If you are looking for a fabulous and budget-friendly European summer vacation spot then you have come to the right place! Check out our list of the 10 Best Things To Do In Saranda, Albania.
Saranda, Albania is a small beach town off the coast of the Ionian sea located on the southern tip of Albanian and just north of Greece! Surprisingly, Saranda offers a lot of that Greek island and south of France look and feel without the price tag.
You might be thinking, “Albania? Huh? Never thought of visiting there.” We thought the same thing. And although Albania’s tourism sector is very new and still has a long way to go we enjoyed our time in the up-and-coming coastal, vacation town of Saranda. While Albanian tourism is picking up, Saranda is still very much undiscovered by the mass tourism crowd which is why we wanted to share our top 10 best things to do in Saranda, Albania’s hidden gem.
Disclaimer: We visited Saranda in May 2021 just before peak tourist season. Some pros to this were that we did not have to fight through the crowds and at times it felt like it was just us, some friendly ex-pats, and the locals. Also, we did not have to pay peak season prices and accommodations were easy to find.
Some cons to visiting during this time were that some restaurants and businesses had not opened up for the season yet. Also, there was quite a bit of construction during this time because the locals were still preparing for the busy tourist season.
The peak tourist season is from the end of June to the beginning of September. During this time the town really comes alive. If you plan to visit around this time we definitely recommend planning ahead.
Here is our list of the top 10 Best Things To Do In Saranda, Albania:
Explore Lekuresi Castle
Lekuresi Castle offers stunning panoramic views of Saranda, the Ionian Sea, and the Greek island of Corfu. The castle was originally built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman. It has since been renovated and now serves as a restaurant and cafe in the summer months. This is also a great place to see the sunset!
You can drive up to the castle, but we chose to hike. There are two main ways to get to the peak and Lekuresi Castle by foot.
The first is the main road that leads out of town. This would also be the route you would take if you are driving. The entire route is uphill and the first 15 minutes are along a very busy street. You will make a right at the top of the hill to head towards the castle, just follow the street signs and you can’t miss it. This is the easiest route and takes about 2 hours, not including time to roam around the cafe and take in the views.
The second route is up the side of the hill that faces the sea. This was less of a hiking trail and more of us just trying to follow narrow billy goat paths and ending up plowing through some bushes at the end. We never really found a path or markings, but since you can see the castle from the starting point I would say it is pretty hard to get lost. This route was definitely more off the beaten path. We saw old mining caves, billy goats, and a variety of plants and trees. This is a more difficult route and I would only recommend those who are physically active to go this way. This route probably took about a half-hour longer than the first route and we went down the main road on the way back. It was an adventure all the same!
Walk the Saranda Boardwalk
Another one of our favorite things to do in Saranda Albania was to walk along the newly paved boardwalk. The Saranda boardwalk is the main boardwalk in town and it is hard to miss. This boardwalk or promenade is newly renovated as of 2020. The boardwalk is mainly lined with restaurants and bars. Our favorite restaurants and bars on the boardwalk were Bar Restaurant Limani, Centrali and, Jericho Cocktailbar
But we found most of the best food off of the boardwalk. Some of our favorite places in town were Salad Farm, Albatros Beach Bar, American Blue, Italian Mattarello Pizzeria (the best!), Haxhi, and Maria Madalena.
The town will sometimes host events and mini-concerts on the boardwalk around sunset which was a nice surprise for us a few times!
Visit Butrint National Park
Just 40 minutes from Saranda is Butrint National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and wildlife preserve. It is very easy, reliable and inexpensive to take the bus from the center of town to Butrint.
Butrint first had inhabitants in 800 BC and has been controlled by the Ottomans, Greeks, and Romans in various stages throughout history.
To enter the park costs about $10 USD. There are information boards throughout the park and a map of the grounds so it is pretty easy to explore the remains without a guide. There are no places to buy food inside the park so pack a lunch and enjoy an entire day exploring the castle remains.
Lounge on the beaches of Ksamil
Ksamil is a small beach village that borders Saranda. The best beaches in southern Albania can be found here. While the main town of Ksamil is a lot smaller than Saranda the beaches are a lot nicer. Ksamil has white sandy beaches, lounge chairs, crystal clear waters, umbrellas, and so much more. We spent a few days here during our trip and loved it!
It is very easy to get to Ksamil from Saranda by bus. The bus costs about $1 USD one way and takes about 30 minutes. It is cash only!
Our favorite restaurant here was Panorama and our favorite beach was right outside of that. This beach was right in the center so it had a little bit of everything. Also, if you ate lunch at the restaurant then the beach chairs were free!
Hike to the Old Monastery of Forty Saints
The Rrënojat e Manastirit të 40 Shenjtorëve, or Monastery of 40 Saints is a very important historic monument to Saranda and it is actually how the town gets its name. Saranda comes from the Greek saying ‘ayia saranta’, which means forty saints.
The monastery was originally built in 320 and there is a 6th-century Christian church at the site as well. There is a legend that states the original 40 Christian legionaries were put to death for refusing to abandon their faith during the rule of Emperor Licinius. They were tortured and left to die for their defiance of the emperor. In the 6th century, a church was built on the site to honor these men and their dedication to their faith.
Sadly, during World Ward II the monastery was occupied by the Germans and bombed by the British which led to its current dilapidated state.
The Old Monastery of Forty Saints is a fairly easy hike from the center of town in Saranda. To get to the Monastery you will follow the main road out of town. Instead of turning right at the top of the hill to go to Lekuresi Castle, you will go left. From there you follow the road all the way to the site. It is very accurate on google maps, so just follow your maps.
The walk will take about 1 hour to 2 hours depending on how long you explore the ruins. There is a 200 Lek or $2 USD entrance fee but since we were there in May there was no one around and certainly no entrance fee.
Swim at Blue Eye
Just about 20 minutes inland from Saranda is the Blue Eye. The Blue Eye is a natural spring river with some of the clearest water you have ever seen! Divers have attempted to measure the depth but still, no one knows just how deep the actual Blue Eye is. You can look down and see the continuous crystal clear water coming up from the bottom.
There is no need to pay for a tour of the Blue Eye. You can just take the bus and walk to the river from the road where the bus drops you off. It is very easy to navigate.
From the bus stop in town, just tell the bus driver you want to go to the blue eye. Once the bus drops you off, walk down a dirt road for about 10 minutes. Next, you will walk past some guards collecting entrance fees, we paid 50 Lek. From there it is an easy 15 minutes walk down a dirt road to the river. There are a few restaurants, a small rustic hotel, and some souvenir shops near the entrance of the river.
Enjoy the beauty of the surrounding landscape, the spring, and, if you are daring, a quick dip in the water! Be warned it is cold! Visiting the Blue Eye is a top attraction in Saranda, Albania.
Spend a day in Gjirokastër
A trip to Gjirokastër feels like a trip back in time to the days of the Ottoman empire. Gjirokastër is on the UNESCO world heritage list. While in Gjirokastër be sure to check out the ottoman architecture, the Bazaar, and of course the Gjirokastër castle.
Gjirokastër was actually home to Ismail Kadare, a very famous Albanian writer, as well as Enver Hoxha, the founder of the Albanian communist party which is no longer in power as of the early 1990s. Enver Hoxha remains a very controversial figure for many Albanians to this day.
The Gjirokastër castle is a 14th-century castle and is actually one of the biggest castles in the Balkans. It is a true sight to see. Not to mention the views from the top are amazing! The castle is open year-round but the hours vary by season and a ticket costs 400 Lek or ~$4USD
We also highly recommend eating at Taverna Traditional when visiting Gjirokastër. It is a small family-run joint with traditional Albanian meals served buffet style. The restaurant is just a little past the castle and absolutely worth a visit. It was one of our favorite meals in Albania.
Visit Saranda’s secret beaches
From Saranda, and all the way up the coast there are several small coves and secret beaches. Unlike some of the other famous summer vacation destinations, the beaches in Albania are still very undiscovered. This means that there is a good chance you could have the entire beach to yourself!
We were able to hire a private 8-hour boat tour for our group that included lunch and drinks for an extremely reasonable price. We had a fabulous day exploring the secluded and beautiful beach coves near Saranda! I would absolutely recommend our guide. He was very friendly and informative, we had a great day with Evangelio. His company, Odisea Tour does wonderful sunset tours as well.
Explore the town of Saranda
Although Saranda is small compared to a lot of other vacation destinations one could easily spend a full day walking around the town. Just off the boardwalk, there are several shops with clothes, accessories, and souvenirs all at very reasonable prices. Also, one of the best places to get seafood is at the old port, which is at the northern end of the town. We ate at Taverna Fishland and loved it!
At the end of the boardwalk by Proper Pizza, there is a farmer’s market every day with many local farmers selling fruits, veggies, and alcohol. There is also a beautiful park called Friendship Park in the town center. This park is a nice place to enjoy a morning coffee and byrek.
You can also experience a lot of Albanian history just by walking through the town. There are ruins from an Ancient Synagogue Complex that are located right in the center of town near the park. These remains are from a 5th-century synagogue complex of a wealthy community that once lived in the area. There is also a well-preserved Cold War bunker that you can actually see inside of. The bunker is about a 5-minute walk from the Synagogue. During the Cold War, Enver Hoxha, the ruler of Albania during this time, began a project to bunkerize the nation. This is why there are thousands of abandoned, concrete bunkers all across Albania.
Have fun with some watersports
The coast of Albania has endless amounts of watersports for locals and vacationers to enjoy. We enjoyed trying our hand at kayaking, paddle boats, SUP, hydro biking, you name it! We even met a really cool local couple offering hydro-surfing lessons! Local businesses from the town would have these large water toys out for rent for an hour, two hours, or the day. All the rental prices were very reasonable. We paid just under $5 USD for a 1-hour SUP rental. Just go to your nearest beach during high season and you should be able to find some equipment to rent no problem.
One thing to note is that in the off-season the water sports equipment is a lot harder to rent because most businesses bring them in for the off-season around early September.
BONUS RECOMENDATION:
Take a trip to Corfu! The Greek island of Corfu is just about a 30-minute ferry ride from Saranda. When we were there in May the ferries to Corfu were not running due to restrictions. While Albania has remained opened to tourism all year, Greece has only recently opened its borders for tourists. I have read that the ferries from Corfu to Saranda and vice versa are running again, but it is always good to check before you go!
If you are looking for top things to do in Saranda, Albania then chances are you will have to fly into Tirana first. Check out our blog on the 12 Best Things to Do in Tirana, Albania (2021).
And if you do not love to plan travel schedules like us then check out this Two Days In Tirana Travel Schedule we made for a quick two-day visit to Tirana before heading to Saranda, Albania.
