Sazan Island: From Secret Military Base to Day-Trip Destination

For most of the 20th century, Sazan Island was one of the most secret places in Albania. Today it is one of the most interesting stops on a boat trip from Vlora. It is a small island where you can walk past abandoned barracks and bunkers while the sea glitters below.

Where is Sazan?

Sazan sits at the entrance of the Bay of Vlora, just north of the tip of the Karaburun Peninsula. It is the largest island in Albania, yet small enough to cross on foot. Its position made it strategically valuable for centuries: whoever controlled Sazan controlled the way into the bay and the narrow Strait of Otranto towards Italy.

A short history

• For centuries. The island was a lookout over one of the key sea routes between the Adriatic and the Ionian.
• Greek and Italian control (1864–1947). Sazan passed to Greece together with the Ionian Islands in 1864. Italy took it in 1914 and kept it for decades, building military installations.
• Cold War (1947–1990s). After the Second World War, Sazan returned to Albania and became a closed military base. Under the communist regime soldiers dug tunnels and built bunkers all over the island.
• Today. The military left, and the island has been opened to visitors who arrive by boat.

What you can see on Sazan

• Bunkers and tunnels from the Cold War, a reminder of Albania's isolated past.
• Abandoned barracks and the old "town" where soldiers and their families lived.
• Clear water and small coves around the island, perfect for a swim.
• Views back towards Vlora, the Karaburun cliffs and, on clear days, the open sea.

Respect the site: Some buildings are in poor condition. Stay on the paths, don't enter unstable structures, and take your rubbish with you.

How to visit Sazan Island

There are no regular ferries, so you need a boat. Our daily boat tour from Vlora includes a stop at Sazan, together with a beach day at Karaburun and a panoramic visit to Haxhi Ali Cave. The boat leaves Vlora port at 10:00 and returns around 17:30.