Saranda – The Gateway to the Albanian Riviera
Sarandë [Saranda] is a beautiful, yet small, city located at the southern tip of Albania. Known for its beaches and dark blue waters, it has become somewhat of a magnet for tourism in recent years. The city receives over 300 days of sun annually and, as such, it should be no surprise that the city is the summer capital of Albania.
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Geography
Located in a region historically referred to as Epirus, Saranda is a hotspot for Albania’s large Greek minority. The Greek Ionian island of Corfu lies directly across a narrow strait on the east side of the city. Saranda is the largest city in southern Albania, a land marked by precipitous cliffs overlooking the Adriatic sea. The area mentioned above is often referred to the “Albanian Riviera” and spans north of the city towards the city of Vlora. With its pristine beaches, old forts and towns such as Dhërmi, Borsh and Himarë, the Riviera will keep any traveler occupied for a few days.
A Brief History
The history of Saranda is not to be confused with that of the ancient city of Butrint [Buthrotum] lying to the south. Butrint was the most important settlement of the region for most of its history but is now in ruins. A separate article covers the history of this settlement. It can be found here.
Saranda was ancient Onchesmus, a small Greek settlement that was the site of Albania’s first synagogue. It was raided by the Goths in 551 A.D and completely abandoned. It would not return to prominence again until the Turkish occupation of Albania. The current name of Saranda is probably derived from the Agioi Saranta, a nearby orthodox monastery, of which little remains.
The Turks built the current Lëkurësi Castle in 1537, on a nearby mountain in order to control the straits of Corfu. A small, unimportant, village was formed in the walls of the castle. In the 19th century, the castle was taken by Ali Pasha, the cruel Turkish warlord of Epirus. Under his rule the hilltop village slowly emptied out and a sea facing settlement once again took shape.
During the Second Balkan War, the Greek villagers revolted and it became the capital of the independent state of Northern Epirus. They were quickly betrayed by Europe. In short Italy did not want the Greeks to control both sides of the strait of Corfu, so they invaded in 1916 and created their own protectorate in southern Albania before giving the nascent state to Albania. The Italians were not to be trusted as the Albanians quickly found out. The Italians returned again in 1939, toppling the Albanian ruler, King Zog. Albania was a strategic first step to creating Mussolini’s Mediterranean empire and the plan was to use Saranda as a staging point to invading Greece at the start of the Second World War. This stunning betrayal of the Albanian state was a shock. The Italians had previously enjoyed good relations with the Albanians and this military action was not well seen in the world press. Tensions simmered under the surface of the Italian occupation. It was recaptured by the Albanian partisan movement with the help of British commandos led by Tom Churchill in 1944. The British eventually withdrew and the area was to endure the hardships of communist rule. Many Greek families were resettled and replaced with Muslim Albanians and the orthodox church of Saint Spyridon was torn down. Greek units achieved considerable success in Saranda during the wild years of the Albanian Civil War.
Today, the town is calm and welcoming. Having left the tumultuousness of the 1990’s long behind.
Things to do in Saranda
Arrival and First Impression
I arrived in the city by ferry from Corfu. I was greeted at the harbour by a very friendly Albanian border officer. From the boat I could not believe the natural beauty of the waterfront. The waters are a deep blue and a well-maintained ocean promenade stretches across the shoreline. This boardwalk contains many of the best restaurants in the city. I recommend ordering a pizza here, although a generic choice, the Italian influence in Saranda is strong and the food is excellent. To change things up, put some fresh local seafood on your pizza or better yet order some fresh Adriatic fish. The food prices in Albania are reasonably cheap for westerners, as such you can afford to treat yourself.
When I stepped off the boat, I took out my map to find my hostel, The Hairy Lemon (Unfortunately, the hairy lemon is now closed 🙁 as of 2023). It is located nearby, west of from the port. On my way I encountered many a stray dogs and a vendor selling pastries. It is in Saranda that I tried my first Burek, a popular coil shaped pastry filled with meat, potatoes and cheese (for more info on Balkans food have a look at this article). One thing I noticed was the sheer number of unfinished building, these were not typical abandoned structures, they were newer high-rises. From what the locals tell me, many structures were put up without the required permits and others stopped construction when the Albanian government collapsed due to its investment in a housing Ponzi scheme. When I finally got to the building that housed the hostel, I realized that it was located up several flights of stairs. There was a power outage, so the lights were off and the elevator down. I walked up in the dark until I found the corresponding floor as well as the door to my hostel. Inside I was greeted by a charming host and rewarded with a great view of the Adriatic. At first, I was the only in hostel. The off seasons are pretty empty here and after my wild nights in Corfu this was very sedate. The power was soon back online and my adventure in Saranda would begin.
Downtown
Saranda has a small downtown. It is composed of the port, a central square called friendship park and the waterfront promenade. Other attractions are located in the hills surrounding the city.
The port is centered around the Ferry terminal and is located near the center of town. The terminal is small but it is clean, modern and convenient. Just outside the terminal you can find a rental car service, a tour company, many restaurants, hotels and even a beach. There is not much for the average tourist to do here but buses heading for Butrint (see day trips section) run from nearby Rruga Jonianet as well as a local farmers market.
The main square is a great place to grab some shade under its many palms. In a city with little green space this is a much-needed urban oasis. The park contains some gardens and a fenced off water feature. It is a meeting point for many of the locals. On the west side of the park you can find a small archaeological park with the foundations of the first synagogue as well as a Christian basilica. To the south is a small archaeological museum.
The seafront promenade, as mentioned earlier, contains the best restaurants and bars in the city. If drinking beer, I would recommend the Korca beer since the popular Bierra Tirana has a pretty bland taste. For more information of great Balkan brews click here. A great liquor to try is the Albanian Rakia, a homemade brandy made from fruit such as plum or pear that is typical in this part of the Balkans. A quick warning, the drink is potent and locals will expect you to hold it. The promenade is composed of stone walkways and old-time light features. For those tired of walking on stone consider walking on the beachfront, although don’t kick off your shoes, the beach here is rather rocky .
The Hills
The hills surrounding Saranda offer a commanding view of the straits of Corfu. In my opinion, hiking is the best activity to do while in the city. For your walk you have two choices: The first is to visit the Forty Saints Monastery and the second is to visit Lëkurësi Caslte. Both of these climbs will take you about 1 hour, they are located on twin peaks on the east side of the city. To access either take Rruga Skënderbeu east from the downtown and into the hills. There will be a branch east that will take you to the castle and a branch back west that will take you to the monastery.
The Forty Saints Monastery is a 6th century structure that now lies in ruin, having been struck by an aerial bombardment during the Second World War. It was dedicated to the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, a group of forty roman solders condemned to freeze to death for their Christian faith. Although not much is left of the monastery but a few walls and the occasional arch, you will have a great view.
The castle is the more popular of the two climbs. The first part of the climb is though a hilltop residential neighbourhood, with a junkyard, shoddy construction, stray dogs and many farm animals like backyard chicken. The people are nice though, did not feel at all uncomfortable. At the top you can find the lighthouse, an oddly placed taxi service as well as grazing land for the local cows. The castle itself has a renovated courtyard with a seasonal restaurant and a patio. From here the view of Corfu will blow you away. On a clear day you can see for many miles. On the other side of the hill you can see the green valleys of southern Epirus. The castle was built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1537 and has been virtually unchanged since then.
Daytrips
Saranda is a great base for daytrips to the outling areas. Here are a few must see places in Northern Epirus.
Ksamil:
This popular beach town is located just south of Saranda. It is known for its crystal blue waters and its islands. I usually don’t recommend individual beaches but this one is worth the trek.
Blue Eye
This cold freshwater spring is a natural oddity. The crystal water are not fed by natural spring water but by an unknown source deep into the karst chasm located just underneath the blue eye, hence Blue Eye is extremely deep. Warning, no buses run directly to the spring so you should rent a car or make friends with someone who is driving to get here.
Corfu
Take a short ferry to this beautiful Greek island and enjoy an authentic Greek experience. The ferry terminal is located in the Old Town of Corfu, an important fortified city in Venetian times. For more information read my post on Corfu here.
Burint
This ancient Adriatic colony city was an important roman settlement. Since then, it has languished and, as of today, has almost completely disappeared into the swampy lagoon that surrounds it. The ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are some of the most important in Albania and it was a big loss to the archaeological community when the site was closed off to the word during the years of communist rule. It has only been open again since the 1990’s and as such the site is almost undisturbed by mass tourism. For more information click here.
The Riviera
The Albanian Riviera, or Bregu, is an impressive coastal region south of Vlora and north of Saranda, although Saranda is sometimes included. It contains a mix of historic towns such as Dhërmi, Vuno, Himara and Borsh forts as well as beautiful beaches. This is one of the most scenic drives in the world, it is recommended that you rent a car if you wish to see it!
Leaving Saranda
My first night in the hostel I could hear the stray dogs howl, by my second I had more company in the hostel, at last, someone to grab a beer with.
After my last night in the city I woke up to a missing wallet. My roommate was gone to Athens Greece early in the morning and must have swiped it on the way. Luckily my passport had been put in the locker. I had a bus to catch to Gjirokaster and no money. Somehow I managed to get onto a furgon (Albanian van that serves as a bus) with the help of an American peace corps volunteer who took some of my emergency American Dollars for enough Lek (Albanian Currency) so that I could get onto the bus.I was stuck using currency exchange locations for the next month while waiting for a new bank card to be delivered and shipped to me from Canada. I would not have a card on me again until I made it to Bosnia.
Conclusion
Saranda, although not a must see by any means, is a great base to visit many must see places in Albania. Whether exploring hilltop Ottoman towns such as Gjirokaster, the scenic roadways of the Albanian Riviera or swampy Roman ruins such a Butrinth, Saranda will be waiting to pull you into its orbit. After all it is the de-facto center of southern Albania!
