Himara Castle & Old Town
In town — 15–20 min walk uphill from the promenade
Enclave de la Guerra Fría
Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel
Northern end of Porto Palermo Bay
- Época
- Built 1969–1988 (Cold War)
- Desde Himara
- ~10 km south on SH8 (15–20 min drive)
- Entrada
- Free to view from the road or from a boat
- Horario
- Visible from the road at any time; daylight hours recommended for photos
- Tiempo necesario
- 20–30 minutes from the roadside viewpoint
Sobre Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel
El Túnel de Submarinos de Porto Palermo es un túnel de 650 metros excavado directamente a través de la península en el extremo norte de la bahía de Porto Palermo. Construido durante la Guerra Fría para albergar cuatro submarinos soviéticos de clase Whiskey incautados, el túnel es un monumento a la paranoia de Enver Hoxha y al extraordinario aislamiento de Albania entre 1961 y 1991. No se puede entrar — sigue siendo una zona militar restringida — pero se puede ver la entrada desde la carretera costera y desde las excursiones en barco que cruzan la bahía.
Historia
After WWII, Albania aligned with the Soviet Union. The Soviets ran their only Mediterranean naval base from Pasha Liman on Vlora Bay, with twelve Whiskey-class submarines operating from there. When Hoxha broke with Moscow in 1961, the Soviets withdrew — but Albania seized four of the submarines and built this tunnel to shelter them, fearing retaliation. Construction took nearly two decades, finishing in 1988. The tunnel was abandoned after the regime collapsed in 1991. The gate was briefly opened for a ceremony in August 2024 but the site remains closed to public access.
Qué se ve
The arched tunnel mouth carved into the cliff face on the bay's northern side; the abandoned military barracks and concrete infrastructure scattered across the hillside above; the scale of the opening — visible even from across the bay; the bunker complexes along the access road (Hoxha-era pillboxes are everywhere in this part of Albania).
Fotos
Cómo visitarlo
Drive south from Himara on SH8 — the tunnel viewpoint is on the right about 10 km out, before you reach the Porto Palermo Castle turnoff. There is a roadside pullout where most visitors stop for photos. To see the tunnel up close, take a boat tour from Himara (€30–60) — the boats pass directly in front of the entrance. You cannot enter the tunnel itself by either route.
Mejor momento para visitar
Late morning to early afternoon, when sun lights the cliff face directly. From a boat tour, mid-morning departures give the best light angle on the tunnel entrance.
En profundidad: guía completa del visitante
Historia, consejos prácticos y notas de ruta en formato extenso — el artículo que profundiza más que esta página.
Ver Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel desde el mar
Cómo llegan los operadores a este enclave en barco, qué excursiones lo incluyen y qué aspecto tiene la llegada desde alta mar.
Reserva una visita guiada
¿Prefieres ir con guía? Explora las excursiones y visitas a Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel con precios fijos y cancelación gratuita.
Ver excursiones en GetYourGuide →Cerca
- Porto Palermo CastleCastillo
- Porto Palermo BeachPlaya
- QeparoPlaya
Preguntas
Can you go inside the submarine tunnel?
No — the tunnel is a restricted military zone and closed to the public. The gate was briefly opened for a ceremony in August 2024 but has since been resealed. You can view the entrance from the SH8 road or from boat tours that pass directly in front of it. Trespassing is prosecuted.
Why was the tunnel built?
After Albania broke with the Soviet Union in 1961, the regime seized four Whiskey-class submarines and built this tunnel to hide them from feared Soviet retaliation. Construction ran from 1969 to 1988 under Enver Hoxha's policy of total defensive isolation — the same paranoia that produced 175,000 bunkers across Albania.
How do you get to the submarine tunnel?
Drive south from Himara on SH8 for ~10 km (15–20 min). The viewpoint is a roadside pullout on the right, before the Porto Palermo Castle turnoff. For a closer view, take a boat tour from Himara harbour (€30–60) — the boats pass directly in front of the tunnel entrance on Porto Palermo loop trips.
Is the submarine tunnel worth visiting?
Yes — especially combined with Porto Palermo Castle in the same bay. The scale of the opening and the abandoned military infrastructure on the hillside give a vivid sense of Cold War-era Albania's isolation. Budget 20–30 minutes for the roadside viewpoint, or 1–2 hours total with the castle.
Otros lugares de interés cerca de Himara
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