Vlora

Vlorë is the third largest city in Albania and serves as the seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality.

Situated in southwestern Albania, Vlorë stretches along the Bay of Vlorë and is bordered by the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains, along the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea coasts.

The best month to visit Vlora depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want the best weather, fewer crowds, or the best value? Following are our suggestions for each.

The best weather for exploring Vlora depends on your preference. We usually enjoy cities at around 55°F with sun. In summer, Vlora can be hot—especially in July and August—so keep that in mind if you plan to walk a lot during your visit.

Below is a chart showing the average high and low temperatures for each month so you can decide what is best for you.

The time of the year with good weather and fewer crowds is often called the shoulder season. The shoulder season in Vlora is May to June and September to October. For many, this is the best time of the year to visit. We spent the entire month of January in Vlora. The weather was cool in the morning but warmed up during the day. Additionally, it was rainy some days but nice most of the time.

April and November are good months to visit Vlora for the best value and with fewer crowds. The weather during these months is cool in Vlora and similar to our preferred temperature for walking most of the day.

There are many great places to stay in Vlora. For the best experience, we recommend staying on the Promenade near Boulevard Ismail Qemali (the castle marker on the map below). The Promenade and the area along Boulevard Ismail Qemali are the most pedestrian-friendly with numerous restaurants and shops.

Use the map below to compare hotel and apartment options in Vlora. Select your travel dates to get specific availability and prices. 

Vlora International Airport is under construction and expected to open in spring 2025.

Currently, the closest commercial airport to Vlorë is Tirana Rinas (TIA), situated 67 miles away from the city.

In Vlora, the standard time is Central European Time (CET; UTC+01:00). Daylight saving time, which moves one hour ahead to Central European Summer Time, is observed from the last Sunday in March (02:00 CET) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 CEST).

The lek is the currency of Albania.

Albanian is the official language of Albania. However, English is widely spoken in Vlora.

Citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia don’t need a visa to visit Albania if they stay one year or less. For more information on visa-free travel in Albania, check out our article on traveling visa-free.

Albania’s electrical outlets are Type F. Travelers from the United States will need an adapter. It’s the same adapter used for the rest of Europe.

Albania operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

We recommend a travel power strip with multiple USBs and standard plug-ins if you have many items to plug in. Using a power strip, you will only need one adapter to plug the strip into the wall.

Travelers will want a SIM card for Albania. You can get either a local SIM card or an eSIM card.

To get a local SIM card, you must find a local cellular service provider, often stand in line for assistance, show your passport, and complete some paperwork. The SIM cards work great, but purchasing them is somewhat inconvenient. This option is best if you need more than 5GB of data.

We use eSIMs exclusively because they can be purchased before arrival in a new country and activated when you hit a cell tower in the country. We use Airalo eSIMs. They work great, and I recommend them if you plan to use less than 5 GB of data during your stay or if you need internet immediately on arrival.

The lack of a train system in Albania makes rental cars necessary for most destinations. In addition to the major car rental companies found in the United States, Sixt and Europcar are common throughout Europe.  For a comparison of rental car offers from large international brands and smaller regional brands, we recommend Discover Cars.