Piluri, being a connecting path between Himara and Vranisht region has some amazing off road routes and many trekking paths to explore.
From the national road to the south axis, after Himara we get to the left of the motorway where we are driving towards Piluri, which rises to 700 meters high. From afar, it looks like a bunch of trees surrounded by an enormous stone curtain.
The village of Piluri is part of the municipality of Himara and it is located several kilometres north of the town centre. The village of Piluri has a population of more than 500 inhabitants but most of them immigrated in different cities and countries. The population now it’s no more than 50 and its just rises a bit during summer vacation where people coma and spend the holidays with their relatives.
Known as the Coastal Balcony, this village is located somewhere else from where it was founded. The name "Piluri" first appeared in 1431-1432 as part of Sopoti (today Borshi, about 20 kilometres south) with a total of 13 houses.
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.
Continues further down the page...
Today's Piluri village offers tourists a vacation home or a guest house where visitors are "faced" with pieces of ancient Piluriot history, from the traditions, customs or artistic skills of these residents, where two of the houses in this village sell their products craft.
As seen from afar a small oak forest sits above the village, inside it is situated the church of Saint Nicholas.
In Piluri today there are two settlements that had previously been inhabited since the late Bronze Age, in the 7th and 6th centuries BC, as the Fortification of the Mayan of the West in the Vumloit Field and another on the Hill of Koleze south of Vumloit.
Just before entering the village of Piluri, a small path downwards takes us to the Monastery St. Mary of Athaliotisa. The monastery was built around 1975. It has a typical byzantine basilica and beside the church there are two store dwelling ruins that where habitable then and for storage usage. Athali church size 10 x 10.5 meters, covered with flat ceiling, while the side naves are rectangular, separated from each other by columns with arches that connect adjacent walls, which are covered with barrel vaulted.
"Piluri village has some magnificent views and visitors can enjoy some amazing sunsets. Do not miss the chance to visit this place."
