Landmarks

8 castles, monasteries, and historic sites within easy reach of Himara — from 5th-century BC fortifications to Cold War submarine tunnels.

Castles

Ottoman-era and earlier fortifications strung along the coast — the bones of every empire that controlled this stretch of Albania.

Stone walls and Byzantine church ruins at Himara Castle on Barbaka hill

5th century BC – present

Himara Castle & Old Town

Himara Castle sits on Barbaka hill above the modern town. Fortifications here date to the 5th century BC and have been continuously inhabited since — making the old town, locally called Kastro, the only living medieval village on the Albanian Riviera. Stone houses cling to the hillside between Byzantine church ruins and faded frescoes, with panoramic views stretching across the Ionian Sea to Corfu on a clear day.

In town — 15–20 min walk uphill from the promenade·1–2 hours

Early 19th century (c. 1804)

Porto Palermo Castle

Porto Palermo Castle is a triangular Ottoman fortress with three round bastions, built on a narrow peninsula in one of the most photogenic bays on the Albanian Riviera. Commissioned in the early 19th century by Ali Pasha of Ioannina, the castle is the headline landmark of every southbound boat tour from Himara — and the easiest, most rewarding half-day trip from town by car.

~10 km south on SH8 (14–20 min drive)·1–1.5 hours at the castle, 2–3 hours including a swim in the bay

Monasteries & Churches

Byzantine churches and hilltop monasteries that outlasted the Ottoman period and the communist suppression of religion.

14th century (built on ancient Temple of Zeus ruins)

Saint Theodore Monastery

Saint Theodore Monastery (Albanian: Manastiri i Shën Theodhorit, Greek: Μονή Αγίου Θεοδώρου) sits on a hilltop between Dhermi and Gjipe Beach — one of the most historically layered sites on the Albanian Riviera. Built on the ruins of an ancient temple to Zeus, converted into an Orthodox monastery in the 14th century, repurposed as a Soviet navy holiday resort in the 1950s, then an Albanian military post until the late 1980s, and now under restoration. This single hilltop tells the entire story of Albania in compressed form.

~15 km north on SH8 (20 min drive)·1.5–2 hours including the walk up from the parking

18th century

Athali Monastery

Athali Monastery (Albanian: Manastiri i Athalit, Greek: Μονή Αθαλιού) sits high on Athali Mountain above Himara — a remote 18th-century Byzantine-style pilgrimage site reached only by a 2-hour uphill hike. The monastery is small but significant: a continued site of Orthodox pilgrimage, associated with reports of miraculous healing, and built into one of the most panoramic positions on the Riviera. Most travellers never make the climb, which is exactly why it remains one of the most atmospheric landmarks in the area.

~10 km by trail from Spile Beach (2 hr hike)·3–4 hours round trip including the hike and time at the monastery

13th–14th century

Panagia Drymadon Monastery

Panagia Drymadon Monastery (Albanian: Manastiri i Shën Mërisë, Greek: Παναγία Δρυμάδων) — also called the Monastery of Saint Mary — sits on a hilltop at 257 m elevation above Dhermi village. Built in the 13th–14th century, it is a Cultural Monument of Albania and one of the best-preserved examples of Byzantine-era religious architecture on the Albanian Riviera. The monastery operated continuously for over 600 years — through Byzantine decline, Ottoman rule, and Italian occupation — until 1967, when the communist regime forced the last nun to leave.

~15 km north on SH8 (20 min drive + 15 min walk)·45 minutes – 1 hour

Fortresses

Hilltop strongholds built into the mountains, mostly in ruin but rewarding for the views alone.

4th century BC – Ottoman period

Borsh Castle

Borsh Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Sopotit, Greek: Κάστρο του Σόποτου), historically known as Sopot Castle, sits on a rocky hilltop 500 meters above sea level overlooking Borsh Beach — Albania's longest stretch of sand at 7 km. The fortification has been continuously occupied since the 4th century BC, layered by every power that controlled the Ionian coast: Chaonian acropolis, Byzantine stronghold, Venetian outpost, Ottoman fortification under Ali Pasha. It now sits in picturesque ruin, free to visit, and rewards the steep uphill hike with 360° views over beach, valley, and mountains.

~20 km south on SH8 (25 min drive)·2–3 hours including the hike up and down

Military Sites

20th-century relics of Albania's Cold War isolation — submarine bases, bunkers, and abandoned naval infrastructure.

Built 1969–1988 (Cold War)

Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel

The Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel is a 650-meter tunnel carved straight through the peninsula at the northern end of Porto Palermo Bay. Built during the Cold War to shelter four seized Soviet Whiskey-class submarines, the tunnel is a monument to Enver Hoxha's paranoia and Albania's extraordinary isolation between 1961 and 1991. You cannot go inside — it remains a restricted military zone — but you can see the entrance from the coastal road and from boat tours that pass through the bay.

~10 km south on SH8 (15–20 min drive)·20–30 minutes from the roadside viewpoint

Harbors & Ports

Working harbors where Himara's boat-tour operators and local fishing fleet still depart every morning.

Built around 2015

Himara Mini Dock

A small jetty at the south end of Spile Beach. Boat tours leave from here during the day, and locals walk the breakwater in the evening for the sunset view back at Himara Castle on the hill above.

In town — 2 min walk south from Spile Beach promenade·15 minutes

Himara Landmarks FAQs

What historic sites can you visit around Himara?

The headline is the hilltop Himara Castle and its old town, fortified and lived in since around the 5th century BC. South along the coast are Porto Palermo Castle — the Ali Pasha fortress on its own peninsula (c. 1804) — and Borsh Castle, plus the Cold-War Porto Palermo submarine tunnel. North and inland sit Orthodox monasteries: Saint Theodore, Athali and Panagia Drymadon.

Do the castles and monasteries charge admission?

Most are free, including Himara Castle's old town, Borsh Castle and the monasteries. The main exception is Porto Palermo Castle, which charges about 300 ALL (~€3), payable in Albanian lek only — so bring cash. A couple of sites add a small parking fee of around 200–300 ALL.

How old is Himara Castle?

Very old. The hilltop site has been fortified since roughly the 5th century BC, with later Byzantine and Ottoman layers, and parts of the old town inside the walls are still lived in today. It's a 15–20 minute walk uphill from the seafront promenade.

How do you reach the sites outside town?

Most are a short drive on the SH8 coast road: Porto Palermo's castle and submarine tunnel are about 10 km south (15–20 min), Borsh Castle roughly 20 km south, and the Saint Theodore and Panagia Drymadon monasteries about 15 km north. Athali Monastery is the exception — it's a roughly two-hour hike inland from Spile Beach.

What is the Porto Palermo submarine tunnel?

A Cold-War naval base built between 1969 and 1988, when Albania's military hid submarines in a tunnel carved into the headland at Porto Palermo. You can see it for free from the road or from a boat tour; going inside is restricted.

Planning Your Sightseeing Days?

Combine landmarks with nearby beaches, boat tours, and the restaurants that make the Albanian Riviera worth lingering in.

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