Albanian Adriatic Coast
The Adriatic beaches tend to be sandy with shallow waters, making them suitable for family holidays. The main beaches are those of Velipoja, Shëngjin, Durrës, Golem, Spille, Divjakë, and Vlorë. Besides the beaches, the Adriatic coast is rich with lagoons and natural ecosystems providing wonderful opportunities for those passionate about the study and observation of birds as well as those interested in ecotourism. Velipoja beach is the northernmost beach of the country situated 22 km away from city of Shkodër. There are about 250 sunny days and temperatures above 20 degrees C normally begin by mid-May. The beach, with 4 km of high quality sand, is suitable for family vacations and is generally populated by northern Albanian tourists.
Shëngjin beach is another sandy beach near the district of Lezha, situated 8 km away from the historic town of Lezha. Shëngjin beach is well known for it’s high quality sand and has 200–300 sunny days per year. In the north of Shëngjin, ahead of Renci hills, lays the wonderful beach called Rana e Hedhun (Powdered Sand), which is well protected from the winds of that area. Lalzi Bay is another attractive area of the Adriatic coastline situated between Rodon Cape and Bishti i Pallës. Rodon Cape is a wonderful, natural masterpiece of 7.5 km and is a highlight for those who enjoy diving. The beaches of Lalëzi Bay are sandy ones, some of them surrounded by strips of pine trees.
Durrësi beach, situated only 39 km away from Tirana is the biggest and the most populated beach of the country. It has a length of 6 km with a considerably wide strip of sand. The sea depth increases very gradually, which makes this beach very safe for families and kids. In Durres, there are three major beaches: -in the northern part of Durrës, the beach of Currila has a deeper depth and is quite protected by the warm wind coming from the land. This beach has characteristics of a rocky beach — down south of Durrës you will find two other beaches: Golem and Mali i Robit, with characteristics similar to the beaches around the Durrës area. Vlora is the second biggest harbor of the country and one of the most important points for Albanian tourism offering both “sea and sun”. The area near the city along Vlora beaches is well known for its new and modern hotels along with other facilities like bars, restaurants, clubs, and cafes. This is one of the most exciting tourist areas of the country. That area starts directly south of the city along the small and rocky beaches of the Bay of Vlorë. Further down the harbor of Orikum you will find recently built yacht stations.
Velipoja beach is the northernmost beachof the country, situated 22 km away from Shkodra. There are 250 sunny days and temperatures above 20°C normally begin by mid-May. The beach, with 4 km of high quality sand, is suitable for family vacations and is generally populated by northern Albanians. Near to Velipoja beach is the lagoon of Viluni with a surface area of 130 ha. This is a very important natural ecosystem, hosting a number of varieties of sea birds. Velipoja beach also has a legal hunting area of 700 ha situated nearby.
Durrësi Bay keeps it very protected from the winds. Situated here is the largest number of tourist facilities including hotels, motels, villa compounds, bars, restaurants, discos, etc. During the last few years this beach has become the destination not only for tourists from Tirana but also from Kosova and Macedonia. In the northern part of Durrësi is Currila beach, where the water is deeper and the beach is protected from the warm wind coming from the land. The nearby beaches of Golem and Mali i Robit comprise nearly the same unit amount of land as Durrësi beach and have similar characteristics. Here you can find a pine forest decorating the seaside. Like in Durrësi beach, the concentration of tourist facilities here is very high (hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs, etc.). Regarding the beaches in Kavaja district, it is worth mentioning the Karpen and Spilleja beaches, which are known for the high quality sand (rich in iodine), sea waters, and dense vegetation of pine trees. The Cape of Lagji closes the Durrësi bay in the south. It is a suitable natural object for diving. Nearby are the small beaches of rare beauty: Bardhori and Gjenerali. Bardhori is a rocky beach, while Gjenerali is surrounded by lush vegetation and appears like a natural amphitheatre. Both are secluded beaches, excellent for those who wish to escape noise.
