Top 9 Lakes in Vlorë

Fantastically beautiful, and very refreshing....

A tranquil lake surrounded by a small beach where you can stroll. It's also possible to walk around it on the elevated path.

It is a very pretty place, there is an entrance fee (2 euros).

Anyone who has ever bathed in the Ionian Sea during a holiday in Greece knows the beauty of the beaches and the water, which is so clear and turquoise blue that it is reminiscent of the Caribbean Ocean. You will also find these great beaches and bathing bays in Albania, only they are much more untouched and pristine. With many of these beaches you can almost expect to have them almost to yourself. The stretch of coast in the southwest of the country, which is also known as the Albanian Riviera, is particularly popular with beach tourists. The Riviera stretches from Saranda to Vlora, where the Ionian Sea becomes the Adriatic. A particularly popular seaside resort is Ksamil, not far from Saranda. In addition to the town, Ksamil also includes four small islands that lie picturesquely off the south coast of Albania. The distance to the Greek island of Corfu opposite is so small that you can even see it from the coast. You will look in vain for large hotels in Ksamil and on the Albanian Riviera, because up to now the magnificent panorama has been spared the buildings of large hotel chains. But you will definitely find a small hotel or guesthouse and the best thing is that these are not only mostly lovingly and family-run, but are also more than affordable. Albania's Mediterranean coast is an insider tip. Crystal-clear water and deserted beaches can be found here, where elsewhere, such as Italy or Greece, the beaches are totally overcrowded. But this only applies to the remote and somewhat difficult to access beaches! The burgeoning tourism could alleviate Albania's economic problems somewhat, especially since every second young person wants to leave their homeland of Albania. The famous "tourist beach" near Durres is dirty!

A karst spring around 50 m deep in the middle of a fairytale pine forest. 6 cubic meters of water bubble up per second. The "Blue Eye" is supposedly the spring with the most water in Albania. The water, which is only 12°C warm, shimmers in the sunlight in all shades of color and, depending on the sunlight, appears from bright turquoise green to dark royal blue. Hence the name "Blue Eye". The spectacular landscape around the Syri I Kaltër has an almost jungle-like character and is a nature reserve. During the communist era, access was reserved for the party elite. From Saranda it is only about 30 minutes by car to the Syri I Kaltër lake. The Syri I Kaltër is a popular destination, especially in summer on weekends. Anyone who wants to experience the shimmering blue mountain lake without a large crowd of visitors should plan a visit during the week. There is a cozy restaurant on site (fish).

There have been mussel farmers here for more than 30 years. The conditions in the lagoon are ideal. In the brackish water of the lagoon, salt and fresh water are exchanged every 6 hours due to the tides. This regular water exchange is poisonous for bacteria, which mussel farmers in other places often have to contend with. The mussels hang on lines around 100 m long, so-called mussel socks, and they produce enormous numbers of offspring. A single mussel produces 1000 to 2000 larvae. After 2 - 3 years in the water, they can be harvested. Back on land, the mussels are processed directly in the cold store - a modern facility from Italy. From 41 kg of harvested mussels, around 20 kg of mussels are sorted out in the shaking machine for sale. For this, the mussel farmer receives the equivalent of 15 euros - his daily income. In the last 4 years of communism, the mussel farmers were able to export their mussels to Italy. The mussels are of very high quality. But Albania is not part of the EU (European Union) and this puts farmers at a disadvantage because of food safety regulations. This is bad because the really very good mussels would have a real chance on the European market. If the European market were available, 500-600 new jobs could be created here immediately, because at the moment we only produce a fraction of what would be possible.

The stop for the "Bimmelbahn" is located directly at the dam - or you can walk about 1.5 km to the "Blue Eye"

The “Blue Eye” is said to be the spring with the most water in Albania. The water, which is only 12°C warm, shimmers in all shades of color in the sunlight and, depending on the sunlight, varies in color from bright turquoise green to dark royal blue.