Himare
Best for. Travellers who want a real town as a base, with food, sleep and boat links close, and who treat the bay coves rather than the town beach as the prize.
Best spot. Skip the central town sand for the swim. Point to the clearer south end at Potami, the long sand at Livadhi, or a boat out to the coves.
Know this. Spile in the centre is handy but plain. The good water is a short hop away, so use Himare to base yourself and launch the day.
Himare is the capital of this stretch of coast, a proper town wrapped around a bay with a castle on the hill above and a run of beaches strung south from the centre. It is the place you base yourself for the whole central Riviera, and it earns that role with the best mix of food, rooms and transport links on the coast. What it is not, quite, is a trophy beach in its own right, and it pays to know that before you judge it by the sand in the middle of town.
The adventure read is to treat Himare as base camp rather than the destination. Spile, the central town beach, is convenient and fine but plain, a narrow strip of grey pebble that gets busy and ordinary. The good water is a short hop away. Point to the clearer south end of the bay at Potami, walk or drive to the long sand at Livadhi, and above all get on the water, because a kayak or a small boat opens up the coves of Filikuri and Jale and turns a flat town beach day into a proper coastal adventure. Mornings are calm across the bay, and the onshore wind that builds in the afternoon is the cue to be back in for lunch.
Be honest about Spile and you will not be disappointed. If you measure Himare only by the town beach you will undersell the place badly, because the town beach is the least of it. As a base for eating well, sleeping comfortably and launching boat days it is the strongest spot on the coast. Send your swim to Potami or Livadhi, send your adventure out to the coves, and let Himare do what it does best, which is look after you at the start and end of the day.
Where the clubs are
In Himare the clubs gather at the south end of the bay around Potami rather than on the plain town sand at Spile. That is where to point for a lounger and a scene. Minimum spends are set by each venue and to be confirmed.
Photo: José Antonio Solozábal Benito via GooglePotami beach
The south end of the Himare bay, where the beach clubs cluster and the water runs clearer than in town. The social, laid back end of Himare and a far better swim than the central sand. Minimum spend to be confirmed.
Himare town and bay
Himare sits on the SH8 coast road midway between Vlore and Saranda, with coast buses stopping in town and a seasonal ferry linking it to Saranda and Corfu. The bay beaches string south from the centre below the old castle on the hill.
Base yourself in or near the town, then spread out. Walk or drive to Potami and Livadhi for the better water, hire a kayak or a small boat to reach the coves, and swim in the calm of the morning before the onshore wind fills the bay. Parking in the centre is tight in peak, so come early or stay within walking distance.
Photo: Daniele Pasquini via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a club around the Potami end of the Himare bay. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Himare
Is Himare worth visiting?
Yes, but as a base rather than for the town beach itself. Himare is the best base on the central Riviera for food, rooms and transport, with a castle above and boat links close. Send your swimming to Potami, Livadhi or the bay coves for the better water.
What is the difference between Spile and Potami beaches?
Spile is the central town beach, a handy but plain strip of grey pebble that gets busy. Potami, at the south end of the bay, runs clearer and is where the beach clubs gather. For a better swim and a scene, point to Potami over the central town sand.
Are there beach clubs in Himare?
Yes, and they cluster at the Potami end of the bay rather than on the plain town sand at Spile. That is where to point for a lounger and a scene with clearer water. Minimum spends are set by each venue and to be confirmed.
How do you get to Himare?
Himare is on the SH8 coast road between Vlore and Saranda, with coast buses stopping in town and a seasonal ferry to Saranda and Corfu. The bay beaches string south from the centre, and a kayak or small boat opens up the quieter coves nearby.
When is the best time to visit Himare?
June and September give warm water, an open town and easy boat days without the August squeeze. Whenever you go, swim in the calm of the morning, since the onshore wind builds across the bay through the afternoon.
