Check Out the Beach town of Borsh, Albania
Griba Beach, Borsh, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
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The village of Borsh is located in southern Albania on the coastline, just north of Ksamil. What makes Borsh so famous, at least to other Albanians, is its gorgeous beaches and natural scenery.
Furthermore, due to the more popular beach destination of Ksamil located South of Borsh, this village is much quieter and more relaxing than those seeking out Ksamil. Despite this, Borsh does have the longest beach on the Ionian Sea at 7 kms long.
We wanted our time in Borsh to coincide with a natural break during our three week Summer 2023 vacation. The idea was to travel through Italy and then take the ferry to Albania and finally relax on the beaches of Borsh for a couple of days to recharge on the cheap (Renting an umbrella in chairs for the day in Italy costs $50, compared to just $7 in Borsh).
This would sadly not come to fruition as food poisoning during the early morning hours of our beach days kept us bed ridden. Although we weren’t as bad the next day, our beach time was cut short. Nonetheless, this post will discuss some of the highlights of Borsh that we enjoyed.
Check out my drone video of Borsh, Albania below!
How to get to Borsh
Borsh is not the easiest place to get to if you don’t have a car. For us, we rental a car from Tirana International Airport (TIA), and drove around the country for a week, visiting a variety of towns, including Borsh. The airport is the largest in Albania with many rental car agencies servicing it.
For those who do not have a car and who would rather not take a very expensive taxi, you can take a bus!
Now unfortunately, bus routes to Borsh from Tirana are seasonal and are typically only offered in the summer. RivieraBus drives from Tirana to Borsh three times a week, which takes about 6 hours. The cost is approximately 50 Euros.
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Here are some of the cool places to see in and around Borsh:
Griba Beach
This is the main beach of Borsh and given how popular the area is becoming, there is significant investment going into the facilities and roads around this part of town. Upon driving to the coastline, you will then drive along the beach itself. The beach here stretches for over a kilometer, whereby you will see sunbeds and umbrellas galore. You can park anywhere along this beach for free and the fees for using sunbeds and an umbrella all day are no more than 1000 LEK!
Griba Beach, Borsh, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
Borsh Castle
Borsh castle is situated high upon the hillside, overlooking the town itself as well as the beach. It is known as Sopot Castle and dates back to antiquity, being built on an old acropolis. First mentions of the castle date back to the 13th century when its ownership changed hands among various despots of the time, of Greek origin. It was acquired by the Ottomans in the 15th century before being besieged by the Venetians in 1570.
Currently, it is best to call the site a ruin since its condition has not been notably improved over the years. However, inside the castle, you can also check out a 17th century mosque named the Hajji Bendo mosque, built during Ottoman Rule. Bear in mind, it costs nothing to visit the castle, but there are also no toilet or any other facilities so pack smartly if you intend on visiting. In some ways, I think this makes the experience better, as if you’re exploring off the beaten path to a place stuck in time (and not modernized to handle tourist traffic in any way).
Castle of Porto Palermo
Another such castle that sits a few kilometers away from Borsh is the Castle of Porto Palermo. What I loved about this castle was its really cool three-fold symmetry, which isn’t particularly common for fortifications. Llamani beach, which provides the sandbar allowing access to the castle, is also an amazing place for swimming. The castle itself is one of the most well preserved in the region and was utilized heavily for defensive purposes from its inception to World War II.
Porto Palermo castle was built in the early 19th century and was also once used as a former Soviet submarine base back when Albania was ruled by a Communist regime. Currently, it is open to visitors who can gain access to its barracks and rooftop fortifications.
Lukova Beach
This beach is known to be one of the most beautiful in all of Albania. The water is a crystal blue with lush white sand. What makes it ever better is the lack of bars and restaurants in the area. There are a few here and there but less commercial traffic makes Lukova Beach that much more peaceful.
You can expect to pay about 500-1000 LEK for sunbeds and an umbrella, which is a great deal considering that these go for around 50 Euros in places like the Amalfi Coast in Italy. You can get here easily by car nearby Borsh or also from Saranda (a taxi one way from the latter costs about 60 Euro).
Borsh, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
Kroreza Beach
One of the last beaches that is worth mentioning in Kroreza Beach, which is rather secluded by giant boulders and rocks. This is what makes the beach so incredible is that since accessibility is not easy, the city seems nearly untouched and pristine.
You can get there by boat from Saranda. Another option is to go to Kakome beach, which is near Kroreza beach. From Kakome, you can also take a boat ride to Kroreza. Lastly, you can also walk along the coastline from Saranda. Expect a hike, but I suggest not doing it in the hottest months of the year.
Borsh, Albania (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
Compared to other destinations in Albania, Borsh isn’t super well known to have much to offer. With the exception of a few castles here and there, beaches are why people come to Borsh (as well as Sarande and Ksamil).
I feel like the best thing to do is to explore some of the other cities in Albania such as Berat, Tirana, and Gjirokaster. Take in the vibe from each place and explore as much as you can until your heart’s content. Then, make your way to Borsh to relax for a few days to reflect on what you have seen so far.
We tried to do this ourselves which went slightly according to plan, however was derailed a bit when we both got food poisoning during this part of the trip. We still managed to make our way down to the beach and lay like sloths all day.
If you’re thinking of doing a trip through Albania, I would recommend doing it sooner than later. Albania is an EU candidate country so they are investing highly in their infrastructure to meet European standards. With this comes more tourists looking to see what the country is all about. With this also comes perhaps a slight loss in cultural identity while pandering more to tourists. Therefore go and see Albania as soon as you can to really get a feel of the country’s vibe and culture. Feel free to check out my other blog posts on Albanian cities.
