Porto Palermo Castle and the Coast Road North to Himara
29 June 20263 min read
Some places reward the journey more than the arrival, and then surprise you by delivering on both. Porto Palermo is one of them. The castle itself is modest in scale and easy to underestimate on a map, but the road that brings you there, the coastal SH8 climbing north out of Saranda, is among the most memorable drives in Albania.
It is an easy morning out from the apartment and, unlike the busier ruins further south, it rarely feels crowded. You can walk the whole site slowly, sit on the bay for an hour, and be back for a late lunch.
The castle on the bay
Porto Palermo sits on a small peninsula joined to the shore by a low causeway, so the fortress appears to float at the mouth of a sheltered bay. It is a squat, triangular structure of pale stone, blunt and functional rather than romantic, with thick walls, dim vaulted rooms and a flat roof you can climb onto for a slow turn of the whole horizon.
The castle is tied by local tradition to Ali Pasha of Tepelena, the Ottoman-era ruler whose name attaches to fortifications all along this coast. Come with your own light and let your eyes adjust: the interior is bare and unlit, which is part of its appeal. There is nothing staged here, only stone, sea air and the sound of water against the causeway.
Around the bay and the drive itself
The bay around the castle is calm and clear, a good place to swim or simply sit while the light shifts. On the far side you may notice a tunnel cut into the headland, part of a Cold War submarine base built into the rock. It is a curious footnote to an otherwise quiet cove and a reminder of how strategic this sheltered water once was.
Give the coastal road the time it deserves. Heading north the SH8 threads above the sea past Borsh, with its long shingle beach and olive groves, then on toward Qeparo and Himara. There are pull-offs where the whole coastline opens up beneath you. Many people treat Porto Palermo as one stop on a longer loop, ending the day with a swim and an early dinner in Himara before turning back.
Practical info
Getting there from Saranda: this is a trip best made by car. Follow the coastal road (SH8) north out of town toward Borsh and Himara. Porto Palermo lies past Borsh on the way to Himara, roughly one to one and a half hours of driving depending on stops and traffic on the winding sections.
The road is scenic but slow, with switchbacks and stretches of rough surface, so allow more time than the distance suggests and do not plan to rush. There is no comfortable way to reach the castle by public transport, and a car lets you stop at the viewpoints and beaches that make the day worthwhile.
When to go: late spring through early autumn is ideal, with warm, settled weather and swimmable water. Aim to leave in the morning to have the site to yourself and softer light; midsummer afternoons are hot and the coast road busier. Bring water, sun cover and shoes with grip for the stony ground around the walls.