Today the village of Palasa has a population of no more than 100, due to immigration and poor economic conditions.
After riding down on the snake road of Llogara National Park, Palasa is the first village that welcomes you to the region of Himara and the Albanian Riviera. Those who decide to come to Pallas will face a picturesque village sunk in the green and an incredible view of the Ionian that calms your soul.
Palasa is located in the municipality of Himara (17 kilometres north from the town). The inhabitants of Palasa speak mainly a variant of the Himariote Greek dialect, and partly Albanian. The village is located several kilometres northwest of Drymades, accessed via the main road SH8 leading north. Being a small village the population of Palasa is no more than 150 inhabitants, due to immigration to Greece and other countries, but during the summer it comes alive. The Llogara National Park and Cika mountain peak are nearby. The chain of the Acroceraunian mountain starts northwest of Palasa and continues till south to Saranda.
In the classical antiquity it used to be a settlement of the Chaones, one of the three ancient Greek tribes of Epirus, named Palaesti. There is also evidence that in 48 BC, during his pursuit of Pompey, Julius Caesar set foot and rested his legion at the beach of Palasa. He continued on to Llogara pass in a place later named Caesar Pass.
In 1720, the village of Palasa together with Drymades, Vuno, Himara, Piluri and Qeparo refused to submit to Pasha of Delvina. Until the 1750 Palasa was part of a larger Himara region that consisted of 52 villages, but by the continuous raids made by the Turkish empire the region was reduced to only 16 villages and later on by the defeat of Ali Pasha it shrunk to 7 villages until today.
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Today the village is popular because of its nearby beach, Dhraleo, that has become a popular attraction among tourists for its large sandy beach and the delta of an ancient river that flowed thousands of years ago. Visitors can find a few guesthouses and room rentals relatively cheap because of its remote location.
Palasa stream or "Strada Bianca" lies at the foot of the western side of Acroceraunian mountains, below the peak of Cika (2.050 m) and Llogara's neck. This name has remained due to the whirling blink that the torrent still emits in the darkness. The stream descends mount Cika and flows into the sea, forming an environment of the most magnificent on the whole Ionian coast.
Dhraleo beach is located at the bottom of Llogara Mountain and a little north of Palasa village. The beach is inside a huge delta of an ancient river that used to bring waters from the Acroceraunian Mountains. Because of its remote location it wasn’t so popular among tourist but not it is preferred for its crystal-clear waters and huge amounts of sand.
