April–May
Wk 16–18
The quietest stretch among this region's best weather weeks: crowd level around 10 out of 100, weather comfort near 63.
- Crowd level
- 7–15
- Comfort
- 60–65
Albania · Albanische Riviera
Albanian Riviera: from the Llogara Pass to Saranda on the Ionian Sea
The Riviera runs from the Llogara Pass south of Vlora to north of Saranda; its main town is Himara, with the historic old quarter of Kastro. Along the coast stand the castles of Sopot and Porto Palermo.
Busiest week
AugustCrowd level 100
Wk 32 · 131,780 overnight stays
Quietest weeks
JanuaryCrowd level 0
Wk 2–4 · measured against the region's own year, not against other regions
Sweet spot
April–MayCrowd level 7–15
Wk 16–18 · quietest while the weather still holds
Warmest month
27 °CComfort 76
July · around 33 mm of rain in the month
Albanische Riviera in brief
The Albanian Riviera is a steep stretch of coast in south-west Albania on the Ionian Sea, beginning north of Saranda and ending at the Llogara Pass south of Vlora. Its main town is Himara, with the historic old quarter of Kastro; the Riviera's northern gateway is Vlora, an important town during Albania's independence movement and a major harbour, and its southern gateway is Saranda, with an archaeological museum and a synagogue. Along the coast stands the Castle of Sopot, together with the bay of Porto Palermo and its Ottoman-era castle; near Vlora lie the Castle of Kanina and the Castle of Gjon Boçari on the river Vjosa, and near Ksamil, close to Saranda, lie the four Ksamil Islands.
When is Albanische Riviera busy, when is it quiet?
Click a week. The panel on the right explains why it is busy or quiet.
Weather profile
Weather comfort is an absolute scale (0 = poor, 100 = ideal) and a second axis next to the season-relative crowd level.
JanuaryØ 0
FebruaryØ 0
MarchØ 1
AprilØ 6
MayØ 19
JuneØ 44
JulyØ 72
AugustØ 94
SeptemberØ 48
OctoberØ 17
NovemberØ 6
DecemberØ 4
Colour = season-relative crowd levelBar = weather comfort (Sun & warmth), absolute 0–100
Why this week?
April · Wk 16
Crowd level7/100 · fairly quiet
quietbusy
Weather comfort24/100 · Sun & warmth
-62 % versus the region's annual average.
- Contributing months
- April (100 %)
- Overnight stays/week
- 14,538
- School-holiday pressure (source markets)
- 29 % of source markets on school holidays · +6 % crowding from holidays
- Main source markets
- Italy (24 %) · Poland (21 %) · Germany (15 %) · 86% of guests modelled
- Region range
- 6,326–131,780 (avg 38,673)
- Base years
- 2022, 2023, 2024 (excluding 2020, 2021)
v1: Crowd-Score aus der Eurostat-Basisschicht (Übernachtungen), moduliert vom Schulferien-Druck der Quellmärkte, region-spezifisch gewichtet mit dem Quellland-Mix. Season-relativ zur Region. Event-Schichten folgen.
Plan your trip
Pre-filled with the next date in week 16.
DestinationAlbanische Riviera
Travel datesPick a week in the calendar
FlightSearch flights (opens in a new tab)
StayFind stays (opens in a new tab)
ActivityExplore activities (opens in a new tab)Ad · commission link
Photos: Johny Goerend · reisetopia · Dino Reichmuth on Unsplash
The travel year in Albanische Riviera, month by month
The year as a table to read and to cite: crowd level for every month, plus weather comfort and temperature from the climate normals.
| Month | Crowd level0–100, season-relative | Weather comfort0–100, profile “mild” | Avg temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 23 | 5 °C |
| February | 0 | 30 | 8 °C |
| March | 1 | 41 | 10 °C |
| April | 6 | 58 | 14 °C |
| May | 19 | 69 | 18 °C |
| June | 44 | 76 | 24 °C |
| July | 72 | 76 | 27 °C |
| August | 94 | 74 | 26 °C |
| September | 48 | 79 | 21 °C |
| October | 17 | 71 | 17 °C |
| November | 6 | 45 | 12 °C |
| December | 4 | 28 | 7 °C |
The crowd level is season-relative: 100 is the annual peak of Albanische Riviera itself, not the busiest destination in Europe. The figures say when it is quiet here — not where it is quieter than elsewhere.
Weather comfort 0–100 from the climate normals, profile “mild” – the same profile as the recommendation above, not the selection in the calendar. A “–” means the data for that month is missing.
Index 2.0 · As of 25/08/2026
The windows worth catching
Three windows from the model: first whether the weather suits the region, then how busy it gets.
October–November
Wk 42–44
A second option, also with usable weather: crowd level around 14, weather comfort near 63.
- Crowd level
- 11–16
- Comfort
- 56–69
August
Wk 32–34
The region's peak: crowd level around 98 out of 100. Only if the dates are fixed.
- Crowd level
- 97–100
- Comfort
- 72–75
Albanische Riviera compared with Europe
How full the accommodation is here, measured against Europe – on the only measure on which two travel regions can be compared.
- Bed occupancy in Albanische Riviera
- 10.2
- European median
- 23.1
per cent of bed places, annual mean
per cent of bed places, annual mean
Furthest from the median: February, at 0.1× the value. Closest to the median: August, at 0.8× the value.
Mean across 12 months, weighted by their weeks. This occupancy compares travel regions with one another. The crowding in the table above compares Albanische Riviera with itself. The two measures are never combined.
Climate through the year
Average temperature with day/night range and precipitation across the twelve months.
- Avg temperature
- Day/night range
- Precipitation
| Month | Avg temperature (°C) | Day avg (°C) | Night avg (°C) | Precipitation (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | 5 | 2 | 148 |
| Feb | 6 | 8 | 4 | 99 |
| Mar | 8 | 10 | 6 | 135 |
| Apr | 12 | 14 | 9 | 104 |
| May | 15 | 18 | 13 | 126 |
| Jun | 21 | 24 | 18 | 76 |
| Jul | 23 | 27 | 20 | 33 |
| Aug | 23 | 26 | 20 | 57 |
| Sep | 19 | 21 | 16 | 84 |
| Oct | 14 | 17 | 12 | 117 |
| Nov | 10 | 12 | 8 | 208 |
| Dec | 6 | 7 | 4 | 138 |
The band shows mean daytime to nighttime temperature. Precipitation shown as monthly total (mm). Typical monthly value (climate normal), not a forecast.
How sunny?
How much sun a typical day delivers, month by month, expressed as hours of full midday sun.
Very sunny
≈ 4.4 h of full midday sun per day, annual average
Jul
Sunniest month
| Month | ≈ h of full midday sun per day |
|---|---|
| Jan | 2.0 |
| Feb | 2.9 |
| Mar | 4.1 |
| Apr | 5.5 |
| May | 5.9 |
| Jun | 6.8 |
| Jul | 7.0 |
| Aug | 6.1 |
| Sep | 4.7 |
| Oct | 3.4 |
| Nov | 2.1 |
| Dec | 1.7 |
Basis: mean daily solar irradiance in kWh/m²/day; 1 kWh/m² is roughly one hour of full midday sun (1,000 W/m²). Not the same as measured sunshine duration. Typical monthly value (climate normal), not a forecast.
Ski areas in Albanische Riviera
Mapped ski areas in this region with slope kilometres, lifts and elevation, plus the long-term snow average from our climate data.
- Ski areas
- 1
- Slopes in total
- 1 km
- Lifts
- 2
- Highest point
- 1,678 m
On a long-term average, January sees the most snow: 7 cm mean snow depth across the region.
| Ski area | Slopes | Lifts | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ski Pista Bigëll – Dardhë | 1.09 km | 2 | 1,592–1,678 m86 m vertical drop |
Slope, lift and elevation figures come from open mapping and are complete to varying degrees. “Not available” means not mapped, not “does not exist”. Opening hours and season are not included. Snow figures are long-term averages for the whole region, not snow depth on the mountain and not a forecast.
Albanische Riviera in detail
Location and shape
The Albanian Riviera is a steep stretch of coast in south-west Albania on the Ionian Sea; the Ceraunian Mountains separate it from the interior. It begins north of Saranda and ends at the 1,027-metre Llogara Pass south of Vlora, where the Adriatic begins. Albanians often simply call it Bregu, "the coast".
Municipalities and history
The Riviera's main town and seat of the Bashkia is Himara; until 2015 the municipality of the same name covered only the northern part, with nine villages, among them Palasa, the northernmost, at the foot of the Llogara Pass. The southern part once formed the Komuna of Lukova, with villages such as Borsh and Nivica. In 2011 the municipalities of Himara and Lukova together had 7,818 residents. After the collapse of communism in 1991 the Riviera was heavily depopulated.
Roads and tourism
The coastal road SH8 was rebuilt from autumn 2008, and in 2024 the six-kilometre Llogara Tunnel, the longest in the country, opened. At Shën Vasil, the French company Club Méditerranée planned a hotel complex as the first western investor there; construction stalled over land-ownership disputes, and the company withdrew for a time.
Coastal towns
Vlora was an important town during Albania's independence movement, is a major harbour, and is a starting point for trips to the Karaburun Peninsula and the island of Sazan. In Himara, a hilltop castle dating from the sixteenth century overlooks the town; its old quarter, Kastro, is a historic district of cobbled lanes and old stone houses. Saranda has an archaeological museum and a synagogue; above the town stands the medieval fortress of Lekursi Castle.
Castles along the coast
The Castle of Kanina was built in the third century BC by the Illyrians and later used by Romans, Byzantines, Normans and Ottomans. The Castle of Gjon Boçari was built in the fifteenth century and later served Ali Pasha of Tepelena as a fortress too. The Castle of Sopot was built in the fourth century BC by the Illyrians and later used by Romans and Byzantines. The Riviera's historic sights also include the Castle of Porto Palermo, several churches and Old Himara.
Nature and islands
Near Saranda lie the four small Ksamil Islands off Ksamil, reachable by boat; the Riviera's natural sights include the Blue Eye spring, more than 50 metres deep. The bay of Porto Palermo carries an Ottoman-era castle on a small island at its centre. From the Llogara Pass, the view stretches along the coast as far as Corfu. The island of Sazan carries a fortress from Ottoman times, later used by Italians and Albanians; access is restricted, and visitors need a permit.
Frequently asked questions about the best time to visit Albanische Riviera
Short answers on timing, weather and getting there, all from the data on this page.
When is the best time to visit Albanische Riviera?
- The best time to visit Albanische Riviera is April–May (Wk 16–18): it is the quietest stretch among the region's best weather weeks – crowd level around 10 out of 100, weather comfort about 63 out of 100.
When is Albanische Riviera quietest?
- January (Wk 2–4) is the quietest time in Albanische Riviera. Crowd levels there sit at 0 out of 100, the lowest across the year.
When is Albanische Riviera busiest?
- Albanische Riviera is busiest in August (Wk 32) with around 131,780 overnight stays in the peak week.
What is the weather like in Albanische Riviera and when is it warmest?
- It is warmest in Albanische Riviera in July with an average of 27 °C and around 33 mm of rain in the month.
When is there the most snow in Albanische Riviera and when are ski conditions best?
- Albanische Riviera has the most snow in January with an average of around 7 cm. Those are the most reliable weeks for winter sports.
When is Albanische Riviera least busy while still having good snow?
- The best time for quiet winter sports in Albanische Riviera is February: with still around 5 cm of snow, the crowd level of about 0 out of 100 is below peak season.
Quiet travel windows across Europe, once a month
The Crowd Report names the emptiest weeks of the coming months — for every region, not just this one. Free, unsubscribe any time.
Sources and data vintages
Every provenance note on this page, collected in one place.
- Cover photo
- Photo by Drini Teta on Unsplash
- Cover video
- Video by Darkwater Films on Pexels
- Crowding figures
- Index 2.0 · As of 25/08/2026. v1 approximation, calculated from Eurostat overnight stays. Day tourism and cruises (Venice, Dubrovnik …) are still missing, so we show these destinations as quieter than they are. The crowd score is a model-based forecast, not a measurement.
- Climate data
- Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2025.
- Ski areas
Data sources: ski areas from OpenSkiMap, based on OpenStreetMap, licensed under ODbL 1.0; snow depths from ERA5-Land (Copernicus Climate Change Service).
- Region text
- Text by HolidayHub, written from Wikivoyage „Albanische Riviera“ (1613104) · Wikipedia „Albanische Riviera“ (270195442) · Wikidata Q1786972. Wikivoyage and Wikipedia are licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikidata CC0.
- Data basis
- All figures are approximations derived from open data (crowd level from Eurostat overnight stays, climate from Copernicus/ERA5-Land), not measurements.