pirates Cave are the most frequent and affordable, you can also do boat trips along the coastline south of Himare, whilst most companies also offer private & bespoke boat trips, starting at €150 and up to €500 depending on duration and destination (if you have the time and budget, that would be a great shout).
There’s also a daily three-hour sunset boat trips for around €25 per person.
Alternatively, there are taxi boat services available on the dock to bring you direct to several beaches, bays, or coves. This is a good idea for the nearby Filikuri Bay or if you want to go straight to a specific beach for the day, rather than have a sightseeing experience - Himara Water Taxi is one of the few with a website.
For any beach hopping boat tour in Himare, we recommend first heading to the dock (maps) between the town centre beaches to talk to the half dozen or so companies based there. The quality of the speedboats* varies quite a bit in terms of size and comfort, as do group numbers, allowances for swimming, total beach time, and any snorkelling (not a given). Also, the beach you're left to enjoy for a few hours is often at the discretion of the captain.
There is also a bit of wiggle room for getting a discount or 'promos' in person as they're competing against each other, but we'd highly recommend understanding and comparing what's exactly on offer, rather than leaping on the cheapest price.
As we didn't do this, we can't recommend one company or tour route over another. However, the following are worth checking out to get a better idea on prices and services, and we'd love you to share your positve/negative recommendations in the comments below!
· Great Chimara
* We expected to see some larger boats with a top deck for diving in and easier access for swimming or snorkelling, but these don't appear to be available.
Travel Tip // If you’re basing yourself in Saranda and would like to explore the stunning beaches near Himare whilst also being able to visit some of the attractions on dry land, consider joining this highly rated tour which covers many of the attractions in a single day.
Day Trips To The North & South Beaches
You really are spoiled for choice if staying in Himarë.
Whilst several of the bays mentioned above are inaccessible by car, there's a plethora of other beautiful beaches to the north and south of the town which you can easily take a day trip to!
As mentioned, to the north is Aquarium, Dhermi and Gjipe, whilst the south has Porto Palermo, Qeparo, Borsh, and Buneci beach. Several of them are our very favourite beaches in Albania, and all are only a 15-45 minute drive way from the town centre.
This is why we think Himarë is such a great choice as a base for travellers looking to enjoy and explore the Albanian Riviera, especially if you're doing a road trip with a rental car. Depending on your travel style and what else you’re doing in the country, beach lovers could honestly spend 5 nights here without visiting the same place twice.
If you're not renting a car, you can still conveniently reach most of the above by the coastal buses. Alternatively, consider renting a scooter for a day or two. There are few companies offering this than what you'll find in the resorts further south, with Rent scooter Himara (maps) the only company we saw.
We have shared absolutely everything you need to know to choose which beaches, or combination of beaches, to visit on your day trips from Himare in this post: The 19 Best Beaches in Albania
Travel Tip // If you’re keen to explore the coastline but would prefer to do it by foot, why not spend the morning on a hiking trail that leads to one of the areas best beaches - Gjiri I Akuariumit (or Aquarium Beach). It’s around a 2 hour, relatively flat, relatively easy trail but if doing it in the summer, be sure to start nice and early to avoid the worst of the heat.
You can find the trail marked on Wikiloc.
Where To Stay in Himare
Hotels & Guesthouses
Margarita Guesthouse | Whilst just a short distance from the beach, this family-owned guesthouse’s location up a rather steep street allows for spectacular views from both the wonderful flower-filled garden area as well as several of the rooms. Rooms are simple but comfortable, and the breakfast is apparently excellent.
Soñar en el Mar | Probably our top pick in Himare, this guesthouse has incredible reviews and offers large, contemporarily minimalist rooms in an enviable location overlooking the beach. An excellent breakfast served on their rooftop terrace is included.
Rea Boutique Hotel | With stylish rooms (each with a balcony, many of which also have a hot tub) and a terrace with stunning sea views, this is a great option if you're looking for more of a luxurious stay.
Artis Blue Relax Hotel | This lovely 4* hotel boasts a peaceful location, just a few steps from Spille Beach. The rooms are large, modern & luxurious (with baths ideal for a couple), and they also offer a large terrace and restaurant with views out over the water.
Geo & Art Boutique Hotel Himara is a good option if you plump for one of the rooms with a sea-facing balcony (but avoid the rooms with a balcony to the inner courtyard)
Airbnbs
Our Place | This is the great little modern Airbnb that we stayed in. A studio with partitioned sleeping area, it offered a decent kitchen/dining area plus large balcony views over the beach
Marachi Sea View | If you need somewhere a little bigger, this may be perfect. Many of the apartments available in Himare - although modern and recently redeveloped - are a little soulless, but the interiors of this two bedroom have been thoughtfully designed and furnished. Also has a gorgeous seaview balcony.
Traditional Home | This one bedroom apartment, two-story house was recently lovingly refurbished and benefits from lots of space plus a lovely and private outdoor terrace area alongside a balcony. A really good pick!
If you don’t require a kitchen, consider opting for one of several ‘suites’ that are popping up in Himare - like Summer Suite or Beachfront Suite.
Hostels
Himare is also a great location for backpackers with a surprisingly large number of hostels in town; Himara Hostel and Himara Downtown Hostel are our two top picks.
Food, Drink & Amenities
Hiimarë doesn’t offer the same quality and diversity of eating out options available in Ksamil and other beach bases on the coast, and doesn't have as many places to dress up for, but your money will go further.
Fresh seafood and grilled meats is a feature of most restaurants and there are places to grab pizzas or a cheap wrap & chips, but we struggled to find many places where the menu or space sparked our curiosity. This meant we opted to cook + eat in most nights, with the only meal out being excellent grilled fish at a nice little no-frills place called Zgara Te Çunat (maps).
For drinks and nightlife, the collection of bars along the waterfront are your best bet, and there’s usually happy hour cocktails - of varying strength and quality - for 500 lek from the late afternoon.
Someone in town seems to have an infatuation with early 2000’s R&B given how often Nelly and Usher were being played, but there seems to be a curfew around 11.30pm on music. We weren’t here for nightlife, but were surprised at how empty it became in the evenings of late July, but that could be different in the peak of August.
A few places to consider are:
· UMI Sushi Rooftop | Modern cocktail + sushi bar with elevated sea views. Happy hour cocktails are 600 lek (6-8pm)
· Manolo Beach Bar (maps) | On the front, it reminds us of many a beach cafe in Italy and serves up very good cocktails - just be aware that they’re way more expensive than they should be.
· Himara ‘28 Restaurant (maps)
· Merkur Merkuri (maps) | Pasta and risottos in a pleasant space, but reviews are mixed.
· Taverna PiroΣia (maps) | A small family-run restaurant with a gorgeous garden setting (away from the crowds), they serve traditional Greek food with much of the food grown on the premises.
· SOREN (maps) | Specialising in seafood and pasta, we didn’t eat here but the reviews are fantastic (some people even say it was their best meal in Albania).
Zgara Te Çunat (maps) | We ate the most wonderful fresh fried fish here (and the biggest bowl of tzatziki) and would highly recommend!
We also highly recommend wasting some money at the street arcade a few streets back from the beach.
If you are planning on cooking or want some snacks, the best (and worst!) option is Big Market. It’s crowded, cramped, and hot, but also the biggest supermarket in town, and if you’re patient you can find most of what you need (maps). For fruit and veg, it’s better to go the excellent greengrocer on the same street. Beyond that, it’s just a few mini markets and bakeries.
There are several ATMs in Himarë: Otpbank, Itesa SanPaolo Bank, Tirana Bank, Union, and BKT. Service and funds can be unreliable, and they all charge a hefty withdrawal fee (BKT cheapest for us at 650lek).
How To Get To Himarë & Parking
Himarë is unlikely to be your first stop in Albania, and instead will be a stop on your way south or north. The nearest airport is actually on the Greek island of Corfu, whilst Tirana’s International Airport is 250km away.
By Car
If you are driving down from Tirana, Durrës, or Vlorë, you’ll arrive via the winding mountain road up to the insane descent on the Llogara Pass (maps). This was one of our favourite driving days on this Albania road trip, so make sure you give yourself time to enjoy / negotiate it all.
From the south, Himarë is a 90-minute drive from Sarandë and 1h 45 minutes Ksamil. As we mention in our guide to driving in Albania, this stretch has some of the most dangerous drivers we’ve ever shared a road with, so take it easy.
Accommodation on/near the beach is not guaranteed to have a private parking space (our Airbnb did), but it's best to try and secure one if you are road tripping. Alternatively, you will be able to find parking spaces in Himarë but the cost can mount up, and they become very limited in summer.
Conveniently located car parks in Himarë charge in the region of 300 lek for 0-3 hours, and then up to 500 lek for the whole day, but be aware that these aren’t smooth tarmac with ticket machines; instead it’s usually just a bloke and a gravel plot of land. This private car park (maps) is in a decent location for the beaches, whilst you’ll also find a large-ish one in the town centre (maps) opposite Market Lapa that charges 500 lek for 2-5 hours between 7am - 8pm
Be aware that you cannot park on the street / road running parallel to the beach, but you can drive along it to reach parking on the other side, accommodation, or exit Himarë. There are a few one-way streets to avoid turning into though.
If you’re planning on renting a car or doing an Albania road trip, we highly recommend reading these two posts first:
· The Essential Guide To Driving in Albania
· Our Albania Road Trip Itinerary
· To check out rates and availability for your dates, we recommend using Rentalcars or AutoEurope, the two companies we use exclusively for all our car rentals around the world).
By Bus
In the summer season, there are regular daily buses to Himarë from Tirana, Vlore, and Sarandë.
Tirana | There are two departures a day from Tirana to Himare - one at 5.30am and another at 1pm. The journey takes 4 - 5 hours and costs 1000 Lek per person.
Saranda | Operate by Trans Dea, there are two departures a day - one at 10.30am and a another at 1pm. The journey takes 1.5 hours and costs 600 Lek per person.
Ksamil | There are no buses from Ksamil to Himare so we’d recommend booking a private transfer.
All Albanian bus timetables are available on the this website, however we’d always recommend confirming departures times with a local, your accommodation or at the bus station as the site isn’t always kept up to date.
The pick-up point for buses in Himarë is listed here on Google Maps, but some mention that they received a variety of answers from locals on pick-up locations and times, with a few suggesting the pick-up point for Sarandë is actually opposite Meraklis restaurant. So, we’d suggest reading the reviews on Google Maps for recent pointers, and turning up 15 minutes before you need to! Again, do get in touch if you can share more specific advice.
