Corfu, Greece to Himare, Albania
September 15, 2025
Through old town Corfu to the port to drop the car and catch
our ferry. Some of the boats run hydrofoils that cause them to rise up out of
the water once they hit speed. We were on a more traditional boat and enjoyed
being out on the water in open air. Pro tip be mindful of getting off early as
you have to clear customs and the folks at the back of the line were hating
life standing in the sun and heat.
We landed in Saranda which is a super port beach town. The
ferry driver came in hot and managed not to scrape any point. Armed with a pile
of Lek and an 80 to 1 exchange rate we found an excellent seafood meal for $40.
Checking out our car was efficient enough but came with some
extras, can’t return it early, we fill it with cheap diesel and want you to put
the good stuff in because it will run better and it’s $300 security deposit or
your passport. Oh yeah we will keep our pass port. The car sucks and we will be
grateful if it just gets us where we need to go and gets us back. It showed up
unwashed, bald tired, disheveled radio and an illuminated engine light. So
we’ll see.
We unexpectedly found ourselves on one of the most beautiful
roadways in the world. Along the coast it winds it ways up and over multiple
mountain passes. Twisting and turning back and forth over the smoothest asphalt
you’ll ever see made for a wonderful drive. We saw many motorcycle groups
rolling through pushing their luck on the curves. Meanwhile Cindy was terrified
questioning the chances of us reaching our destination safely. While Andy was
wishing for a car with more go than the dumpy Citroen diesel jelly bean.
Himare seems wonderful and we are checked into a room with a big view of the water and hopefully a corner glimpse of the sunset. Our hotel is spotless run by a lovely family that roll out some of the best hospitality we’ve ever experienced. Hotel Arxontiko, for $80 a night is not to be missed!
Our 2 hour afternoon naps keep coming and are the deepest
sleep we’ve ever had. It’s guilt that drives us to get up and literally painful
transitioning to being fully awake. The plus side is having energy for the
evenings.
Off to explore town on foot and track down some pizza and
stroll the waterfront promenade. The beach is a step down from what we had in
Corfu but still beautiful. On the opposing side is a string of restaurants to
choose from. All vaguely similar in their offerings, vibrant and feel very new
like this place is just getting underway. Thinking of which places to visit
through the course of our stay. Pizza was ok and a good appetizer, but we need
something more substantial.
On the way back to our hotel and the well touted restaurant
we stumble into a dark alleyway between the buildings that happens to have been
setup as a cozy dining spot. No menu and you get what they cook. The instantly
likable son lets us know they can’t take us tonight so we make a reservation
for tomorrow. Very excited!
Back to our hotel for dinner. Sitting on their deck enjoying
all that Albania has to offer. Our meal was excellent and the service was even
better. They received a 2024 trip advisor award which is unique with most other
establishments around the world highlighting awesomeness from years past. We
were tended by the two sons and dad who you would instantly say are related.
Cindy was overjoyed with the veal and more fish for Andy. The wine was
excellent and $7 for a half liter. The boys are nearly interchangeable and
offer a continuous stream of kind service. The dad while stern with his kids
gives only smiles. He has all these great phrases he would use over and over
which made us smile. The best the best, yes please yes please, welcome welcome.
Maybe limited by vocabulary but who cares his intentions were the best. Enjoy
my place, let me share my infectious enthusiasm and this will be a memorable
evening you will smile about and cherish!
Through dinner there were too gentleman engaged in great
conversation and were so fortunate to be invited. A few more bottles were
consumed and we bounced from subjects spanning idiocy of American politics, the
British royals transition to middle class soap opera, there was the guilty
pleasure of unwinding baddies and back stories, pot, past travels and
experiences in Albania so far. A lovely end to the evening and we look forward
to seeing them again. Per from Sweden now living in Malta and John from Oxford
shire.
In an almost tragic end to the day Andy came within a
whisker of tumbling down the stone stair case. Having three too many glasses of
wine and trying to navigate a strange place in the dark was not so smart.
Ending thoughts, the Albanian people are just lovely. There
is much to enjoy and the thoughts of rushing back to Corfu are fading.
September 16th, 2025
Himare, Albania
Lying in bed looking at the water in the dawn hours is our
morning ritual. The only difficulty is coaxing ourselves from bed to open the
curtains.
A quick shopping trip in the morning for an end of season what’s left hat and some line to anchor our tubes while floating. Almost not worth mentioning except for the hardware store that was tiny and packed like a hoarders one car garage. Somewhere in there was every item one could possibly need.
No plans other than to lounge out on a sun bed, float for a
bit and maybe catch a nap. Check, check and check. The beach was just a short
walk and we were in the front row. The water clear as gin and dazzlingly blue.
Our floaty tubes mark us as Neanderthals next to the chic Europeans. However,
emerging after an hour intertwined and ultimately relaxed we always get an
envious comment.
In between beach stints we find a lovely lunch under a
trellis at Brothers. Pork gyros, beers and perfectly paced. Feeling very
upscale walking from the beach to a proper lunch. Definitely recommend this
place!
Off the beach, showered and squeaky clean we head to the next beach over for the sunset. Ours is obscured by a hillside. Hoping to lounge in one of the netted beds above the beach and had to settle with watching the young couples enjoying the prime spots. Kind of square hammocks lined with pillows and heavy blankets. Maybe in Ksamil. The sunset was just ok to start as the sun dipped and then proceeded to get better and better in the hazy horizon.
Stumbled across a number of beach side bars setting up for
the evening rave. Fires were being built, puffy embroidered pillows laid out,
lights being set up and Middle East tinged house music make us want to come back
to see what unfolds. 
We were so excited to eat in the alley. With mom cooking in
the back, the son tackling the front and dad somewhere on his boat catching the
fish. Such potential and unfortunately the meal was just ok and the two man
show made things feel rushed for the number of diners. We did our best but left
more food than we would have liked. The highlight was meeting some Swedes
giving us the thought for a future in August to visit the Archipelago.
We walked back from the main strip connecting with Par and
John again for more wine and conversation. Of course, the best the best wine.
Lovely through and through and we are richer for having met them. Always
interesting and incredible conversationalists! Apologies to the hosts for
keeping them up again. They work so hard.
September 17, 2025
Himare, Albania
We booked a boat trip that promised beaches, caves and views
along the water. The boat was unlike anything we’d seen, sharp angled with a
cascading back deck it was very cool. Thumping music and we were off with 20 of
us.
The mountains go straight up out of the water. So jagged and steep they appear almost unhikable although there is the occasional trail or switch backed road. Along our ride out we pass pocket beaches accessible only by boat and the occasional town or resort area.
We stop here and there to enjoy a swim, lounge on the beach
and take in the beauty. Some of the swims include caves which makes the water
iridescent. Hoping the pictures capture it. Nice chats with folks from all over
Brazil, Netherlands, UK, Germany and Manhattan. Fun to hear where these
seasoned travelers have been around the world and they have discovered. All
have the curious spirit interested in exploring something new, share for others
to enjoy, aren’t trying to compete and happily share their challenges.
Another 2hr afternoon nap feels so good and is so hard to
rise from.
Cindy rushed me out the door salty from the day to make sure
we touch base with Par and John for dinner before we leave. We sit for some
wine and make plans for dinner tomorrow at a place we both were considering. A
drive up into the hills and promises of a great view.
Andy was hoping to people watch at the beach rave. Maybe
tomorrow night as the power from our hotel onward suddenly went out. Plan B was
opting instead for a walk and some gelato. Success!
September 18, 2025
Himare, Albania
Today we are exploring. First stop old Himare to walk
through the ruins of a bishop’s residents. All to ourselves up the cobble stone
hill to a great view and the remnants of a building from 300AD. A newer
structure from 1000AD in much better shape housed a church and some frescoes.
Stop 2 was in a beach town for breakfast, which was excellent.
Avocado toast with sunny side eggs for me and a BLAT for Cindy. We unexpectedly
found ourselves in a heated discussion with a local who informed us we were
evil upon learning we are from the US. Everyone in the place was watching
things go down. More intense than threatening. He was very upset about the US
efforts and alignments in Gaza. Similar in some ways to the extremists in our
country, unwilling to hear or listen anything counter to his beliefs. Things
settled and he wrote us an itinerary of things we should see in Albania and
said we seemed cool. Okay a bit bizarre, but we’ll take the safe landing. In
addition to the just what we wanted food the waitress was a lovely American.
She stepped away from a corporate job to travel and took advantage of Albania’s
friendly policy towards Americans working for up to a year.
Dhermi was the extent of our travels which was billed as a
quieter Himare. We beg to differ and barely stepped out the car. However, there
is bakery in the part of town with a pistachio mousse that knocked our socks
off!
Andy continued on with a solo mission to drive to the top of
llogara pass which is straight up from the sea. Not all that high at 3300 feet
but the views are superb and the road is impressive. The top feels like the
sierras with pine trees, the smell and pleasantly cool. There is a small chalet
for lunch with endless views down to the water.
Connected again we drove back to Himare for beach time, a
nap on the sun beds and a light meal at the little place across from our hotel
perched above the water. Hoping for pizza our waitress let us know tomorrow was
their last day of the season, her pizza guy quit, she was handling all of it
and they had a limited menu. Despite all the challenges they provided the
best calamari and Greek salad of the
trip. Our waitress chatted about her journey to Australia, the challenges of
being there during Covid and finally saying “fuck it” I am going home. Fed up
with Albanian men and staffing challenges she let loose with they are babied by
their mothers, lazy, want to smoke and do drugs! Lastly she’d be over the moon
to hire someone from outside of Albania.
Some downtime before our last dinner in Himare. Sharing a taxi with Par and John we made our way upwards to a chic place with a great view. We had cocktails all around to start. John and Cindy continue to align and wound up with pina coladas, that were unblended and much lighter. We shared a round of appetizers anchored by some extra garlicky bread and spread. The couples Cindy and John and Andy and Par ordered same-sies, of sea bass and braised beef. The fish was prepared perfectly, and the beef went unfinished. The conversation is excellent as ever, marked travel tales, managing through life’s difficulties and lots of laughing.
John ever insightful has us deeply
thinking about ourselves when he observed “when I asked about you, you
responded with details of everybody around you.” True, what does that say about
us and how do we feel about it???
Back to the hotel for another round of keeping Andreas and
his wife up late, all the desserts, a couple Amarettos and a final bottle of
another best wine. In total nearly five hours sailed by with flowing and
ranging conversations. So lucky to have met these thoughtful genuine and
generous people. Wishing them only the best as we part.
September 19, 2025
Himare to Ksamil, Albania
Our last breakfast and a final picture with Andreas and his
wife before we leave a, hope to come back to spot, Himare.
After hitting home runs this far on the trip things have
taken a turn. Nothing catastrophic but not near the level of what we have come
to expect. Our side trip to Gjrokaster although picturesque from a couple of
angles is really two crossing streets lined with touristy chochkies. The Cold
War tunnels proved largely unfindable and we spent the majority of our time
climbing the slippery stone streets. Eventually we did find them, but the next
tour was 45 minutes and we didn’t want to wait. Our rotisserie chicken lunch
topped us up on much needed protein but left us with a very upset stomach. The drive over the mountain pass though was a
highlight.
Ksamil, we have landed into an overrun beach tourists town
that was likely lovely before it became overrun by highly inebriated sun
worshippers. We arrive at our place to hugs from our octogenarian host and body
language our way past the no common language barrier. It’s a rock house
eclectically furnished and decorated. It makes weird sounds on its own in
addition to what’s coming from the dance party outside. The bed is tiny,
promising a challenging night of sleep. Or maybe not as we crash out for
90minutes of blissful napping.
Catching the last of the sunset we emerge and walk the town.
Many folks out doing the evening stroll and tracking down dinner at the
plentiful number of restaurants. Fun bars decorated in beach themes, pirate
ships and what have you offer endless happy hours and the promise of a big
night. Girls are dressed in their best with the boys slumming in slides and
T-shirts. Many, based on their condition, have started things way too fast. We
had a nice Italian meal and spent some time walking around plotting where to
eat tomorrow. The bar, vw bus seems like a must for a cocktail.
In the background we are working to keep our mouths shut as
our kids make decisions and wrestle with apparitions that don’t appear to be
all that sensible.
The town is growing on us.
September 21, 2025
Ksamil, Albania
Our place Villa Mustafaraj was in the ideal location steps
from the beach and an easy walk to the center area of shops, bars and
restaurants. Super cute and odd at the same time. Built of rock and tucked in
the trees. We had our own kitchen that went mostly unused and a terrace for
taking in the view and meals. Odd in that the shower was the shape of a rhombus
there were doorways under 6’ tall. Vines wrapped around all of it and the only
remaining place that felt what old Ksamil was before the tourist boom. Our
hosts were a cute older couple. They were tiny, bright and full of life. Always
smiling and helpful. She even moved our sink washed laundry from the backs of
chairs and draped over the clothes line to properly pinned. Even our underwear.
He was a specialist in the lock Butrint archeological site. Somehow we
managed was through body language and
common words only. Google translate would have cheated us out of the
experience. All for $80 per night which included shower towels that were like
luffa. LoL! The negative was the tiny bed.
There is a hand that extends out over the water. The line is
nonstop all day long. We were up early
and made our way with just a few people ahead of us. Everyone helped take
pictures of each other. It was a little wobbly making our way up but we
managed.
.HEIC)
We spent the day on the beach, dipping occasionally to keep
cool. We both were bitten by little fish. Cindy was nipped and Andy was
attacked by a salt water piranha (not really, but kind of) that drew blood and
removed flesh. Stayed to the sunset with a nap or two along the way.
Just the right amount of time to enjoy Albania’s beach
scene. Can easily eat well for $25 per day total. The local beer and house
wines are quite good. Driving mostly involved navigating twisty cliff side
roads, tight passing that always sorts itself and encountering tight cliff, and
our crappy Citroen which drove well and somehow made it despite how it looked.
People were always nice and places kept spotless. “Please” is attached to
everything erroneously yet endearing, “yes please, welcome please and thank you
please” we’re all common uses. We leave borderline between comeback or there is
something else we would rather explore.
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