Location: south of Vlora
Llogara Pass is
a protected national park located between Vlora and Dermiu. You can
get here by traveling south from Vlora to the Llogara Pass, which
reaches a height of over 1000 meters. The native animals of the
Llogara Pass include wild boars, deer, wolves and many others. In
addition, the local peasant herdsmen still have large flocks of
sheep, goats and other animals, despite the fact that the villages
of Albania are clearly emptying. Be careful when you go camping in
the park Llogara. Some hillsides can become very slippery,
especially after heavy rains.
Llogara National Park (Albanian: Parku Kombëtar i Llogarasë) is
a national park located on peaks along the Albanian Riviera in
South-Western Albania, covering an area of 1010 hectares (10.1
km2). The territory of the park includes large alpine meadows, steep
rocks, precipices and dense forests. Llogara was created in 1966
to protect several ecosystems and biodiversity of national
importance. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) has included Llogara Park in category II. Llogara National
Park is distinguished by an exceptional variety of landscape from
the alpine peaks of the Keran mountains covered with snow in winter
to the sunny Albanian Ionian Sea. At 1,027 m (3,369 ft), the Llogara Pass has stunning landscapes with high mountains
overlooking the Albanian Riviera and several islands in the sea. The
region is dominated by a Mediterranean climate. This means that
summers are hot and winters are usually dry and temperate. Despite
its proximity to the Mediterranean climate region, the alpine
climate prevails in the Maya e Chicés region. Geomorphologically
carbonate rocks occupy most of the area, while the mountains consist
of limestone and dolomite.
Tourism is the most important
sector in the park of Llogara Pass. It has the greatest potential
for sustainable income. Along National Road 8 there are several
restaurants, hotels, and more. The area of the park and the
surrounding mountains are covered with a web of walking paths. The
Caesar Pass, named after Julius Caesar, is located at the Llogara
Pass. According to him, the great Roman commander spent his army in
pursuit of Pompey.
Location and altitude
The pass is located at an altitude of 1,027
meters above sea level, making it one of the highest points on the SH-8
coastal road connecting the cities of Vlorë and Saranda. It is located
approximately 40 km south of Vlorë and 35 km north of Dhermi, the
nearest large settlement to the south. Geographically, Llogara lies at
approximately 40.197° north latitude and 19.593° east longitude.
Terrain
The pass is a narrow ridge crossing the Ceraunii Mountains,
which rise sharply from the Ionian coast to altitudes of over 2,000
meters at some peaks (for example, Mt. Çika, 2,044 m, is located further
east). The western side of the pass offers views of steep slopes
descending to the sea and beaches such as Palase and Dhermi, while the
eastern side is surrounded by dense forests and gentler hills that merge
into the valley of the Šušnice River.
The landscape around
Llogara is varied: at altitude, alpine meadows and rocky outcrops
predominate, lower down there are coniferous forests of black pine
(Pinus nigra), unique to this region, and at the foot there are
Mediterranean scrub (maquis) and olive groves. The Llogara National
Park, covering 1,010 hectares, protects this ecosystem, including rare
species of flora and fauna.
Climate
The climate at the pass
varies depending on the altitude. At the top it is mountainous, with
cool summers (15–25°C) and cold winters (0–10°C), sometimes with light
snow, which is rare for coastal Albania. At the foot, the climate is
Mediterranean, with hot summers (up to 35°C) and mild winters (10–15°C).
The pass is known for its strong winds, especially the westerly ones
blowing from the Ionian Sea, making it a popular place for paragliding.
Road and access
The SH-8 road runs through Llogara, which climbs
from sea level to the pass on steep serpentines with a gradient of up to
10%. The road is famous for its winding turns and breathtaking views of
the sea and mountains. At the top there is a small viewpoint and a
couple of cafes, from where a panorama of the Albanian Riviera and the
island of Corfu opens up in clear weather. The pass connects the
northern cities (Vlora, Fier) with the southern resorts (Dhermi, Himara,
Saranda), being an important transport artery.
The first mentions of the pass date back to antiquity. The Ceraunian
Mountains, of which Llogara is a part, were noted by ancient authors
such as Ptolemy and Strabo as a difficult barrier along the Ionian
coast. In 48 BC, during the Roman Civil War, Julius Caesar landed his
troops on Palas Beach, south of the pass, and according to some sources,
crossed the mountains in this area to pursue Pompey at the Battle of
Dyrrhachium. This route was later called "Caesar's Pass", although the
exact location of the crossing remains a matter of debate among
historians.
For centuries, the Llogara Pass served as a natural
barrier, isolating the Albanian Riviera from the rest of the country.
The inhabitants of the coast had closer links by sea with Corfu and
Greece than with the interior of Albania by land. This isolation
continued into the 20th century, when the first road was built over the
pass in 1920. However, until 2009 it remained narrow, partly unpaved and
dangerous, with hairpin turns and a lack of barriers, making travel
difficult and risky.
A major turnaround in the history of the
pass occurred in 2009, when the SH-8 road connecting Vlora and Saranda
was reconstructed and widened as part of an investment in tourism. This
turned Llogar into one of the most scenic roads in Europe, attracting
the attention of international travellers. The filming of an episode of
Top Gear in 2010, which featured a chase along the winding road, as well
as a DJ Tiësto concert in Dhërmi in 2012 and the Riviera being voted
"best budget destination" by Frommer's that same year, have made the
pass an icon of Albania's natural beauty.
In 1966, the
surrounding area was declared the Llogara National Park, covering 1,010
hectares, to preserve forests and biodiversity. Today, the pass remains
not only a natural landmark, but also a popular destination for
tourists, trekking enthusiasts and paragliders, linking the historical
past with the modern development of the region.