Porto Palermo Bay

Porto Palermo is a deep sheltered bay on the Riviera with a low peninsula running into it carrying a triangular stone castle, built around 1800 and associated with Ali Pasha of Tepelena, who controlled this coast: a compact fort with three round bastions, thick walls, vaulted chambers and a courtyard, reached by a causeway. The bay was used as a naval base and a tunnel driven into the rock on the far side housed submarines, disused since the 1990s and visible from the water. The bay itself is calm and clear, with small pebble beaches on both arms, and the shelter makes it one of the better swimming spots on a coast that is often exposed. Access is straightforward from the coast road.

The landscape

• The triangular castle - three bastions on a peninsula in the bay.
• Vaulted chambers inside - the fort's interior rooms and courtyard.
• The submarine tunnel - a rock-cut base across the water, now disused.
• Sheltered clear water - calm swimming in an enclosed bay.

When to go

June to September for swimming; the castle is visitable in any season. Half a day. Mornings are quieter. The castle has limited shade and is hot in the middle of the day.

What to expect

The castle is largely empty inside with minimal interpretation. The submarine tunnel is closed and seen only from outside. Facilities around the bay are limited. Parking is a roadside area and fills in season.

Nearby

Himara is north; Borsh and Saranda lie south.

Key facts