Riviera Coast Run
Three days from Vlorë to Sarandë along the Ionian. The Llogara Pass, the cliff villages of Dhërmi and Himarë, and a hundred reasons to pull over.
The Albanian Riviera, end to end.
This is the route Albania is famous for — and there's a reason. From Vlorë, the SH8 climbs through pine forest to the Llogara Pass at 1,027 m, then drops in 30 hairpins toward the turquoise of the Ionian. Between Vlorë and Sarandë, you're rarely more than two kilometers from the sea.
Three days is the right length: long enough to take it slowly, swim where you want, and eat fresh fish in three different villages. Short enough that you'll still want more.
How the three days unfold.
A loose itinerary, not a strict one. Distances are short — the magic is in stopping when you want to.
Up the pass, down to the sea.
Leave Vlorë in the morning while the air is still cool. The SH8 takes you through Orikum, then begins its climb into Llogara National Park — pine forest, switchbacks, and a small café at the summit where everyone stops. The descent into Dhërmi is the photograph everyone takes. Spend the afternoon on Dhërmi or Drymades beach.
A day for detours.
Short distance, long day. Detour to Gjipe Beach (a 15-minute walk down a gorge from the parking), then ride south to Porto Palermo Castle — Ali Pasha's island fortress, reachable across a stone causeway. Late afternoon in Himarë: old town up the hill, fish dinner down at the waterfront.
South to Sarandë.
The most varied stretch: olive groves at Borsh (Albania's longest beach), the cliff-top corners around Lukovë, and the run into Sarandë with views toward Corfu. If you have time, ride the extra 15 km south to Ksamil for the islets, or detour inland to the Blue Eye spring.
Weather along the route.
Live conditions and 10-day forecast for the four cities you'll ride through.
Before you ride.
Quick things worth knowing — most are obvious, a few are not.
Fuel up in towns, not villages.
Vlorë, Himarë, Sarandë have proper stations. Between them, gas is sometimes a guy with a barrel. Don't drop below half a tank.
July & August are hot. Ride early.
Coast can hit 38°C by noon. Leave by 8 AM, beach 12–4 PM, ride again at sunset. Layer down — you'll want it on the Llogara descent.
The road has goats. And tourists. And cows.
The SH8 is paved and good, but blind corners are common — especially near villages. Use your horn approaching switchbacks. Locals do.
Book Dhërmi & Himarë in advance (Jul–Aug).
Outside peak season you can wing it, but in summer the good guesthouses fill 2–3 weeks out. Booking.com has solid coverage of the coast.
The Honda NC 750x.
The Riviera deserves a bike that disappears underneath you — and that's exactly what the NC 750x does. Comfortable upright posture for the long descents off Llogara, smooth automatic gearbox for the cliff-side hairpins, and enough torque on the highway stretches between villages to overtake without thinking about it.
Three days. One ride.
Yours to book.
Reserve the bike, pack a swimsuit, and meet us in Tirana. We'll have the keys, the helmets, and a printed copy of this route waiting.