Cold War Site

Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel

Northern end of Porto Palermo Bay

Period: Built 1969–1988 (Cold War)
From Himara: ~10 km south on SH8 (15–20 min drive)
Entry: Free to view from the road or from a boat
Hours: Visible from the road at any time; daylight hours recommended for photos
Time needed: 20–30 minutes from the roadside viewpoint

About Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel

The Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel is a 650-meter tunnel carved straight through the peninsula at the northern end of Porto Palermo Bay. Built during the Cold War to shelter four seized Soviet Whiskey-class submarines, the tunnel is a monument to Enver Hoxha's paranoia and Albania's extraordinary isolation between 1961 and 1991. You cannot go inside — it remains a restricted military zone — but you can see the entrance from the coastal road and from boat tours that pass through the bay.

History

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.

What You See

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).

Photos

How to Visit

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.

Best Time to Visit

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.

Location

Get Directions

Deep Dive: Full Visitor Guide

History, practical tips, and route notes in long form — the article that goes deeper than this page.

Read the guide →

See Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel from the Sea

How operators reach this site by boat, which tours include it, and what the arrival looks like from offshore.

Boat-tour guide →

Book a Guided Visit

Prefer to go with a guide? Browse Porto Palermo Submarine Tunnel tours and excursions with fixed prices and free cancellation.

See tours on GetYourGuide →

Nearby

Questions

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.