When you check into a homestay and the local owner offers you a shot of homemade Raki liquor at 2 in the afternoon… It’d be rude to say no, right? Well, somewhere in between the first and second Raki drink we got to talking about the many beaches in Himare. Immediately, he started pointing over the small hillside with excitement and said “very beautiful beach, very beautiful.” With an endorsement like that, how could we not go and see it for ourselves? So if you’re in Himare for the day consider doing this awesome hike to Livadhi Beach Albania!
Albania Travel Inspiration
- 2 Weeks in Albania Itinerary: Beautiful Beaches to Mountain Towns
- 19 Facts About Albania to Know Before You Go: History, Tips, & More
- Berat Albania Guide: The Can’t Miss City of a Thousand Windows
- Best Beaches of Ksamil and Why it’s Albania’s Most Popular Summer Town
- Understanding the Albanian Bus System: How Difficult is it?
Himare to Livadhi Beach Hike
Start: Himare Beach
End: Livadhi Beach
Time: 45min-1 Hour
Pack: Water & Beach Snacks
Starting the Hike to Livadhi Beach
When leaving Himare beach at the far end there is a small set of stairs that go up into the hillside. Follow the path until you get to the top and come out into a more residential neighborhood. Continue on and turn left after the massive soccer field, and from there you’ll be on the right road!
As you’re walking along the roadway it will slowly become smaller and smaller until you finally reach the path that cuts down to Livadhi Beach. Don’t worry about passing the trail because you’ll actually need to for one of the coolest outlooks we found!
I guess it’s good to note that we used the offline travel map called maps.me, and it had the route for this hike in Albania on it. Just make sure to download the country while you still have Wifi.
→ Himare Albania Guide: 7 Best Things to Do Near the Beach
The Best View NOT to Miss
As we already mentioned, you actually walk past the path and continue down to this amazing viewpoint on the way to Livadhi Beach Albania. Take the steps and climb up onto the roof of the abandoned building for stunning views of the coastline.
Honestly, we had no idea about this spot and were so happy that we didn’t miss it! The detour down and back to the path shouldn’t take more then 15-20 minutes, but will be a highlight of your hike from Himare to Livadhi Beach.
*Since our trip there is actually a restaurant called Kico Meniko that has been built in this bay. While we have only seen photos the reviews are great. It looks like an amazing spot to grab lunch and go for a swim! If you end up visiting let us know how it is!
Following the Path to Livadhi Beach
Now it’s important to break down how to actually find and stay on the hiking trail as they are all marked differently in Albania. Along your way, you’ll find small markers of white and red stripes that are typically painted onto the rocks.
This is a great reminder that you’re going the right way from Himare to Livadhi Beach! Once you cut from the larger gravel road onto the path it will get tighter with ingrown trees. Even so, the path was surprisingly well maintained and marked so you don’t get lost.
As soon as we got on the hike we realized it was closer to an hour than the 20 minutes that our hotel owner told us. Yet, this still ended up being one of our favorite afternoons in the country!
Getting to Livadhi Beach Albania
When we emerged from the trees and came to the last lookout of the hike we were blown away by Livadhi Beach! The long stretch of Albanian coastline stood in contrast with the clear blue water splashing against the small white pebbles. We didn’t make it very far before we grabbed the first beach chair we passed at Blue Bay beach bar and settled in for the afternoon.
It was the beginning of June when we visited so we didn’t need to pay for the chairs as long as we ordered something from the bar. This was so perfect as the deliciously cheap craft of wine was just what was needed to complete our day! We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and swimming in the ocean.
When Hiking in Albania…
Not that we needed anything else to make this amazing day stand out for us, but we would soon get our “only in Albania” moment!
As we were sitting on our chairs and chatting with our new friends from Sunset Guesthouse, we heard a mini-stampede coming toward us. Yup, a large herd of goats casually walked right past!
Imagine this… Wine in hand, beautiful ocean view, and a massive herd of about 30+ goats walked right by our beach chairs. Like we said, only in Albania!
Hike Back From Livadhi Beach
After a long afternoon of swimming, sun, and drinks don’t forget that you have to hike back! Maybe it was the fact that we knew where we were going or were feeling incredible after our relaxing afternoon, but the hike back from Livadhi Beach was super easy.
Also, it’s much quicker without the detour up to the lookout point. We left just before sunset so we could make it back to town before dark and it was perfect timing.
Should You Visit Livadhi Beach?
We hope you have enough time to make it to Livadhi Beach Albania! In full disclosure, you can also drive if you have a car. Just know you won’t get the same views as you do on the hike from Himare to Livadhi Beach and will come out at a different point on the sand. Still, if you can’t make the climb or don’t feel up for it then you don’t have to let that stop you!
If you have any questions about this post please let us know in the comments below. Additionally, if you did another amazing hike in Albania we would love to hear about it!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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Where to Stay in Himare Albania
Fun Vacation – Geo & Art Boutique Hotel Himara – Locally run small boutique hotel with beautiful terraces that overlook Himare town and beach. One minute walk from the beach and shops with clean and modern beach decor.
Travel Couple – Sunset Guesthouse – Our home in Himare! Set back from the main street this property is ran by two kind owners who go out of their way to welcome you. Clean rooms, large balcony common area, and very economical price.
Hostel Life – Himara Hostel – Set in a traditional house, Himara Hostel is a quick 8 minute walk from the beach and offers free breakfast. Large outdoor space with hammocks and lounge areas. If you liked hiking in Albania the hostel has bikes and kayaks for rent as well.
For more hotels in Himare Albania you can explore the latest prices here!
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Albania Travel Planning
Explore Albania: Best Albanian Food – Dhermi Beach – Gjirokaster Castle & Town – Butrint National Park – 8 Saranda Tips
Rental Car: We use Discover Cars to explore when traveling. Consider renting a car in one city and dropping it off in another for an epic road trip!
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for hundreds of activities around the country. You can book a private hike through the Gamti Mountain, jump on a Tirana Walking Tour, or day trip to the beautiful village of Berat Albania.
Flights: We always find our cheap flight deals using Skyscanner and Kayak. This way you can plan your trip around the cheapest and most direct routes.
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld can be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without being covered! We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including our electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
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Thank you so much for this, went there the other week (writing in oct 2023) and your guide really helped this solo female traveller!
Especially the tip of downloading maps.me which lists the path where google doesn’t. It was quite some trek alone but I felt pretty confident armed with your guide and maps.me – pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise. Thanks a million!
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed this beautiful hike 😀
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful article with tips.
My partner and I will be traveling to Himara soon and will be staying close to the Livadi beach.
Whereabout is that lookout point you mentioned? I tried to find it on the map, is it at Kico Meniko?
Thanks,
Lavi
Hi Lavi! Kico Meniko is exactly where it is. This is actually new since we have visited the area. It looks like a great spot and if you end up going and like it let us know! Have a fun trip!
Hello! I will be visiting Albania in a couple weeks and we are staying 2 nights at Livahdi beach. Do you think it will be easy for us to do the hike to Himare after reading your description even though we will be going the opposite direction?
Thank you! I really enjoyed reading this post.
Hi Megan! Thanks for reading. You can do it the opposite way easily! We walked there and back to Himare so it’s no problem. Hope you have an amazing time in Albania (-:
Thank you so much for explaining in detail how to do this hike! Hubby and I just got back from a week exploring the Albanian coast and were based in Himare for 3 days. We even made the detour to the lookout point as you suggested. What’s funny is while we were up there, a man who was moving rocks below in the lil cove waved at us to come down. Well we returned the next day and asked if we could swim by their place which is the Kiko Meniko restaurant. The whole family was very friendly, we bought 4 local beers from them and had the private swimming cove to ourselves. Perfect! 🙂
No way what a cool story that is!!! So glad our blog was able to help you on the hike. Those beaches near Himare are absolutely stunning! ( :