Look up from almost anywhere in Borsh and you will see it: a limestone rock above the old village with walls running along the top. This is Kalaja e Borshit, Borsh castle, also known as Kalaja e Sopotit after the hill it stands on. It is the sight closest to our door, and a good way to see the whole bay from above.
A long history on one hill
People have used this hill for a very long time. According to the historical record summarised on Wikipedia:
- The earliest finds date to the end of the Bronze Age. By the second half of the 4th century BC a small hill town had grown up here.
- The walls follow the line of the ancient acropolis and were rebuilt several times, from the early Byzantine period to the late Middle Ages.
- In medieval documents the castle appears as Sopotos. Over the centuries it changed hands between the Despotate of Epirus, the Angevins, Venice and the Ottomans. In 1481 Albanian forces led by Gjon Kastrioti II, the son of Skanderbeg, took it for a few years.
- Its last ruler was Ali Pasha of Tepelena, who also had the fortress renovated.
Inside the walls you will find the ruins of the 17th-century Hajji Bendo mosque, the only building that still stands, along with the remains of other buildings and cisterns.
The walk up
The usual way up starts in the old village and climbs through the olive groves. From the old village it is roughly half an hour up at a steady pace. From the apartments by the beach you first need to get up to the old village, so ask us for the best way when you are here.
- Shoes: wear proper walking shoes, not beach sandals. The path and the ground inside the walls are stony and uneven.
- Time of day: in summer go early in the morning or in the late afternoon. The hillside heats up quickly.
- Bring: water, a hat and sun protection. Do not count on buying anything on the way.
- Take care: these are ruins, not a maintained museum. Keep away from the edges of walls and keep children close.
What you see from the top
The reward is the view: the olive groves of Borsh below you, the long curve of the beach and the open sea beyond it.
Make a morning of it
Combine the castle with a slow walk through the old village, then come back down for a swim. Our guide to Borsh beach has tips for the afternoon, and the sights near Borsh page lists more ideas for the next day.
The castle is a short trip from our house, so it makes an easy first outing for anyone staying with us.
