Kanina Castle

Kanina stands at about three hundred and eighty metres on the hill behind Vlora, on foundations that go back to the Illyrian period, rebuilt in the Byzantine and Ottoman centuries into a walled enclosure of about three and a half hectares with towers and a long circuit, of which substantial stretches survive along with a mosque and cisterns. The interior is open ground with scattered remains and scrub. The reason to make the climb is the view: the whole bay of Vlora, the Karaburun peninsula and Sazan island to the west, the Narta lagoon north and the Ceraunian mountains south, in one panorama. The village of Kanina below the walls has a few places to eat and the site is free and open at all hours.

What to look for

• A long walled circuit - Byzantine and Ottoman walls on Illyrian foundations.
• The Vlora bay panorama - Karaburun, Sazan and the lagoon in one view.
• Cisterns and a mosque - the surviving structures inside the walls.
• Open ground and scrub - the interior left as it is.

When to go

April to October. Two hours. Late afternoon for light over the bay and cooler climbing. There is no shade inside the walls. The site is free and open at any hour.

Things to know

There is no interpretation, no ticket office and no facilities. Parts of the walls are unstable. The climb from the village is short but steep. Litter inside the enclosure is a problem.

Nearby

Vlora is below; the Karaburun peninsula lies west across the bay.