Travel Guide to Dhermi, the Best Village on the Albanian Riviera

Dangling off the side of the Ceraunian Mountains like a string of pearls, Dhërmi is a dreamy village of whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches.

With strong Santorini vibes, it is widely regarded as the most charming settlement on the Albanian Riviera.

Dhermi is located between Vlora and Himara. Approaching from the north, it is one of the first villages you reach after descending towards the sea via the spectacular Llogara Pass.

It is perfectly positioned for exploring the northern portion of the riviera and popular Albanian beaches including Gjipe and Jala, as well as the town’s own beach, Dhërmiu.

Unlike other villages such as Qeparo and Vuno, Dhermi has been partially reconstructed, giving the old stone houses and Greek Orthodox churches a fresh lease on life. A multitude of boutique accommodations can be found here, along with restaurants and cafes.

Dhermi is one of the few places on the riviera where there are enough alternative activities beyond the beach to comfortably fill a day.

In this Dhermi Travel Guide, I will show you all the best things to do in Dhermi in 1-2 days, where to stay, where to eat, and other travel tips.

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Why visit Dhermi?

It was a photograph of a stunning blue-domed church that first put Dhermi on my radar. When planning our Albania road trip, I wanted to dedicate at least two nights to the village. (As a side note, I connected with the author of that photograph on social media after my trip – small world!)

Dhermi’s good looks do indeed set it apart from other villages on the riviera. Extensive conservation works – the likes of which have been planned for nearby Qeparo and Vuno, but are yet to commence – have transformed Dhermi.

Not only is it one of the best places in Albania to see vernacular terraced architecture, Dhermi is a cultural experience too. Rehabilitation and revitalisation projects have aimed to honour Dhermi’s history, and there are several initiatives that teach visitors about the village and its way of life.

One of these initiatives is the Mills Trail, a historic hiking path that links the village with the coast, which has been redeveloped into an immersive experience with the use of signboards.

Among locals, Dhermi is still called by its Greek name, Drymades. Most inhabitants are ethnically Greek and speak the Greek Himariote dialect and/or the Tosk Albanian dialect.

As I mentioned, Dhermi has a lot to offer beyond the beaches. We spent two nights in Dhermi and found this was the perfect amount of time. A full day can be spent exploring the village and walking the trail. If you’re visiting in the season, you might wish to add another day for the beach.

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How to get to Dhermi

Dhermi is located on Albania’s main State Highway 8 that runs down the coast. It is approximately 60 kilometres from Vlora and 70 kilometres from Saranda.

Any bus that travels the coastal road – e.g. from Vlora to Himara (16 kilometres from Dhermi) – will be able to drop you off in Dhermi.

Dhermi is close to the Llogara Pass and Llogara National Park. If you are driving in Albania, you are in for one of the most scenic legs of your trip.

Thinking of self-driving in Albania? I recommend hiring a car from a local agent via Local Rent. Prices are competitive, and most vehicles do not require a cash deposit or a credit card. I used Local Rent on my recent trip to Albania and couldn’t have been happier with the service.

I highly recommend timing your journey to reach the Llogara Pass at sunset. There are several marked viewpoints for panoramic sea views. Dhermi is a quick 20-minute drive from the Big Bunker, for example (see below for more), so you can enjoy the sunset and still safely reach your accommodation before it gets too dark.

Good to know: If you plan on self-catering during your stay in Dhermi (which might be necessary – more info below), there are a few small supermarkets in town. We found that Market Neco had a good range of pre-packaged food, but not much in the way of fresh ingredients.

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Where to stay in Dhermi

Dhermi is quite sprawling, with houses stretching from the highest point of the village along the SH8 highway all the way down to the shoreline. I highly recommend staying in the upper part of Dhermi rather than on the beach.

Dhermi’s best (in my opinion) accommodations are in the older upper town, and even though some of the streets are too tight for a car, there is ample free parking available on corners and in small squares.

We stayed at Roots Dhermi, a beautifully renovated old house that now has several self-contained guest studios. Our upper-level room had incredible views and was very spacious, with a full-size bathroom, apartment style kitchen, sitting area, generous bedroom, and a private terrace.

Another popular option in Dhermi is Zoe Hora, a luxury resort complex that occupies a clutch of old houses under the cliff at the top of the village. We wandered into the resort a few times on our travels around Dhermi. The outdoor terraces and pool looked lovely.

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Things to do in Dhermi

Wander Dhermi’s cobbled streets & look for the blue-domed church

Dhermi is made for long, aimless walks. Concentrate your efforts on the northern side of the village and the streets around Roots Dhermi. Here is where you’ll find the grandest stone houses and loveliest wooden doors.

There are several small squares in Dhermi. At one, we found old mill stones and what might have been an olive oil press propped up against the stone walls. A nearby building, de-roofed and hollowed-out, has an old mill in its centre, overgrown with tall grass.

Another square has a statue of Albanian novelist Petro Marko, who was born in Dhermi in 1913.

There are several small Orthodox churches hidden amongst the houses, including the Church of St Thanasi and Church of St Michael.

The Church Of St Spyridon – that iconic church with the blue dome – isn’t marked on Google Maps, but it is located next to the school on the north-western side of the village (see the exact location here).

For that classic Dhermi photo of the bell tower framed by red rooftops, head to the old laneways north-west of Zoe Hora. Many of the houses on this far side of the village are untouched and partially ruined.

Walk up to the Monastery of St. Mary

The Monastery of St Mary sits on top of a small hill on the north-western side of Dhermi and is one of the best vantage points for a sweeping view of the village.

The church can only be reached by foot via a glorious new set of stairs. It only takes 5 minutes to climb up. Parking is available nearby at this point.

The church has a freestanding twin-bell tower that is distinctly Greek in style. We arrived in the early morning to find the gate open, so we wandered in for a closer look. The churchyard contains a small cemetery with most stones bearing Greek lettering.

Get a village view from the Ballkoni i Gjilekut

For a postcard-perfect photo of old Dhermi and its white houses buttoned onto the hillside, you need to head back up the highway towards Vlora. The road bends at the perfect spot for a panoramic view of the village and St Mary’s.

If you’re in a car, there is a small parking area in front of this church where you can safely pull over. I recommend going in the late afternoon or evening for better light (the east-facing vantage is too shadowy in the morning).

Walk the historic Mills Trail

The Mills Trail is a unique Dhermi attraction that sets this village apart from its peers. Created during the restorations, it links the upper part of the village with the shoreline and beaches below via a marked path through a pocket of forest. Information boards dotted along the way teach visitors about different aspects of Dhermi’s history.

This is an easy 1.5-kilometre trail that takes around 30-45 minutes to walk each way. Allow more time if you’re going to stop and read the signboards. The path is clearly marked with signboards and bright red rails/bridges, and the terrain is easy to manage in light shoes.

The trailhead starts from the side of the highway close to the aforementioned viewpoint. You will see an opening on the side of the road and an information board describing the walk. Find the exact location pinned here.

As you start making your way downhill, you are almost immediately launched into a green oasis of pomegranate and olive trees. At times you are following a stream and water channels carved from the earth for irrigation and to feed the stone grinding mills that give the trail its name. The atmosphere reminded me a lot of hiking through an Omani wadi.

I highly recommend doing this walk early in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. Even though the path is mostly shaded, it is still very warm and humid. We set off before 9am and were joined by a herd of sheep and goats!

The path does need some maintenance as some of the sign boards have toppled over. The ones that still stand reveal fascinating tidbits about Dhermi village and its inhabitants.

The trail passes the remains of several ancestral mills that once belonged to prominent families, an old hydropower station (the first of its kind in rural Albania), a waterfall, and towards the end of the path, two churches. The dirt path slowly changes to sand, and eventually it delivers you to the sea.

A red archway marks the beach-end of the trail, at this point. From there, you can access the beach by following the main road to the west for around 600 metres.

Stroll along Dhermi’s rehabilitated waterfront

Like every place we visited on the Albanian coast, Dhermi’s beachfront is still under development. At the time of our visit there were several intrusive construction sites right on the shoreline.

Dhermi’s waterfront was reconstructed in 2016 as part of the Albanian government’s Urban Rebirth initiative. The main promenade was converted into a pedestrian-only zone, basic infrastructure such as bench seats and rubbish bins were added, and to enhance the feeling of connection with the physical environment, a ‘water square’ was created at the neck of the esplanade.

Dhermi Beach has a nice feel to it. I especially like the sculptural square near the pier.

The further down the beach you go, the more developed it feels. Beach bars and clubs take over. We stopped for a drink at the La Brisa pavilion – the caffe freddo was tasty, and prices were surprisingly good.

Swim on Dhermi Beach

Dhermi Beach (Dhërmiu Beach) is a pebble beach that stretches approximately 1.5 kilometres from Empire Resort down to the Theodore Bay headland. It is quieter than some of the other beaches in the vicinity and favoured by locals as a result.

We arrived in the off-season when the thatched umbrellas has already been bundled away for the winter, but I’m sure it’s more lively in summer.

Outside of the small public beach, you will need to pay for the privilege of swimming here. Expect to pay between 6-8 Euros per person for a chair, umbrella and towel.

There are plenty of restaurants along the water, but they are seasonal and shut down outside of summer. We were keen to try Luciano but it was well and truly closed by the time we arrived in mid-October.

Eat a local fish dinner at Sofia Bar

Food options are limited in Dhermi outside of the high season. We found almost every restaurant and bar on the beach was closed when we visited in mid-October. 

Thankfully there are a handful of establishments that stay open to serve the local crowd. There are two small restaurants in the upper part of town that sit side by side and look almost identical – we chose the one on the left with the small patio out front – Sofia Bar.

Fish is the thing to order here. We were only after a snack, so we went for the tzatziki and a big plate of fries. Honestly it was some of the best tzatziki I’ve had in my life. Paired with a beer and a sunset view, it was the perfect end to our day in Dhermi.

If you have a car, there are a few more all-year food options available in nearby Gjilekë. We had our morning coffee and byrek at Barba Niko Bakery and ate lunch one day at Restorant Genti opposite. The pizza oven was closed for the season, but the pasta was actually very good. The restaurant has a great balcony view, too.

Watch the sunset in Dhermi

In front of Sofia Bar there is a wide balcony that teeters over the edge of the forest with the Mills Trail below. Angled west, it offers a very nice view of the sun going down over Drymades Beach.

The plastic tables scattered in front of the glass railing appear to be shared between Sofia Bar and the neighbouring restaurants. Arrive early if you want to get a front row seat.

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More things to do around Dhermi

Drive to the Big Bunker for sunset

Located at the Dhermi-end of the Llogara Pass, the so-called Big Bunker is a 20-minute drive from the village and another excellent place to watch the sunset.

If you missed it on your way in, I highly recommend venturing up here one evening for the light show.

Gjipe Canyon & Beach

Continuing down the coast, the turnoff for Gjipe Canyon and Gjipe Beach is a short 4.5-kilometre drive from Dhermi. The junction is located in the village of Iljas, at this point.

The road into the canyon is unpaved and only suitable for 4WDs. At some point you have to abandon your car and continue by foot, navigating through the canyon for around 25 minutes to reach the secluded, cave-studded Gjipe Beach.

We were short on time and decided to skip Gjipe – but I have heard good things. If you have a spare morning in the area, it is worth the detour.

Take a side trip to Vuno, another charming village in Albania

Located 7.5 kilometres (around a 15-minute drive) further down the coast from Dhermi, Vuno is another delightful village with a very different feel.

Vuno feels more medieval, with thick stone walls that resemble fortifications and vaulted arches over some of the narrow streets. Some of the houses have been refurbished and white-washed, while others further up the mountain hang in a state of semi-decay.

Glory To The Martyrs Of The Village Vuno, the village’s war memorial, greets you as you enter. In the square at its foot, there is a popular cafe called Lula Bar-Restaurant (sadly it was closed at the time of our visit).

Vuno’s streets are extra narrow and steep. We parked at the square and continued on foot. Be sure to follow the village roads all the way up to the 16th-century St Nicholas Church. We had not researched it properly and had no idea what to expect – thus we were very taken aback to find a roofless church that has been completely hollowed out, but still has splendid frescoes in tact (below right).

Apparently the roof was removed in order to repurpose the tiles for a cowshed. I do hope plans for preservation are in the works, because it is truly a special church that desperately needs some TLC.

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Where to go next: Onward travel from Dhermi

We departed Dhermi and headed down the coast, stopping at Vuno, Himara Castle and Porto Palermo before arriving at our next destination, Upper Qeparo.

If you are continuing by bus, note that drivers stop at this junction point in Dhermi to collect passengers.

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More ideas for Albania

• The best things to do in Tirana, Albania’s quirky capital
• How to get from Tirana Airport to the city centre, a practical guide
• Exploring Upper Qeparo, a traditional semi-abandoned Albanian village
• Things to do in Lin, a beautiful village on Lake Ohrid
• Full guide to Berat, the castle city
• Full guide to Gjirokaster, the stone city
• Why you should visit Leskovik, home of one of Albania’s best boutique hotels
• Things to do in Korca, a lesser-visited city of culture
• Valbona National Park, hiking in the Albanian Alps
• My 2-week Albania road trip itinerary, for an epic Albania adventure