27 stretches of Ionian coastline, from lively town promenades to hidden coves reachable only by boat or trail.
The best beaches in Himara are Spile, the pebbly main beach on the town promenade; Livadhi, a short drive south with sand, sunbeds and beach bars; and Gjipe, a sand-and-pebble cove at a canyon mouth, reached by a 25-minute hike or by boat. For quiet, the boat-or-trail coves of Filikuri and Llamani have the clearest water and the fewest people. A 20-minute drive north, the white-pebble beaches of Dhermi, Drymades and Palasa are the most photographed on the Riviera; south toward Saranda, Qeparo and Borsh have quiet sand and gravel that suits families. Every beach here is free and public, most have parking, and the smaller coves are reached on foot or by boat from Himara harbour.
Right on the Himara promenade. Walk from your hotel in minutes.
Spile Beach is the main beach of Himara, stretching roughly 500 meters along the town promenade. Its soft pebbles and occasional sandy patches make it the most comfortable beach in the center, and the water is clear enough for swimming and light snorkelling. The lively promenade behind the beach is lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars, so it stays busy and social all summer.
Sfageio Beach sits right next to Spile Beach, separated by a small pier, making it one of the most accessible beaches in Himara. Its turquoise, shallow waters are especially suitable for children and families. The surrounding area is dotted with cafes, restaurants, ice cream shops, and souvenir stores, though there are no sunbed rentals so visitors should bring their own setup.
Maraçi Beach (Plazhi i Maraçit) is a small, intimate pebble cove tucked between Sfageio Beach to the north and Prinos Beach to the south, framed by rocky outcrops on both sides. A 5–10 minute walk from the town center along the coastal road delivers you to a quieter alternative to the busier town beaches, with sunloungers and umbrellas for rent. A communist-era defense bunker sits on the headland between Maraçi and Prinos and is most easily reached from the Maraçi side.
Prinos Beach is a ~400-meter stretch of light pebbles along SH8 between Maraçi Beach and Potami Beach, set against cliffs and mountains. The water is strikingly clear and turquoise but unusually cold, underground springs from the Himara mountains feed the bay, and the seabed drops away quickly from shore, so aqua socks are a smart call. A significant section of the beach is operated as a beach club, with paid sunbeds, restaurants, showers, changing cabins, and toilets restricted to club visitors.
Potami Beach is a quieter alternative to the busy town beaches, located just a short drive south of Himara center. The turquoise waters are family-friendly, and the beach is flanked by beach clubs and seaside restaurants with sunbed rentals available for 10-20€. It offers a more relaxed atmosphere compared to Spile and Sfageio while remaining easily accessible by paved road.
A short drive or hike from town, offering more seclusion and character.
Livadhi Beach is the everyday beach, 1.5 km of pebble shoreline between two rocky headlands, with shallow water that deepens gradually for a good 20-30 meters out, pine trees for natural shade at the quieter south end, and the silhouette of Himara's old castle on the hill above. The north end is livelier, restaurants, sun loungers, and the BOHO beach bar cluster there, while the south end stays calmer and is where families with younger kids tend to settle. At 1.5 km it's long enough to never feel cramped, even at peak season, which is the main thing that separates it from smaller coves nearby. Livadhi faces west, so it also doubles as a good sunset spot, the sun drops straight into the Ionian Sea in front of you.
Llamani Beach is a compact, roughly 200-meter cove enclosed by cliffs and boulders about 6 km (12 minutes) south of Himara, the beach you pick when you want the water to look almost unreal. The seabed drops off fast, so within a few meters of the shoreline you're swimming in deep, clear blue rather than wading through shallows, which is exactly what makes the snorkeling here some of the best on the Riviera without needing a boat. It's not a family beach or an all-day beach-club scene; it's a swimmer's and snorkeler's cove. Large stones underfoot make water shoes genuinely necessary rather than optional, and facilities are minimal by design, this is a drive-to, swim-hard, leave-refreshed kind of stop.
Filikuri Beach sits below high limestone cliffs between Himara town and Llamani Beach, sealed off from casual drop-in traffic by its own terrain. There's no road to the shoreline, you reach it on foot, by kayak, or by boat, and that access filter is exactly why it stays one of the most unspoiled coves on the Riviera. What you get for the effort: a small pebble strip, rock walls on both sides, and transparent Ionian water that usually looks better in person than in photos. The seabed drops away faster than at family beaches, so this suits confident swimmers and snorkelers more than young kids. With no permanent cafes, bars, or sunbeds, Filikuri rewards travelers who want a genuinely off-grid few hours rather than a serviced beach-club afternoon.
Spectacular beaches heading toward Dhermi and Llogara Pass.
Akuarium Beach is a tiny, picture-perfect cove known on social media for blue-turquoise water clear enough to read the bottom, which is where the name comes from. It can be reached via a 1.5 km hike from Livadhi Beach following red trail markings, or from Jale Beach with a 4x4 vehicle. There are no facilities whatsoever, so visitors should bring water and food, and arrive before 10 AM to beat the crowds.
Jale Beach is a compact 300-400 meter bay 12 km north of Himara, tucked between rocky headlands with olive-covered hills rising behind it, the Riviera's backpacker cove, and increasingly its party one too. The water clarity is the strongest card: turquoise near shore, deepening to vivid blue, with good snorkeling along both headlands. Two campgrounds and a growing beach-bar strip (Favela Beach Bar draws the daytime crowd; quieter spots hold the sunset end) give it a youthful, social energy that shallow family beaches like Livadhi don't have. It's also the natural base for reaching Akuarium Beach, a 1.5 km coastal hike south around the headland. Peaceful in June and September; on July-August weekends the bar strip turns the whole cove into one late-night party.
Gjipe Beach sits dramatically at the mouth of a canyon, combining a pebble and sand shoreline with towering cliff walls. Despite requiring a 30-minute walk from the parking area (300 ALL fee), it rewards visitors with clear blue water, small explorable caves at low tide, and a canyon setting that prevents it from ever feeling overcrowded. Small huts sell drinks, and umbrella and lounger rentals are available, though camping is also permitted for the adventurous.
Dhermi Beach is a white pebble beach below the Ceraunian Mountains, offering a more polished and upscale beach experience than most Himara-area options. Beach clubs, waterfront hotels, and restaurants line the shore, and the striking blue Ionian waters make it one of the most photographed spots on the Albanian Riviera. Prices tend to be higher here, reflecting its reputation as a premium destination.
Drymades Beach is a beautiful white pebble beach near the village of Dhermi, with the same deep blue water and mountain backdrop. It offers beach clubs, waterfront hotels, and restaurants, making it a well-serviced alternative to Dhermi Beach proper. The upscale atmosphere and striking natural beauty have made Drymades one of the most sought-after beach destinations on the Albanian Riviera.
Palasa Beach stretches roughly 1.5 km along the northern end of the Albanian Riviera, just south of the Llogara Pass and a short drive north of Dhermi. Its bright white pebbles and exceptionally clear water make it one of the most striking beaches on the coast, and the Green Coast Resort section here became the first beach in Albania to receive Blue Flag certification. Beach clubs, restaurants, sunbed and umbrella rentals line the shore, with paid premium sections, free public stretches, and water-sports operators offering jet ski, kayak, paddleboard, and dive gear.
Palasë is the first long beach you reach descending from Llogara Pass, a broad sweep of pale pebbles and exceptionally clear turquoise water at the northern end of the Riviera. Once a quiet stretch, it now anchors the Green Coast development, with beach bars, water sports and restaurants alongside still-undeveloped sections.
Historic coastline stretching toward Saranda with quieter shores.
Porto Palermo Beach offers a unique combination of history and seaside beauty, situated near the iconic triangular fortress built by Ali Pasha and a Cold War-era submarine tunnel. The water here is notably bluer than at other beaches in the area, though water shoes are recommended on the mixed sand and pebble surface. With very few people around, it is an ideal spot for history buffs who want to combine a castle visit with a quiet swim.
Palermo Beach is a quiet pebble cove on the Porto Palermo bay, set just north of the headland crowned by Ali Pasha's triangular fortress. The shore is shingle and pebble backed by low scrub and rock, with the clear, turquoise water the bay is known for. It is one of several small swimming spots dotted around the sheltered inlet, well suited to a calm swim away from Himara's busier town beaches. Water shoes are recommended on the pebbled surface.
Amallos Beach is a small, secluded pebble cove on the coast near Porto Palermo, tucked between rocky outcrops with the clear turquoise water typical of this stretch of the Albanian Riviera. The white pebble shore and sheltered inlet make it a quiet spot for a swim or a snorkel, and its tucked-away setting keeps crowds low. The access is rougher than at the main bay beaches, so it rewards those willing to walk down to the shore.
Qeparo Beach sits along the waterfront of Qeparo village, the low-key alternative to Himara's busier town beaches. The shoreline is pebbled but the seabed turns to soft sand a few meters in, with a gentle slope that suits children and less confident swimmers. A pleasant promenade lined with stone tiles, old-style lanterns, and a handful of restaurants and bars runs behind the beach, and even in August a quiet stretch is usually within a short walk. Note: the historic Qeparo i Sipërm (Old Qeparo) village sits up the hill, the beach is the lower, modern Qeparo settlement.
Borsh Beach is the longest beach on the entire Albanian Riviera, stretching roughly 7 km along the coast with a sand and gravel surface. Its deep blue, shallow waters and vast stretches of uncrowded shoreline make it a favorite for families seeking space and quiet. Beach clubs, hotels, restaurants, and sunbeds with parasols are available, but the sheer length of the beach means solitude is always just a short walk away.
Buneci Beach is an off-the-beaten-track pebble beach south of Borsh, known for its incredible blue water color and peaceful atmosphere. With only sun umbrella rentals available and very few holidaymakers around, it feels like a genuinely undiscovered spot on the Albanian Riviera. It is easily accessible by car and ideal for those looking to escape the more popular beaches entirely.
Sasaj is one of the Albanian Riviera's last genuinely undeveloped beaches, on the far-south Piqeras stretch between Borsh and the Lukova coves. Green hills drop to a quiet bay with clear water and, on most days, more space than people. There are no beach clubs to speak of and facilities are sparse, that lack of development is exactly the appeal, but it means you come prepared.
Manastiri, "Monastery Beach", named for the old monastery near it, is where Saranda regulars go when the town beaches get too busy. It's a small cove a short way south of the centre, trading the convenience of the central seafront for clearer water and a calmer scene. Not a secret and not deserted, but a noticeable step down in crowds and up in setting from the concrete-backed town beaches.
Lukovë is a long, quiet pebble-and-shingle beach on the far-south Ionian coast, known for clear, shallow, calm water and almost no development. Unlike Ksamil or Dhërmi there are no big beach clubs or loud music, just waves, cicadas and the occasional fishing boat. It keeps an uncrowded, local atmosphere even in summer.
Pulëbardha, "Seagull's Beach", is a dramatic, cliff-backed pebble cove between Saranda and Ksamil, with white-to-grey pebbles, vivid turquoise water and some of the best snorkeling on the coast (underwater visibility often 15–20 m). It's small and scenic, with a restaurant built into the limestone rock.
Krorëza is one of the last untouched stretches of the Albanian coast, a remote cove of soft white sand and smooth pebbles, divided by rocks into small secluded bays, with clear turquoise water below cliffs and hills. There's no direct road, which is exactly what has kept it wild.
Kakome is a sheltered bay on the far-south Riviera, ringed by hills, with a pier to jump from and almost nothing else. It is one of the quieter stops on the Saranda boat-tour circuit, and boats are the only realistic way in: the road down to the shore ends at a guarded gate. Published descriptions of the shore differ between pebble and coarse sand. Aerial photographs show a jetty and sunbeds laid out in high summer, but nothing you should count on being open.
Find the best seaside restaurants, nearby hotels, and boat tours to make the most of the Albanian Riviera.
Almost all of Himara's beaches are pebble or shingle rather than sand. Spile, the main town beach, is soft pebbles with sandy patches; Dhermi, Drymades and Palasa to the north are bright white-pebble beaches whose stones give the water its turquoise clarity. A few mix in sand. Borsh is sand and gravel, and Gjipe is a sand-and-pebble cove at a canyon mouth. Water shoes make the coarser stretches more comfortable.
For an easy family day, the town beaches Spile and Sfageio are simplest, with gentle entries, sunbeds, showers and food right behind the shore. Further out, Jale, Qeparo and Borsh also suit families, with more space to spread out and calmer, shallower water.
The beaches themselves are free and public. What you pay for is comfort: a sunbed-and-umbrella set, kayak or paddleboard hire, and the beach bars and tavernas behind them. Quieter coves like Llamani and Filikuri have few or no facilities, so bring your own water and shade.
Five beaches, including Spile and Sfageio, are walkable from Himara town. Most others, among them Livadhi, Potami, Jale, Dhermi and Qeparo, are a short drive south or north along the SH8 coast road, with parking on or near the beach. A few of the smaller coves are reached on foot or by boat tour from the harbour.
July and August are the warmest and liveliest months but also the busiest. June and September are quieter shoulder months with warm sea and far more room on the sand. The swimming season generally runs from June into October.
Picking which beach you want first usually tells you which side of Himara to base on. Compare live availability across the cluster:
