Saranda, also called Sarandë, is a coastal town and popular holiday destination on the Albanian Riviera, known for its unspoiled character and clear blue waters. It is located in the most southern part of Albania, between the hills and the Ionian Sea.
Geography
Saranda is located in the south of Albania, near the Greek border. The city faces the Ionian Sea with the northern part of the Greek island of Corfu on the horizon.
The city is built on the slopes of the hills surrounding the Bay of Saranda, a scenery that resembles a theater with the bay as the stage. This is one of the things that makes Saranda so attractive and unique as you have an amazing view from almost anywhere in the city. Who doesn’t want to wake up with a beautiful sea view and watch the sunset from their balcony?
History
The name Saranda was derived from the Byzantine monastery of Agioi Saranda, which means “Forty Saints”. This name was later changed a few times under Ottoman and Italian occupancy but was later restored to its Albanian name Saranda when the country regained its independence.
During the Ottoman period until the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) Saranda mainly consisted of a harbor for commercial purposes. In the years following, the region has been occupied by Greece and Italy and under Mussolini’s influence the name was changed to Port Edda in honor of his daughter. Financed by Italy, extensive improvements were made to grow the harbor. By the end of World War II British troops took control and upon withdrawing they left the region to the Albanian communist forces and Albania regained its independence.
Nowadays Saranda has around 30,000 inhabitants which has more than doubled since the 1990s and the city has become an important tourist destination. With tourism being the main driver of the economy, other drivers are services, fishery, and construction.
Economy
Since the fall of communism tourism has started to grow and has seen a real boom in recent years and has become the most important economic driver in the entire Albanian Riviera. The services and construction industries have also significantly profited from this growth. Traditionally fishing and agriculture have been and still are important sources of income. Apart from its fish and seafood, the region is also famous for its olive groves, vineyards, tangerine plantations and wood harvesting.
Climate
Saranda has a very comfortable climate. Due to its Mediterranean location it has over 300 sunny days a year with temperatures rising to around 30 degrees in summer. Because of a constant refreshing breeze from the sea it never gets uncomfortably hot. Winters are rather mild with temperatures averaging around 14 degrees, and minimum temperatures under zero are very uncommon.
Time Zone
Saranda, as well as the rest of Albania, is on Central European Time (CET). Like in other European countries, Daylight Saving Time is observed, moving the time from UTC+1 to UTC+2 between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October.
Be aware that neighboring Greece is on Eastern European Time (EET) and therefore always one hour ahead of Albania. This is especially important to consider when planning to fly in or out via Corfu Airport.
Language
The official language in Saranda and the rest of Albania is Albanian, also called Shqip in the Albanian language. Shqip is also an official language in Kosovo and North Macedonia.
Albanian has several dialects that can be grouped into two major groups: Ghek and Tosk. In Saranda and the wider southern region, Tosk is the leading dialect.
If you want to learn some useful words and phrases in Albanian for your holiday, then check out this article. It is however a relatively difficult language to learn as it is one of the few independent languages in Europe that are not part of a language branch.
But don’t worry if you’re not up to the challenge of learning a new language. Most people who work in tourist businesses in Saranda speak sufficient conversational or even fluent English.
Religion
Albania has been a secular state since 1912 and has adopted freedom of religion. Under the hardship of the Communist regime, religion was even banned and many places of worship were unfortunately destroyed. In 1967, the Albanian government even declared the country the first Atheïst state in the world.
Nowadays, according to the 2023 census, 51 percent of the country’s population is Muslim, and 16 percent Christian, while 17 percent considers itself Atheïst or non-religious. The remaining 16 percent is undeclared.
Why You Should Visit Saranda
With around 30,000 inhabitants Saranda is the largest city in the south of Albania. With the influx of tourists in summer the number of people easily gets to over 100,000. Saranda is only a 30 minute ferry away from the popular Greek island Corfu and provides a strategic location from where to discover the Albanian Riviera. You can find gorgeous beaches, ancient heritage sites, like the UNESCO archeological site of Butrint, castles and picturesque villages against mountainous landscapes.
The city itself is very lively with lots to do. Beaches with crystal clear waters surround the town, you’ll see many people taking a stroll on the boulevard that stretches alongside the bay and there are plenty of restaurants with great Mediterranean and international food. Many of them have great views over the bay. Some of the bars and restaurants turn into clubs at night, providing the city with great nightlife.
Watch the video below to see for yourself what you can expect.
Not convinced yet? Then read these 12 Reasons To Visit Saranda.
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