GJIPE BEACH AND CANYON

This site (Plazh Kanioni i Gjipesë) is superb: a 400 m-long pebble beach wedged under a cliff and perfectly clear water. The cliff is pierced by a deep canyon 800 m long and 10-20 m wide, which can be explored on foot for half an hour until vegetation and rocks block the way. The site is officially private: it belonged to Enver Hoxha's daughter and is now owned by the daughter of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. This explains why the path leading to the beach is served by a single-lane tarmac road, with sidewalk and lighting (which is only used for VIP guests, it seems...). The road winds for 2.5 km to the Orthodox monastery of St. Theodore. Built in the ^14th century, it was constantly enlarged until the ^19th century. Abandoned and drowned in greenery, it offers a magnificent panorama of the Ionian Sea. Although it was used as a barracks during the Communist era, it has retained its original appearance, with a large courtyard serving the monks' workshops and living quarters. From the monastery, it's a 20-minute stroll along a rocky path to the beach. Alternatively, you can rent a kayak from Jale beach and come by sea. Once there, the over-tourism makes itself felt: cigarette butts and litter in the pebbles, deckchairs rented at full price. But this is hardly surprising on the "Albanian Riviera".