Walloon (or Vlora, in Albanian) is one of the busiest seaside destinations in Albania in the summer and is located along the southern coast, at the beginning of what is called the Albanian Riviera. The waterfront, with its beautiful promenade, is now bordered by new condominiums for vacationers who choose this city to spend their holidays.
The beach, of sand mixed with pebbles, is very long – it is the longest bay in Albania – and during the summer months it is equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas. Clubs and restaurants line the seafront and offer many alternatives for those staying in hotels and wish to spend the evenings dining out or at the tables in the open-air bars.
But Vlora is lucky enough to be right at the point where the waters of the Adriatic Sea meet the crystalline waters of the Ionian Sea and where the coast begins to change, going from a straight and flat expanse to a succession of jagged rocks and wild angles.
Those who decide to spend their holidays in Vlora can therefore choose a more traditional beach, such as that of Old Beach And that of New Beach or hidden and uncontaminated corners, where to enter the water it is necessary to make one's way over the rocks or, in the best of cases, go down the comfortable ladders – most of the time made available by the hotels – which sink into the clear sea. Some coves, on the other hand, can only be reached by sea.
Plazhi i Vjeter is an expanse of sand bordered by pine forests and is a totally free beach, perfect for those who want to relax and for those who love snorkelling because off the coast there are some submerged shipwrecks to explore.
Instead, Plazhi i Ri is the equipped beach of Vlora, with several bathing establishments and is perfect for those looking for fun, music, clubs, street food and nightlife. And then there's the Radhima beach, a gravelly stretch with establishments but also a free part.
South of the city, along the road to Saranda, there are the more secluded beaches, real corners of paradise. As Cold water, which means "cold water", because right here you meet as many as 40 springs of water that emerge from the bottom of the sea. Two kilometers of completely free rocky coast. But the beauty of this area of Albania is to set off to discover hidden and solitary corners where you can enjoy the beauty of the sea all to yourself.
Vlora is not just a seaside destination though. It was an ancient Greek colony in the 28th century BC when it was called Aulona, and was also for a short time the capital of the newborn Albanian state under the Italian protectorate. It was right here that the declaration of independence of Albania was proclaimed on 1912 November XNUMX.
The link with Italy is very strong here. Our soldiers were also stationed in the country during the Second World War and most of the population speaks Italian. This is one of the many reasons why Albania, which has only begun to develop seaside tourism in recent years, is an increasingly popular destination for our compatriots for summer holidays, as well as being nearby and still quite cheap. But also because Vlora is the city that is least distant from Italy. In fact, it is only 90 kilometers from the coast of Salento and its port is the second most important in Albania after that of Durres and is connected by ferries departing from Brindisi.
