Nature
Llogara Pass and the Riviera road
The mountain road south of the bay climbs to about 1,000 m through the Llogara pine forest and drops to the Albanian Riviera — a day trip or the start of the next leg.
⏱ Half or full day
Explore · Destination
The Llogara Pass
South of the bay the coast road climbs through pine forest to 1,027 m, then drops to the Albanian Riviera. A drive, a viewpoint, a launch site for paragliders and the gateway to the next leg.
Checked · next check by Due for a re-check — confirm locally before relying on it.
The pass and the park
The road south from Vlora runs past Uji i Ftohtë, Radhimë and Orikum, crosses the olive groves of the Dukat plain and then climbs in tight bends to the Llogara Pass, at about 1,027 m. On the far side it drops steeply to Palasa and Dhërmi, where the Albanian Riviera begins.
Around the pass, Llogara National Park (declared in 1966) protects a mountain forest of pine and fir. The National Tourism Agency also points to the Julius Caesar trail hiking route here, and to Çika (2,044 m), the highest peak of the range above.
What to do
- Stop at the top for the view over the Ionian coast and the mountain air — noticeably cooler than the bay in summer.
- Fly: tandem paragliding launches from the slopes near the pass.
- Eat: roadside restaurants near the pass, or a farm lunch in Dukat on the way.
- Carry on to the Riviera beaches, or turn back and catch the sunset over the bay.
Adventure
Tandem paragliding from the Llogara Pass
Take off from the mountains by the Llogara Pass, about a thousand metres up, and glide down towards the Ionian coast — the Riviera alternative to the bay flight.
⏱ Half day
Food & drink
Dukat: olive groves and a country lunch
Below the Llogara road, the Dukat plain is olive-oil country. Agritourism farms serve local dishes, their own oil and wine — a slow lunch on the way to or from the Riviera.
⏱ 2–3 hours
Driving it
- Drive in daylight and take the bends slowly; expect buses, cyclists and the occasional animal on the road.
- Fill up in Vlora or Orikum before you climb.
- Mountain weather changes fast, and snow is possible at the top in winter.
- After scuba diving, check with your dive centre before driving to altitude.
Sources and checks
Facts that can change are dated and checked against the sources below. Vlora.live has no relationship with these organisations; if something has changed, please tell us.
Related
- Car hire Renting a car for Vlora and the Riviera: documents, roads, Llogara, and where to compare.
- Paragliding Tandem flights over Vlora Bay and from Llogara: what to expect, weather, and how to book.
- Beaches City beaches, the Old Beach, Radhimë and Orikum, and the coves you reach by boat — with 2026 sunbed rules.
- Karaburun The roadless peninsula across the bay: sea caves, Grama Bay, the marine park and how to get there.