Grama Bay

Grama Bay lies on the remote western side of the Karaburun Peninsula, open to the Ionian Sea and roughly 30 kilometres from Vlora by water. It is one of the most unusual places on the whole Albanian coast, not only for its clear deep water and white rock, but for what is written on that rock. For more than two thousand years, sailors and travellers have carved their names, prayers and dates into the cliffs above the bay, leaving a kind of open-air guestbook that records voyages from antiquity to the present day.

An ancient guestbook in stone

The inscriptions at Grama give the bay its name, from the Greek word for letters. Ancient mariners sheltered here while waiting out bad weather before crossing the strait toward Italy, and many left a mark asking for safe passage or simply recording that they had passed through. The carvings range from classical Greek and Latin to far more recent additions, layered across the rock faces near the waterline. They are best seen from the boat or from the water itself, and they turn an already beautiful swimming stop into something closer to an archaeological site.

What you will see

Beyond the inscriptions, Grama is simply a stunning place to swim. The bay is open and deep, with water so clear that the bottom is visible far below, and white rock that makes the sea glow an intense blue. Quarries near the bay once supplied stone for building, and you can still see worked blocks and cut faces along the shore. Because it is far from Vlora and reachable only by boat, the bay stays quiet even in summer, and a full day here usually means long swims, snorkeling along the rocks, and time to drift and take in the scenery.

How to get there

Grama Bay is reached only by boat, about 30 kilometres along the Karaburun coast from Vlora. The distance and the open water mean it is a full-day trip rather than a quick hop. BoatVenTours visits Grama on the full-day Grama Bay and Blue Cave tour, which includes lunch and combines the bay with the glowing Blue Cave and other swimming stops along the way.

Best time to visit

The bay is best from June to September, when water temperatures sit around 23 to 26 degrees Celsius and the Ionian is calm enough for the longer crossing. Conditions are the deciding factor here: because Grama faces the open sea, captains choose the day based on wind and swell, and morning departures give the calmest water. High summer is glorious but the bay never feels crowded the way closer spots can.

What to bring

• Swimwear, towel and strong sunscreen for a full day on open water
• Water shoes for the rocky shore
• A hat, sunglasses and extra water
• A waterproof camera to capture the inscriptions and the colour of the water

Lunch, snorkeling gear and life jackets are included on the Grama Bay trip.

Good to know

The carvings at Grama are a protected heritage site, so look but do not add to them or touch the older inscriptions. There are no facilities at the bay, which is part of its appeal, so everything for the day comes on the boat. The longer route also means a more committing day at sea, well suited to confident swimmers and anyone who wants the Karaburun coast at its wildest and quietest.