Top 10 beaches in Albania (2026 edition)

Albania packs an outrageous amount of coastline into a small country: a soft, sandy Adriatic in the north and a clear, dramatic Ionian — the Riviera — in the south. These are the beaches our editors return to, ranked less by hype than by the quality of the swim and the character of the place.

The Riviera essentials

• Ksamil — the famous one. Tiny islands you can wade or paddle to, Caribbean-bright water, and, in high summer, the crowds to match. Come early or in the shoulder season.
• Borsh — seven kilometres of pebble backed by olive groves; the Riviera's answer to overtourism, and its longest beach.
• Gjipe — a hidden cove at the mouth of a canyon between Dhërmi and Himarë, reached on foot or by boat. Worth every step.
• Dhërmi & Drymades — white-pebble glamour, beach clubs and Albania's loudest summer nightlife.
• Jale — a lively bay between Vuno and Himarë, popular with a younger crowd.

Quieter and wilder

• Himarë (Livadh & Llaman) — town-friendly bays with clear water and easygoing tavernas.
• Porto Palermo — a sheltered double bay guarded by Ali Pasha's stone fortress.
• Palasë — the first Riviera beach below the Llogara Pass, long and open.
• Grama Bay — the remote Karaburun peninsula, reachable only by boat, with ancient sailors' inscriptions carved in the rock.
• Pulëbardha — a small pebble cove near Sarandë, calmer than nearby Ksamil.
• Gjiri i Lalzit — a broad, sandy Adriatic bay north of Durrës, the easy choice for families who prefer soft sand to pebbles.

Practical notes

Most Riviera beaches are pebble, so bring water shoes; the truly sandy family beaches are on the Adriatic near Durrës and Lezhë. July and August are hot and busy — late June and September give you the same sea with room to breathe. A rental car unlocks the coves the buses miss.

Whichever you choose, pack out what you carry in: several of these coves have no bins, and their fragile charm depends on it.