Amantia

Amantia was an Illyrian city founded around the fifth century BC on a hill above the Shushica valley in the hinterland behind Vlora, with a circuit of polygonal masonry walls, a temple of Aphrodite, and a stadium built into the slope below the acropolis with rows of stone seating still in place, which is the best preserved thing on the site and unusual for an Illyrian settlement. The city continued into the Roman and early Christian periods and a small basilica stands within the walls. It sits at about six hundred metres with a view over the valley, and the modern village of Ploce is beside it. It is one of the least visited significant sites in the country, with no infrastructure and no ticket office.

What you actually see

• A stadium in the slope - stone seating rows still in place.
• Polygonal Illyrian walls - the masonry circuit around the acropolis.
• A temple of Aphrodite - the foundations on the hilltop.
• The Shushica valley view - the country below from six hundred metres.

When to go

April to October. Two hours. The road up from the valley is rough. There is no shade on the hill. Mornings are best. You will almost certainly be alone.

Honest expectations

There is no ticket office, no signage and no facilities of any kind. The road is poor and needs a capable vehicle. The remains are overgrown in places. Nothing is explained on site, so read before you go.

Nearby

Vlora is north-west; the Llogara pass and the Riviera lie south.