What You're Actually Looking At
Saint Theodore's Cave (Albanian: Shpella e Shën Todhrit) is a sea cave at the base of the cliff that holds the Monastery of Saint Theodore — a small Orthodox monastery on the cliffs above Gjipe Beach, in the high rocks above the village of Iljas south of Dhërmi. The monastery was built on the site of an ancient temple to Zeus (Dias); construction began in the 14th century and reportedly took roughly 500 years to complete. After WWII the building was repurposed as a military base for the Albanian Army before being returned to ecclesiastical use.
From the boat, the composition is striking: cave at sea level, vertical limestone cliff, monastery silhouette on the rim. It's the only cliff cave on the short Himara tour with a religious site directly above it, and that's its appeal. The cave itself isn't large enough or visually unique enough to compete with Pirate's Cave or Blue Cave on cave merit alone — but the cliff-and-monastery framing is unmatched on the coast.
The Stop
Allocated time on standard short-tour itineraries (Sea Breeze, Himara Sea Escapes, Boat Trip Albania): 5–10 minutes for photos. The boat:
- Approaches the cliff base
- Holds position offshore so the cave and monastery are both in frame
- Gives passengers time to photograph both
- Continues to Pirate's Cave / Gjipe
No swim stop. No interior entry. No landing.
Position on the Route
Saint Theodore's Cave sits on the same cliff line as Pirate's Cave, on the rocks above Gjipe Beach, roughly 12 km north of Himara by sea. Approximate coordinates: 40.129°N, 19.652°E. On the short Himara tour the order is typically:
Himara → Livadhi → Aquarium → Jale → Saint Theodore's Cave
→ Pigeon's Cave → Pirate's Cave / Gjipe → return
The Monastery Above
The Monastery of Saint Theodore is small but historically significant — a clifftop site with centuries of use, modest in scale but with sweeping sea views over the Riviera. From the boat you'll see only the silhouette and the cliff-edge walls. To actually visit, see our Saint Theodore Monastery, Dhërmi article for overland directions.
Practical Notes
- Photographer's tip: wide-angle lens to capture cave + cliff + monastery in one frame. The geometry is hard with a phone.
- No swim stop — keep your dry bag packed
- Mid-morning sun lights the cliff face best; late afternoon casts the monastery in shadow
- Combine with Drymades — most tours pass Drymades Beach immediately before or after this stop
