This castle was built in the village with the same name which is about 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Vlorë. The castle rises on the side of the Shushica Mountain, about 380 metres (1,250 ft) above sea level. The castle was built on the site of an ancient settlement, one of the oldest in the Vlora region. The castle is believed to have been erected in the 3rd century B.C. In the 4th century B.C. the castle was transformed into a fortress town. In the 6th century A.D. the castle was reconstructed by Justinian I. The castle was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14th century.

The settlement covers an area of 3.6 hectares.

Built on top of a hill, 379 meters above sea level, the Kanina Castle offers a rare panorama of the bay of Vlora and the entire city. This fortress evolved as an inhabited fortified center during the Hellenistic period (4th century – 2nd century B.C.) and continued to develop throughout the Roman period. Thanks to its reconstructions in the middle ages, this fortress managed to have an uninterrupted life until the 18th century. As such, some of the most important historical periods of Albania can be traced in the ruins of this fortress.  The castle was one of the places that hosted Skanderbeg’s historical wedding to Donika Araniti, who originated from Kanina.