Sarande (from 1939 to 1944 Porto Edda, in honor of Edda Ciano Mussolini, Sarandë in Albanian), is a coastal city in Albania in the south of the country, overlooking the Ionian Sea. The town is the capital of the Saranda District.

The town of Saranda takes its name from the monastery on a hill called “40 Saints”, from the greek “Αγιοι Σαράντα” – Aghii Saranda – (the next hill has got a restored castle and has now transformed into a hotel restaurant which offers a beautiful view of the gulf) and is one of the main tourist destinations on the coast of Albania.

Pictures of Sarande

Click on the thumbnail for a full screen visualization.

The southest province of the country, near to the border between Albania and Greece, opposite Corfu, is only 280 km from Tirana, but getting to Saranda takes about six hours, because of its roads in not so good condition. Saranda can be reached either along the sea or passing internal roads. Choosing the coastal road you can enjoy a beautiful landscape: unspoilt coastline and the beauty of the Llogara mountain and his slopes towards the sea with its crystal clear seawater, which recalls the coasts of Sardinia and the Amalfi Coast.

The promenade in Saranda is the pride of the city and all Albania. The almost tropical vegetation and Bouganvillee still in bloom in November are an amazing sight and the visitor who has seen the rest of Albania has the sensation of being in another state. On the other hand, education and communicability of population creates a feeling of tranquility that still does not exist elsewhere in the country.

Excursions in Sarande

The location of Saranda allows the visitor to spend pleasant days making trips to other famous tourist sites in Albania, like Butrinti, Gjirokaster, Syri i Kalter, or Corfu, Greece, 1 hour away by ferry.

Sources: wikipedia.org, www.adanet.com.al/marikaj