Vlora is the second biggest harbor of the country and one of the most important points for Albanian tourism offering both "sea and sun". The beach area near the city is well known for its new and modern hotels along with other facilities like bars, restaurants, clubs, and cafes. This is one of the most exciting tourist areas of the country. That area starts directly south of the city along the small and rocky beaches of the Bay of Vlorë. Further down the harbor of Orikum you will find a recently built yacht harbor.

Geographically, the city is located on the Bay of Vlorë and the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains at the Strait of Otranto along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea within the Mediterranean Sea. Its climate is profoundly affected by the sea and therefore it experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

Historically, the city was founded as Aulon as an Ancient Greek colony in Illyria and was centuries later conquered by the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Venetians and Ottomans. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the Albanian people gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength for national consciousness in the city which conclusively led to the Albanian Renaissance. Thus, it was in the 20th century when the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed following the Assembly of Vlorë on the 28th of November 1912.

Culturally and economically, the city is one of the most significant cities of southern Albania and the region of Labëria which is traditionally popular for its traditions and folklore. It is served by the Port of Vlorë, the SH8 highway, and the A2 motorway representing a section of the Adriatic–Ionian Corridor as well as the Pan-European.