Albanian Riviera
Encyclopedia
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
under the Ceraunian Mountains
Ceraunian Mountains
The Ceraunian Mountains is a coastal mountain range in southwestern Albania. The name is derived from Ancient Greek Κεραύνια ὄρη, meaning "thunder-split peaks"....
in Southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. It should not be confused with the Albanian Coastline as a whole which incorporates both the Riviera and the mostly flat coastline of the north. Traditionally, the region begins south of Llogara National Park
Llogara National Park
Llogara or Llogora National Park is a national park in Albania declared since 1966 by the Albanian Government. The park covers an area of 1,010 hectares and protects the forests on the north side of the Llogara Pass between a height from 470m to 2,018m above sea level...
, continues down along the coast through the villages of Borsh
Borsh
Borsh is a maritime village, in the Albanian Riviera, in the Lukovë municipality, Sarandë District, Vlorë County, Albania,Borsh borders with Fterra and has a population of 2500 inhabitants. The village is also known as the Pearl of the South....
, Himara, Qeparo
Qeparo
Qeparo is a seaside village on the Albanian Riviera in Himarë municipality, District of Vlorë, Albania. Nowadays Qeparo is divided in two parts, known as the old and the new village.-Name:...
, Piqeras, and ends at Lukovë
Lukovë
Lukovë is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Lukovë, Borsh, Fterrë, Çorraj, Piqeras, Sasaj, Qazim Pali, Shënvasil and Nivicë.-Notable people:...
. Other sources mark Sarandë
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
or Tongo Island
Tongo Island
Tongo Island is an island in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Albania, near Butrint. Tongo Island is located in the south of Albania very close to its last stretch of coastline. It is very close to Greece and its most northern stretch of mainland coastline...
as the end point, and Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
or Karaburun Peninsula
Karaburun Peninsula, Albania
Karaburun Peninsula, Albania is the largest peninsula of Albania, located in the District of Vlorë, southwestern Albania, at the eastern side of the Strait of Otranto, where the Adriatic Sea meets the Ionian Sea. It has an area of and has no population. It is long with a width that varies from...
as the start point. In 48 BC during his pursuit of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
set foot and rested his legion at Palase
Palase
Palase is a card game derived from the Danish .-Setting Up:# Shuffle a deck of standard playing cards. Deal three cards face down to each of the players. Do not allow the players to look at these cards. Set the three cards up beside one another.# Then deal them each six cards face down...
. He continued onto Llogara Pass in a place later named Caesar's Pass. The region features traditional Mediterranean villages, and numerous ancient castles and Orthodox churches. The landscape alternates between mountain passes, turquoise beaches, caves, underwater fauna, and orange, lemon and olive plantations. The region gained international attention after the reconstruction of the coastal road in 2009, DJ Tiesto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
's tour stop in Dhermi
Dhërmi
Dhërmi is one of the nine villages of the Himara region/municipality, in Albania. The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city of Vlorë and about the same distance north of the southern city of Sarandë. The village is built on a slope of the Ceraunian Mountains, at approximately 200 meters in...
, and the filming of a Top Gear episode
Top Gear (series 16)
The sixteenth series of BBC motoring series Top Gear began airing on 21 December 2010, with the usual team of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, and The Stig.-Episodes:...
featuring a breath-taking car pursuit along the winding coastal road. As part of the regional master plan, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and other institutions are financing local infrastructure projects, including the renovation of roofs and facades of traditional houses overlooking the Riviera. The Albanian riviera was procclaimed as the 2012 Top Value Destination by Frommer's.
Beaches
The Riviera includes beaches of the following settlements:- Llovizë
- Gramë
- DhërmiDhërmiDhërmi is one of the nine villages of the Himara region/municipality, in Albania. The village lies 42 kilometers south of the city of Vlorë and about the same distance north of the southern city of Sarandë. The village is built on a slope of the Ceraunian Mountains, at approximately 200 meters in...
- SpileSpileA spile is a small wooden peg used to control the flow of air into, and carbon dioxide out of, a cask of ale.Cask ale is served without externally-supplied carbon dioxide or nitrogen...
- Karkaniq
- Himara
- Jaliskar
- PrimosPRIMOSPRIMOS was an operating system developed during the 1970s by Prime Computer for its minicomputer systems. It rapidly gained popularity and by the mid-1980s was a serious contender as a mainline minicomputer operating system...
- PalasëPalasëPalasë is a village close to the Llogara National Park in the Albanian Riviera. It is located in the municipality of Himarë , in the District of Vlorë, Albania...
- Potam
- Dhrale
- Filikur
- JalëJaleJale was an indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Contemporaries of Sloan and The Super Friendz, they were formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1996...
- Llaman
- Fushë
- QeparoQeparoQeparo is a seaside village on the Albanian Riviera in Himarë municipality, District of Vlorë, Albania. Nowadays Qeparo is divided in two parts, known as the old and the new village.-Name:...
- BorshBorshBorsh is a maritime village, in the Albanian Riviera, in the Lukovë municipality, Sarandë District, Vlorë County, Albania,Borsh borders with Fterra and has a population of 2500 inhabitants. The village is also known as the Pearl of the South....
- Piqeras
- Lapardha
- LukovëLukovëLukovë is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Lukovë, Borsh, Fterrë, Çorraj, Piqeras, Sasaj, Qazim Pali, Shënvasil and Nivicë.-Notable people:...
- ZisZiSZiS may refer to:* Zavod imeni Likhacheva of Moscow, formerly Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Stalina, and its products:** ZiS-101 limousine** ZiS-110 limousine** ZiS-150...
- Livadh
- Gjipë
- Krorëzë
- KsamilKsamilKsamil is a municipality in the riviera of Southern Albania, built in 1966 and part of the Butrint National Park.It is located south of the city of Sarandë off the road to Butrint and is part of District of Sarandë...
Landmarks
Accommodation consist mainly in local bed and breakfasts or guest houses. Other facilities include small wood cabin complexes, camping areas, and a few beach resorts. The rest of the coast is mostly unspoiled. Some owners of these facilities organize tours along the coast and nearby area as part of their accommodation packages. These include visits to cultural sites, and sailing, paragliding, hiking, kayaking, and underwater divingUnderwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
activities. Below are some historical and natural landmarks:
- Ali Pasha CastleAli Pasha CastleAli Pasha Castle is a castle in Butrint, Albania. It is named after Ali Pasha of Tepelenë resided there until 1820. The current fortress was rebuilt in 1819 from its surface with 3 towers. Until 1820 it was the second residence of Ali Pashe Tepelena....
- Borshi Castle
- Kaninë CastleKaninë CastleKaninë Castle is a castle in the village Kaninë near Vlorë, in southwestern Albania.-History:This castle was built in the village with the same name which is about 6 km from Vlorë. The castle rises on the side of the Shushica Mountain, about 380 meters above the sea level. The castle was built on...
- Lëkurësi Castle
- Porto Palermo Castle
- Castle of Gjon BoçariCastle of Gjon BoçariThe Castle of Gjon Boçari is a castle of the 16th and 17th century located in Tragjas, Albania.- Architecture :The castle was built by the Boçari family, one of the principal Albanian families of Tragjas, Vlorë, southwestern Albania in the 16th and expanded in the 17th century. Modern members of...
- Ceraunian MountainsCeraunian MountainsThe Ceraunian Mountains is a coastal mountain range in southwestern Albania. The name is derived from Ancient Greek Κεραύνια ὄρη, meaning "thunder-split peaks"....
- Ksamil IslandsKsamil IslandsThe Ksamil Islands are four small islands located in southern Albania. The islands are remote and can only be accessed by boat. The village of Ksamil, after whom the islands are named, is located to the east of the islands...
National Parks
- Llogara National ParkLlogara National ParkLlogara or Llogora National Park is a national park in Albania declared since 1966 by the Albanian Government. The park covers an area of 1,010 hectares and protects the forests on the north side of the Llogara Pass between a height from 470m to 2,018m above sea level...
- Butrint National ParkButrint National ParkButrint National Park is a national park created in November 2005 and located in the southwestern extreme of Albania. It protects 85.91 square kilometres of historic landscape, archaeology and environment...
- Karaburun-Sazan National Marine ParkKaraburun-Sazan National Marine ParkKaraburun-Sazan National Marine Park proclaimed in 2010 is the only national marine park of Albania. The park covers a marine area stretching along the coastlines of Karaburun Peninsula and Sazan Island near the Bay of Vlora. The marine park is long with a width varying from , and covering 12428...
encompassing the surrounding coastal waters of Karaburun PeninsulaKaraburun Peninsula, AlbaniaKaraburun Peninsula, Albania is the largest peninsula of Albania, located in the District of Vlorë, southwestern Albania, at the eastern side of the Strait of Otranto, where the Adriatic Sea meets the Ionian Sea. It has an area of and has no population. It is long with a width that varies from...
and Sazan IslandSazan Island-Fauna of Sazan:Sazan Island contains 7 species of amphibians of which 3 are rare species. The island contains 15 species of reptiles of which 13 are rare species. Some of these amphibian and reptile species include the:* Blue-throated Keeled Lizard...
near the Bay of VloraBay of VloraThe Bay of Vlorë is a bay in southern Albania and the largest in the country.Studying the Bay of Vlorë has been one of the main projects of the navigation department of the University of Vlora in the last few years. The Bay of Vlorë is a very important place in world history, and was the scene,...
.
See also
- Tourism in AlbaniaTourism in AlbaniaTourism in Albania is characterized by the archaeological heritage inherited from Greek, Roman and Ottoman times, unspoiled beaches, challenging mountain ranges, Cold War artifacts, unique traditions, unequivocal hospitality, delicious traditional cuisine, and the wild and peculiar atmosphere of...
- Vlorë CountyVlorë CountyThe County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
- Karaburun Peninsula, AlbaniaKaraburun Peninsula, AlbaniaKaraburun Peninsula, Albania is the largest peninsula of Albania, located in the District of Vlorë, southwestern Albania, at the eastern side of the Strait of Otranto, where the Adriatic Sea meets the Ionian Sea. It has an area of and has no population. It is long with a width that varies from...
- List of islands of Albania
- Velipoja
- RivieraRivieraRiviera is an Italian term originally from the Middle Ages for the coast of Liguria. The term is now more generally applied to any coastal area popular with tourists, particularly in warm areas...
, featuring links to articles on the many coastal strips around the world which are known as Riviera
External links
- Albanian Riviera on Wikitravel
- Southern Albania at In Your Pocket City Guide
- Vacations on the Albanian Coastline Overview
- Himara Region Official Website
- Vlorë Region on Wikitravel
- Albania Holiday Home Rentals
- The entire Albanian Coast on Wikitravel