Last Updated on: 26th April 2022, 04:21 pm
The small coastal city of Sarandë is arguably Albania’s most popular tourism hub. But aside from making a great base for the ruins of Butrint, does Sarandë live up to the hype? Perhaps not. Nevertheless, you can still find several interesting places in both the city center and short distances out of town. In the following Sarandë guide, we’ll be covering the top things to do in the so-called ‘capital of the Albanian riviera.’
Only a couple full days is necessary for Sarandë, including a visit to Butrint. But those who want to take things slow and relax on the beach will enjoy several days in town.
Be sure to check the end of this Sarandë guide for more info on transport and accommodation.
Around Central Sarandë
The focal point of central Sarandë is its seafront promenade. The pedestrian-only boardwalk is entirely lined with restaurants and cafes, while it also contains several small beaches.
The pebble beaches here aren’t nearly as idyllic as those of nearby Ksamil, but they’re completely free and accessible to all. I went swimming a couple of different times at the far western end of the promenade and didn’t find it too crowded.
But all in all, Vlorë, with its extensive sandy beaches, is the much better city for swimming.
Sarandë’s promenade is home to numerous reasonably-priced restaurants. And walking along, you can even spot a few remnants of Sarandë’s ancient past.
For those who really want to learn more about the city’s history, you can visit two museums along the promenade that can be accessed with a single 100 lek ticket.
The first is the Ethnological Museum, situated in the city’s old customs house. Like every other ethnology museum, you’ll find a collection of traditional costumes. But the real highlight here is the old photographs.
Not only are early-20th century photos displayed on the walls, but visitors are free to flip through several photo albums lying on the table. They offer a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of local residents during Albania’s communist era when Sarandë was just a small fishing village.
Just nearby is the Archaeological Museum, which is basically just a single large mosaic. Presumably, the work has been left in situ, but there’s not much information on its backstory.
The Ethnology Museum and Archaeology Museum share the same opening hours. They’re open from 9:00-13:30 and then from 18:00-21:00, Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, they’re only open in the evenings, while they’re closed all day Sundays.
Also in the center of town, right across from Friendship Park and the ‘bus terminal,’ are the ruins of a 5th century AD synagogue.
The ruins seem to be locked most of the time (at least they were the few times I walked by), but you can clearly see the ancient building foundations from outside the gates.
Two mosaics have also been found here, which are likely being kept under the small shelter. While I didn’t get to see the real thing, blown-up images of the mosaic designs adorn the structure’s walls.
The Monastery of 40 Saints
Sarandë’s most overlooked attraction is the Monastery of 40 Saints, situated on a hill about 45-minutes on foot from the center. Most visitors head to Lekuresi Castle instead, which offers similar views of Sarandë and Corfu in the distance.
But there’s not a whole lot to see of the castle itself, while a tourist-oriented restaurant occupies the hill’s summit. If you want to avoid the crowds while learning about an important piece of Sarandë’s early history, you won’t regret a hike up to the Monastery of 40 Saints.
The hike itself isn’t the most pleasant of journeys, as you’ll largely be walking along unkempt and dilapidated roads on the outskirts of town. But as long as you follow the Maps.me app, you should make it to the top without much trouble.
I made it to the top as a thunderstorm was occurring across the valley, and I saw a couple of brilliant flashes of lightning in the distance. Walking around a hilltop surely wasn’t the best idea in this situation, but I wasn’t going to turn around after making it so far.
Arriving at the monastery, there was no staff member in sight, but I was greeted by a local boy who insisted on showing me around.
Despite its present-day obscurity, the Monastery of 40 Saints is the landmark after which the city got its name. In Greek, the monastery is known as Hagioi Saranda.
As the name suggests, it was devoted to the Cult of 40 Saints, or the forty Christian Roman soldiers who were martyred by Emperor Licinius in the 4th century. According to legend, they were left naked outside to freeze to death outside of Sivas, modern-day Turkey.
First erected in the 6th century AD, it was long a popular pilgrimage spot in the region. And amazingly, the monastery remained active until the mid-19th century.
It was largely still intact in the early 20th century when it was closely studied by the Italian Archaeological Mission in the 1920s. Sadly, however, it was badly damaged in World War II bombings. Today, only some walls of the main church survive.
While the Monastery of 40 Saints also contains a crypt, it was locked during my visit. Instead, the local boy showed me around to what seemed to be various pools and perhaps entrances to underground chambers. The monastery complex, in fact, contained no less than nine baptismal bathtubs and two pools.
While I’d been considering giving the boy a tip, he pointed to the sign near the entrance which states that the entry fee is 200 lek. I paid him, but who knows where the money actually ended up!
In any case, the locals in this remote part of Sarandë have few other ways to benefit from the local tourism industry.
Ksamil
Ksamil looks like something straight out of a postcard, and there’s unlikely any part of the Albanian riviera that’s as stunning. At 17 km outside of Sarandë, you can easily make a brief stop here from Butrint, located on the same public bus route.
As one would expect, such a beautiful place is also one of the region’s most touristy. And while I didn’t swim myself, none of the beaches here are public. Expect to pay 1,000-1,500 lek for a beach chair.
Even if you’re a budget-savvy traveler who isn’t keen on crowds, the beautiful waters of Ksamil are well worth seeing at some point during your time in Sarandë.
And if you do decide to stay longer and take a dip in the water, some of the distant islands can even be swam to.
The Blue Eye
The natural anomaly known as the Blue Eye has become one of southern Albania’s most-visited attractions. It’s a natural spring deep below the ground out of which water flows to form the beautiful Bistricë River.
And what really makes it special is the blue and turquoise color of the water. The pool is said to be at least 50 m deep, though no one knows for sure how far down it really goes.
The water has a constant temperature of 12° C which doesn’t dissuade some from swimming, even though it’s against the rules.
To be honest, I wasn’t all that impressed with the Blue Eye. It was less blue than the beaches of Ksamil and just as touristy. While it’s a good idea to get there early in the morning to avoid the crowds, a tree blocks the sunlight from shining directly on the water during morning hours.
Presumably, the colors are a lot more vibrant later in the day. But large groups of people began showing up already from around 10:00, and I wasn’t going to wait around to find out. I’d later visit another Blue Eye on the opposite side of the country in Theth which I found to be a lot more impressive.
With that being said, the general area around here is gorgeous, and a visit to the Blue Eye is both a cheap and relatively easy excursion from Sarandë.
GETTING THERE: The Blue Eye is easy to reach by bus if you don’t mind a bit of walking. From central Sarandë, head to Friendship Park, which functions as the city’s de facto bus terminal. Find the Tirana-bound bus which leaves hourly at half past the hour.
Tell the driver you want to get off at the Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) and he’ll drop you off there 20-30 minutes later. During my visit, the journey cost 200 lek.
From the highway, you’ll have to walk a few kilometers to the actual site. Entry to the Blue Eye only costs 50 lek.
When finished, simply return to the same highway and wait on the other side of the road. As buses depart hourly, you won’t need to wait any longer than 60 minutes.
In my case, I was given a lift by a man from Kosovo who was kind enough to drop me off at my hotel in Sarandë. The Balkans is surely one of the most hospitable regions in the world.
Note that you can also visit the Blue Eye from Gjirokastër, though the journey will be a bit longer.
Additional Info
As one of Albania’s most popular destinations, Sarandë is pretty easy to reach. There are several direct buses every day from Tirana/Durrës (seven or eight hours). Note that there are two different routes, with one taking you along the coast and the other inland.
From Vlorë, there are two buses leaving at 11:30 and 13:00 (with possibly more leaving early in the morning). The 11:30 bus will take you along the coastal route, with stops in other places along the Albanian riviera like Himarë.
While the scenery is stunning, the route consists of nonstop winding mountain roads. If you’re prone to carsickness, you may want to opt for the 13:00 bus instead. Vlorë buses depart from just next to the Independence Monument.
Sarandë is just an hour or so by bus from the UNESCO World Heritage town of Gjirokastër. You may also find connections with other cities, though it’s best to ask at the local bus station wherever you are.
There are also a few daily ferry boats connecting Sarandë with the nearby Greek island of Corfu. They generally cost around €38 return.
Sarandë has no shortage of hotels to choose from, but budget travelers might have some difficulty finding good deals during peak season.
I stayed at a place called Niko Apartments that I’d recommend for those looking for affordable private rooms by the beach. While I booked it via Booking.com, it was an apartment unit rather than a hotel.
For around $15 a night, I got a spacious and clean room with a view of the sea from the balcony. Niko and his wife were very friendly and helpful, and the location was perfect.
All of the central locations in the Sarandë guide above were easily walkable. Located across from the hospital, it was just a couple minutes away from the bus stop to Butrint, and only about five minutes from the beach. It was also only a five-minute walk from Sarandë’s main bus terminal area.
The only problem was the noise of moving furniture from the unit above, which occurred at strange hours throughout the night and morning.