Day 7: Heading south

After a few days of enjoying the mountains, our next destination was Himäre in the south of Albania.

The total drive time from Theth to Himäre would be 6.5 hours which we did not see happening. Therefore, we decided to split the road and drove back till Dürres the day before. Dürres - Himäre is only 200km, which can be done in 3 hours.

The first 120km till Vlorë is a straight and easy drive, although it can be quite trafficated. It is good to take a break in this seaside city, as what comes next is not easy....

Whenever we come to Vlorë we stop by Hotel Liro for a coffee. The hotel is located outside the center if Vlorë, where the landscape suddenly changes from flat sandy seaside to high rocks. It is near here that the Adriatic Sea meets the Ionian one.

View to the Ionian Sea from the top of Hotel Liro

The hotel is built on the rock: its five floors spans the space between the sea and the road which is built on top of the high rocks. To enter the complex, you need to take the elevator that runs facing the sea. It is quite a spectacle to descend towards the hotel cafè.

Greek turtle in the garden

You can also take the stairs and discover the surprises each floor has for you: a shady garden with Greek turtles, a romantic terrass with a few coffee tables, a restaurant, a pool with a small beach from where you can jump or climb a ladder into the sea.

Can you resist if you this sea?

Shortly after leaving Vlorë the road starts curling upwards. Indeed, to get to the south of Albania from the north, you need to cross the Ceraunian Mountains. If you have time, it is worth spend a night or two here at the Llogara National Park. Otherwise, just drive forward until you reach the Llogara Pass, the 1027m tall mountain pass offering breathtaking views on the riviera.

The 1000m descend to the village of Dhërmi on the road is not an easy one. I do not have a sensitive stomach but the serpentine road made me feel really nauseous. The children also had a very hard time, and unlike me, they were completely unimpressed by the panorama.

We could not have been happier when we arrived to Himäre on this hot afternoon and could cool down in the sea!