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Filikuri Beach is hands down one of our absolute favourites in Himare, but it’s also one of the most challenging to get to. So we’ve curated this short guide to make your trip planning as straightforward as possible!
When we first visited Himare in 2022, we came and went without Filikuri Beach (Gjiri I Filikurit Beach or Plazhi I Filikurit) ever making it onto our radar.
It wasn’t until we were in Saranda the following year that our friend Sokratis told us about this unspoiled Filikuri Beach, located within walking distance from Himare.
He raved about a spectacular pebble bay, surrounded by rugged cliffs and headlands that spill out into the blue of the Ionian Sea on either side, but also warned of the sketchy adventure to get there.
Filikuri Beach sounded exactly like our cup of tea, so when we returned to Himare for a second time, we set off to see it for ourselves.
But it wasn’t until we were standing on the towering cliff directly above the beach that we realised the final descent was even more dangerous than we had expected!
It was risky at best and genuinely life-threatening at worst.
We managed to make it down though, and immediately we knew it was worth it!
Our guide is to help you plan your own trip and goes through the three ways to get there from Himare, important safety concerns to consider, our experience visiting Filikuri Beach, and more!
Where Is Filikuri Beach?
Google Maps Pin: Filikuri Beach
Located at the foot of a cliff on the coast of the increasingly popular Albanian Riviera, the isolated Filikuri Bay sits 3km to the south of Himare, around the corner of the headland after Potami Beach.
It is also 50km north of the well-known coastal towns of Saranda and Ksamil in the south of Albania.
On the map below, I’ve pinned its exact location.
Important Safety Concerns And Update
I have to start by addressing the important and legitimate safety concern about hiking to Filikuri Beach, as this is not to be taken lightly.
And I’m referring specifically to the final descent to the beach, which involves scrambling and rappelling down the steep cliff-face, which is near vertical in places.
When we did this ourselves, we felt the descent was tricky but doable, as there was a rope to help us get down safely.
It’s by no means for everyone, but by proceeding with caution, wearing proper trainers, and not carrying a huge load (like a beach umbrella), we didn’t see any reason why anyone with decent mobility and comfortable with the adventure, couldn’t make it down safely.
The family that we saw scrambling down with a toddler, on the other hand, was totally irresponsible in my opinion.
However, the part that did make me feel uneasy was the dirt path along the cliff edge to get to the start of the descent. With a sheer drop and no safety barrier, my stomach turned thinking about the consequences of a simple trip.
Lucy thought I was being overdramatic at the time, but sadly in 2025, a Dutch tourist lost her life after falling from the cliff, which highlights the real danger involved with this route to the beach.
Since then, the rope to help people descend safely has been removed and a sign which reads “Do Not Enter, Dangerous Overlook” has been put up just before the path along the cliff edge.
Without the rope, there is absolutely no way that we’d have made it down successfully, so as it stands, we can no longer recommend accessing Filikuri Beach this way.
How To Get To Filikuri Beach From Himare
The picture-perfect setting and mesmerisingly clear water at Filikuri Beach aren’t its only standout features. What also makes it one of the most memorable beaches we visited in Himare is that there isn’t a simple way to get there.
I’ve already mentioned the difficult and dangerous overland access, and this applies whether you hike all the way from Himare or just from the nearby car park.
The only other ways to get there are by kayaking around the coast from Himare or by boat (water taxi or boat trip).
Whichever option you choose, there’s an adventure to be had!
Note: Even if you have a car, there is still about 20 minutes of walking from the car park.
Water Taxi / Boat Trip
In light of the increased safety hazards with hiking, we now recommend getting to Filikuri Beach by boat.
It’s the easiest, safest, and overall best way to get there, and if we visit again, this is what we would choose.
Specifically, we would book a round-trip direct transfer with Exploring Himare Boat Trips for 14 EUR per person. I imagine you might get a slightly lower price in person, but we love that it’s possible to book online via Get Your Guide, as we are suckers for this convenience and use Get Your Guide everywhere we go these days!
Alternatively, Himare Water Taxi also offer a boat trip that heads south along the Albanian Riviera to the likes of Porto Palermo, which makes a short stop at Filikuri Beach. Most only stop for less than 30 minutes but it’s a great way to use your time efficiently and see a few different spots in one day. Again, the easiest way is to book online via Get Your Guide.
> Click To Book A Water Taxi To Filikuri Beach
> Click To Book A Boat Tour
Don’t Miss This Unforgettable Boat Trip To Grama Bay!
Kayaking From Himare
If you’re up for the challenge, it’s also possible to rent a kayak in Himare and paddle your way around the coast to Filikuri Beach.
I want to say that we’d be adventurous enough to do this, but I won’t kid myself; we’d just pay for an easy water taxi.
But kayaking is a popular option, and we saw a few people doing this when we were there.
You can hire kayaks from 5 EUR per hour (or 40 EUR for the day) on Himare’s promenade, with singles and doubles available. Or, you can also rent them from Potami Beach for 1000 ALL (10 EUR) per hour or 4500 (45 EUR) for the day, for two people.
Or you can even book a rental online through Get Your Guide.
It takes about an hour to paddle from the centre of Himare, but Potami Beach is a bit closer and gives you a head start.
Also, don’t forget to consider the wind and wave conditions before setting off.
Walking From Himare (What We Did)
2026 Update: Unfortunately, we can no longer recommend this option as the safety rope to help with the final descent has been removed. Unless you’re an experienced rock climber, it’s too dangerous without it. However, I will keep the information in this section in case the situation changes.
Like with our visit to Himare Castle, we opted to walk all the way to Filikuri Beach from the centre of town. It took us an hour overall, and was definitely less strenuous than the hike to Pilur that we also did while in Himare!
After a quick macchiatto caffeine boost at San Giorgio cafe, we set off from the promenade towards Potami Beach, which is easy and paved all the way.
We then found the paved path behind the Oniro by Iliria Palace Hotel, which curves up and around the headland, past the car park if you decide to drive, until the trail evens out at the top.
From here, we followed the dirt trail, which isn’t marked but clearly worn, through the overgrown bushes and greenery. Keeping right at the fork, the trail soon led us to the cliff edge, where we found the final descent to Filikuri Beach.
But before we made our way down, we took a few minutes to enjoy the magnificent coastal view from the top of the cliff. This epic perspective of Filikuri Beach is the single best thing about the hike!
However, even though we could see the beach just a short distance below, this is where the most difficult part of the trail began.
The last 20-30 metres down to the beach is a sheer rock face and not for the faint-hearted.
Thankfully, there were ropes in place to help us scramble down the gravel track and rock face, as even though we’d been warned by Sokratis, it was a lot sketchier than we were expecting!
Needless to say, if you are taking this route, be cautious, watch your footing, and just be very, very careful.
A few notes on the descent to Filikuri Beach:
– I highly recommend wearing trainers to give you adequate grip and support. We were very glad not to be in flip-flops!
– Do not attempt if you have children or mobility problems, as moderate fitness is required.
– Avoid if it has been raining, as the gravel path will get very slippery, which is not what you need here!
Is It Worth It?
Apart from our trip to Grama Bay, Filikuri took the most effort to reach out of all the Himare Beaches we went to. And we visited a lot!
So, with such a variety of other options more easily accessible, is Filikuri Beach really worth visiting?
Well, my answer is a million times yes, and I’ll tell you why.
Not only does the crystal clear water, piercing white pebbles, and scattered rocks create a scene that’s made for a postcard to send home, but we felt isolated on Filikuri Beach.
And this feeling is exactly what we loved about it and made it stand out among the others!
With just a looming cliff face behind the beach and the endless blue of the Ionian Sea, there were no restaurants or beach clubs in the vicinity.
No commercialisation, no modern comforts, and no bustle, just raw natural scenery at its finest!
And for us, this made all the effort worthwhile!
However, if you like having nearby restaurants to nip away to for lunch (like on Himare promenade), or waiters on hand to bring your cocktail top-up (like at Potami’s beach clubs), then Filikuri isn’t the beach for you.
Our Experience At The Beach
Honestly, our first impression of Filikuri Beach, when we finally took our first couple of steps on its pebbles, was that we couldn’t believe that such a beautiful beach was free to access!
I know it’s kind of sad that this was our first thought, but this was our third trip to the Albanian Riviera, and we’d become well accustomed to public beaches being bought up and privatised.
So we were buzzing that we could just find a spot here to put our beach towels down without having to worry about spending any money on sun beds, food, or drinks!
The second thing that immediately stood out, as we made our way to the shoreline, was the majestic natural scenery of the bay.
With crystal-clear water washing up on the shore that blended into a deeper blue further out, and immense cliff faces towering over the beach and flanking it on either side, the natural beauty here is pristine in a wonderfully untouched and rugged way.
To us, it felt like a less commercialised version of Mirror Beach and Shpella E Pellumbave, two of our favourite beaches in Saranda, which both have a similar raw beauty.
The narrow strip of small pebbles stretches for around 200 metres and we headed down to the southern end as it was a bit quieter, although we noticed that this is where the topless sunbathers seemed to be pitched up, in case that’s your style.
There was also next to no shade after midday, apart from a few small caves, but this wasn’t a worry for us as tanning was a priority anyway!
But what was more bothersome was the pebbles. They were uncomfortable to walk on barefoot, especially in the sea where they were bigger. So much so that I awkwardly used my flip flops to get in and out of the water.
However, once we were in and floating, it was bliss!
Related Post: Best Beaches In Himare
Facilities At Filikuri Beach
As I mentioned, the beach hasn’t seen any development or construction yet which I’d say is largely due to the landscapes and steep cliffs making it near impossible to do so.
There’s no toilets, bars, restaurants, or markets close by, so make sure to bring everything you need with you, and consider time for the return journey too.
When we visited in late September, there were also no sunbeds or umbrellas to rent, but we did read reports that there’s a guy who rents them here in the peak summer months. Even when we visited, it was a very, very hot day with minimal shade, so an umbrella would be very welcome!
What to Bring With You
As Filikuri Beach doesn’t have any cafes, restaurants, or markets nearby, it’s important that you prepare and pack everything you will need for your visit.
I’d recommend bringing:
- Lots of water (a few litres each if possible).
- Plenty of snacks and something for lunch.
- A sun hat or cap.
- Suncream
- A beach towel.
- Water shoes if you’d like to be more comfortable on the pebbles.
- Cash to rent an umbrella for shade (or bring your own)
Best Time To Visit
We had a fantastic visit to Filikuri Beach in September.
It wasn’t too crowded, it was perfect for swimming and sunbathing without being unbearable, and there weren’t many boats docked in the water.
Therefore, we believe September (and June too), are the best months to visit.
In July and August, the beach gets incredibly crowded, and between mid-October and mid-May, many water taxis and boat tours don’t operate.
Next Read: The Complete Guide To Visiting Porto Palermo Castle Near Himare
To Finish
I hope this article helps you plan an epic beach day in the Bay of Filikuri. It really is one of the most scenic spots in the Himare area!
And if you like Filikuri Beach, then I’d recommend checking out our guide to visiting Grama Bay too, as it features similar characteristics but is even more isolated!
Our Other Albania Guides
Find more inspiration, tips, and advice in our other Albania Travel Guides!
- Saranda Travel Guide: Things To Do, Day Trips, And More
- A Complete Guide To The Best Beaches In Saranda
- Essential Guide To Visiting The Blue Eye (Syri I Kalter)
- Corfu To Saranda By Ferry – Essential Guide
- Getting From Saranda To Ksamil – All You Need To Know
- How To Get From Tirana To Saranda
- Our Favourite Cafes In Saranda
