Himarë is the heart of the Albanian Riviera, a small town on the Ionian coast where the mountains stand so close to the sea that the road has to squeeze between them. The coast road, the SH8, runs for about a hundred and fifty kilometres from Vlorë to Sarandë, and it is one of the best rides in the Balkans, though it is still a road that demands attention. The town itself has a population of a few thousand, an old hilltop quarter with a Byzantine castle, and a long modern waterfront with cafes, hotels and a gravel beach.
The riding to get here crosses the Llogara Pass, which climbs from the sea to about a thousand metres through pine and fir forest, with hairpins that reveal sudden views over the coast and the island of Corfu on clear days. The surface is usually decent but can be uneven, with potholes, patches and gravel at the edges, and drivers are inclined to overtake in unlikely places. Goats and cows wander onto the road without warning, and a well-chosen pace is safer than a fast one. Beyond Himarë the road drops toward Sarandë through olive groves, small bays and tiny villages with turquoise water at the foot of the cliffs.
The Ceraunian Mountains, which rise behind Himarë, have a forbidding name, meaning the thunderbolt mountains, from the storms that gather over their peaks. In antiquity, Julius Caesar landed at a nearby bay in 48 BC while pursuing Pompey in the civil war. Himarë is also the centre of a Greek-speaking community that has lived on this coast for centuries, and you will hear Greek in the cafes and see it on shop signs.
Fuel is available in the town and at several stations along the coast road, though prices are generally higher than inland. Cash is useful, since cards are not always accepted in small places. The sea is clear and warm in summer, and a swim is easy. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, with less traffic and a gentler sun.