Sarandë
Discover Sarandë
Sarandë, the gateway to southern Coastal Albania, is a small town of about 33,000 inhabitants, situated on a beautiful horseshoe bay between the mountains and the Ionian Sea. The name Saranda is derived from an early Christian monastery dedicated to Agioi Saranta (Forty Saints). In antiquity, Saranda was known as Onchesmus. Opposite the Greek island of Corfu, Saranda is characterized by a Mediterranean climate and warm sea waters. Saranda typically has over 300 sunny days a year. Due to its location and warm weather, Saranda is one of the most attractive tourist towns on the Albanian Riviera, where honeymooners traditionally spend their holidays. Fronting the sea and along the main promenade, there are some hotels and restaurants.
What to Experience in Sarandë
Taste of Sarandë...
Sarandë is bustling with restaurants, cafes and bars. Fast food places offer a surprisingly cheap and tasty variety of options: €1 will usually get you a good souvlaki (usually pork) or a very nice crepe. Look out for yoghurt flavoured ice cream on the boardwalk, near the tourist info office. Fresh fish is abundant in Saranda and available at most restaurants. Establishments next to the sea and fishing ports provide the freshest fish but generally speaking good seafood can be had all around. There are a few places you can eat in Ksamil. At least 4 restaurants in Ksamil are open year-round, but in the summer there are a lot more options and many are just seconds from the beach. Most serve either sea food or a mix of pizza, Greek dishes and heavy meat based fast food.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTo the nearby Greek island of Corfu (New Port). The daily ferryboats are at 10:30; 13:00 and 16:30 (fewer out of season - check with the ticket office at the port). The 10:30 passage is a hydrofoil which takes about 25-45 minutes. The 16:30 is a car ferry. Corfu is one hour ahead of Albania. One way costs €19, return €38. For buses from Tirana there are two itineraries: Tirana-Durres-Fieri-Vlora-Dhermi-Saranda or Tirana-Durresi-Fieri-Mallakastra-Tepelena-Gjirokastra-Saranda. If you travel through the Riviera (the first) you should pay more attention as the way is narrow. There are lines from Vlore that go through the Riviera or "Bregu" (a line of picturesque, gorgeous Mediterranean beaches and villages; Bregu is the summer residence of the Prime Minister and President). The line from Gjirokaster to Tepelene, Fier and Tirana also passes Sarandë. From Ioannina to Kakavi takes around 40 minutes by bus or taxi....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The local bus from Sarandë center to Ksamil costs 150 lek (last updated 2022-08-18). It 39.8731920.002481 starts at the roundabout behind the harbour and public beach (there's even a timetable hanging on a street light) but also stops few times on its way. It runs once per hour in both ways between 06:30 and 19:30. The SH81 road connecting Sarandë, Ksamil and Butrint is heavily congested in high season, especially around sunset when beach day trippers return from Ksamil to Sarandë. This affects not only the cars but also the busses and taxis. This means that a bus ride does not take significantly longer than taking a taxi or own car. Sarandë is bustling with restaurants, cafes and bars. Fast food places offer a surprisingly cheap and tasty variety of options: €1 will usually get you a good souvlaki (usually pork) or a very nice crepe. Look out for yoghurt flavoured ice cream on the boardwalk, near the tourist info office.
Money & Budget
Sarandë is bustling with restaurants, cafes and bars. Fast food places offer a surprisingly cheap and tasty variety of options: €1 will usually get you a good souvlaki (usually pork) or a very nice crepe. Look out for yoghurt flavoured ice cream on the boardwalk, near the tourist info office. Fresh fish is abundant in Saranda and available at most restaurants. Establishments next to the sea and fishing ports provide the freshest fish but generally speaking good seafood can be had all around. There are a few places you can eat in Ksamil. At least 4 restaurants in Ksamil are open year-round, but in the summer there are a lot more options and many are just seconds from the beach. Most serve either sea food or a mix of pizza, Greek dishes and heavy meat based fast food.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Sarandë
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com
Sunset
Saranda Albania. When using my images, please cite me as follows: Dirk Pohlers / Adventure Albania Travel Blog and link to my website: www.adventurealbania.com