Vlorë has plenty of beaches, restaurants and boat trips, but some of the most interesting things to do here rarely make it into the standard travel guides.
You can train Muay Thai, ride a motorcycle through Llogara Pass, learn Albanian folk dancing, taste local raki or even spend an afternoon at a shooting range.
If you want something a little more memorable than another afternoon on the Lungomare, here are some of the more unusual experiences to try around Vlorë.
1. Train Muay Thai by the Albanian Coast
This may be the last thing you expect to find on an Albania vacation, but Vlorë has its own Muay Thai training camp with Thai instructors.
Lamai Muay Thai Albania offers training for different experience levels, including private sessions.
You don’t need to plan an entire fitness retreat around it. Even one training session gives you a completely different Vlorë experience from the usual beach itinerary.
2. Go Horseback Riding Outside Vlorë
Horseback riding is another activity I almost never see mentioned in Vlorë travel guides.
The countryside outside the city gives you a much quieter view of the region, with hills, open landscapes and coastal scenery away from the busy waterfront. This could be especially beautiful later in the day when the summer heat starts to ease.
3. Try a Shooting Range Experience
Yes, you can actually spend an afternoon shooting at a range in Vlorë.
Supervised recreational shooting is available locally, making this one of the more unexpected activities you can add to a trip. t’s certainly not for everyone, but that’s exactly why it belongs on an unusual-things-to-do list.
4. Taste Albanian Raki
You’ll encounter raki all over Albania, but tasting it properly is more interesting than simply being handed a mysterious glass of homemade liquor after dinner.
Raki is a traditional fruit spirit and a big part of Albanian hospitality and social life.
A proper tasting gives you some context about how it’s made, the different styles you may encounter and the role it plays in local culture.
5. Join an Albanian Folklore Workshop
Instead of only watching Albanian culture from the sidelines, you can actually participate in it.
Some local experiences combine traditional dance, music and Albanian flavors, giving you a hands-on introduction to the country’s folklore.
I particularly like this one because it’s cultural without feeling like a history lecture. You get music, movement and food in the same experience.
6. Do an Olive Oil Tasting
Southern Albania has a long history of olive cultivation, and the hills around Vlorë are filled with olive groves.
An olive oil tasting gives you the chance to learn how local oils are produced, how different varieties taste and what actually separates a good olive oil from an average one. It’s also an easy activity to pair with lunch or a relaxed day outside the city.
7. Ride a Motorcycle Through Llogara Pass
The road over Llogara Pass is already one of the most dramatic drives in southern Albania.
Doing it on a motorcycle takes things up several notches.
The road climbs through the mountains before opening into huge views over the Ionian coast and Albanian Riviera.
This is one I’d save for experienced riders or a properly organized guided ride rather than improvising.
A Different Side of Vlorë
The best part about Vlorë is that you can build a trip any way you want. A few of these experiences are adventurous, some cultural, and a few are just plain fun. Together, they give you a much better sense of the city beyond the usual sightseeing circuit.
For a more indulgent side of the city, see my guide to Luxury Vlorë: High-End Hotels, Fine Dining & Private Charters.
And if you’re working out how to reach these places without a car, my Vlorë Transport Guide covers buses, taxis, airport transfers and getting around the city.