Albania: Self-Guided Driving Tour of the Albanian Riviera, Vlorë to Sarandë over the Llogara Pass
Drive one of Europe's great coastal roads, from Vlorë, where Albania declared independence in 1912, over the 1,027-metre Llogara Pass and down the Albanian Riviera to Sarandë, facing Corfu. On the way: the bay where Albania kept four Soviet submarines, the beach where Julius Caesar may have landed his legions, the Orthodox stone villages of Dhërmi, Vuno and Old Himarë, Ali Pasha's intact sea fortress at Porto Palermo, a Cold War tunnel in the cliffs, the olive groves of Borsh and Suleiman the Magnificent's lookout above Sarandë. Narration plays automatically as you drive, with optional stops for the Llogara viewpoint, lunch in Himarë, Porto Palermo Castle and village walks. About 124 km and roughly 3 hours of driving without stops; allow a full day with visits. Practical notes: the old Llogara Pass road is steep and winding with tight hairpins. It can be foggy, and snow or ice can close it in winter (roughly November to March); if it is closed, use the Llogara tunnel and rejoin the tour after Palasë. Pull over only at safe, marked spots, never on bends. Expect slow traffic, buses and campervans in July and August, and animals on mountain roads. Fill up with fuel in Vlorë or Himarë, carry some cash in lek for small cafés and parking, and check opening times before planning visits.