Old Town of Himara

The old village is located north of the town of Himara, on the hill where also lies the castle of Himara and the surrounding area. Himara village or better Himara Castle has a history of two thousand years of being the capital of the entire coastal area till today. Village of Himara defined by two canyons, the Canyon of Visha (natural monument) in the northwest and the Canyon Kole Midharit by the south side. The Castle area is known by the name Barbaka and is built on a rocky hill. By the north side are the Acroceraunian mountains and by the west the hill of Skurata separated from the Castle area by the canyon of Visha. As noted by the British scholar N. Hammond, Himara was a wall surrounded castle build on a hill between 500 -1000m length.

Upon arrival on the town of Himara, you must visit the 5-th century B.C. Castle of Himara, positioned prominently on the hill above the city which it once protected. It is advised to park the vehicle in upper village of Himara, upon first entering the city as it is closer to the castle.

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The now deserted bishop's mansion was built on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the god Phoebus Apollo. An inscription found there in Ancient Greek proclaims that "ΦΟΙΒΟΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ ΧΙΜΑΙΡΑΝ ΕΠΟΛΙΣΕΝ", in other words Phoebus Apollo founded the city of Chimaera.
According to Thucydides, the Chaones were a people without kings, ruled by two lords who were elected every year and who were descended from the ancient royal bloodlines, whose privileges had been circumscribed. The castle was built by the Chaones tribe during the 5th century BC and it was known by the name Chimera.
A number of churches are located inside the castle of Himarë, which was initially built in classical antiquity, like the Church of Virgin Mary Kasopitra, Episkopi, which is built on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo, as well as the Aghioi Pantes (All Saints) church, in the entrance of the castle. Additional monuments in the castle include the mansion of the Spyromilios family and the Greek school.
In case of emergency

The phone number to the Hospital is: (+355) 69 228 4462 or just 127 (all over Albania)
In case of fire, call 128

Package Tours

The Castle town of Himara.

Explore the Castle town of Himara

Being the capital of the ancient times old town Himara has the most important monuments and cultural history.

AN OLD CAPITAL

Being the capital of the ancient times old town Himara has the most important monuments and cultural history. You can visit the Castle of Himara with a fantastic view of the entire city. From the old buildings are preserved fragments of walls square work with big stones and buildings that belong to later centuries.

A long-time stronghold of the local population, the castle was occupied until the 16-th century A.D. and contains a number of houses and churches of the post-Byzantine period. Perhaps the most beautiful church within the walls is the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, overlooking Himara and the Ionian Sea. Also known as the Church of All Saints, this former seat of the archbishopric of Himara showcases church walls preserving its multiple phases of construction, part of them being built on top of earlier walls. Original construction is thought to have occurred towards the end of the 10-th century.

Grab the chance and join our tour on the Castle city of Himara and live an unforgettable experience with local people and ancient stories!

The castle of himara as seen from Livadhi beach

The castle and village of Himara as seen from Scoutara hill.

On top of Barbaka (inside the castle) looking at the beach of Livadhi.

A traditional entrance door at the castle.

The belfry of the church of All Saints located at the entrance of the castle.

A typical tunnel pass under the stone houses.

A well preserved front wall of a traditional house at the castle.

A stone window overlooking the Ionian sea.

The front of the castle of Himara.

Aerial view of the top of the castle.

The frescos at the church of Episkopi, at the top of the castle.

The church of Episkopi, at the top of the castle.

Plan Your Trip

How to arrive

It is easy to reach Himara and travel around the region once you arrive. By air from Tirana or Corfu airports, by ferry from Corfu, by bus or by your own car.

How to get around

Read about buses, taxis and ferry’s that tie the region together in a web of sea and land connections operated by both large and small scale operators.

Useful Informations

We have compiled useful information and good advise for your visit in the Region of Himara in our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

When to come

Summer is a season of swimming and partying , while spring is for exploration and sightseeing, read about when is the perfect time to Visit Himara.