Being named the unofficial capital of the Albanian Riviera, Saranda is known for its bustling nightlife. After two years of restrictions and curfews due to the pandemic, nightlife in Saranda is now fully back to normal. No more closing times or restrictions on parties and music, so you can fully enjoy your night out in Saranda!
Here’s our list of the more popular picks for summer 2022, including some new venues that have really raised the standards in Saranda.
1. Jericho
Jericho is considered one of the best cocktail bars in town and is located right on the beachfront boulevard. The family owned business is popular among both locals and tourists and has a wide selection of cocktails but they can also create something based on your own taste. The bar is on a deck overlooking the promenade so you always have great views over the bay and you can absorb the vibe from the boulevard’s nightlife.
Open in summer only.
2. Hou Nalu
Hou Nalu is Hawaiian for “new waves” and this newly opened cocktail bar has indeed brought a new wave to town by raising the bar for cocktail venues in Saranda. The bar is located on the rooftop above restaurant Marini in Saranda and has an amazing view over the boulevard, but is quietly located away from the busy street.
Hou Nalu is truly distinguishing itself with a modern, tropical themed style and live DJs playing international electronic music. Expect no margaritas, mojitos or other standard cocktails on their menu but get ready to be inspired by their own original cocktail recipies.
Open in summer only.
3. The Place
Located in the busy neighborhood of Kodrra, The Place is a small neighborhood cafe bar with a mix of local and international clientele. The bar is open all day and the American owners serve anything from breakfast to lunch and dinner. They don’t have a large menu but they are always experimenting with new recipies to be able to serve a mix of international food options. The Place is popular among locals for a coffee or raki, but is also an absolute favorite among the expat community. At any time you could bump into some of the expats, so it’s a great place to meat new people, especially during one of their trivia game nights.
Open all year.
4. City Lounge
Demi Hotel has renovated their lounge bar to new standards and the newly opened City Lounge has since been a popular nightlife hangout. The bar is located on a raised deck overlooking the beach and offers a nice view at the lights of the Saranda coastline on the other side of the bay.
Open in summer only.
5. Tipsy Drinks & More
Tipsy Drinks & More is another new place in town. The cocktail bar is located on a viewing deck with amazing views over the promenade and marina. It’s also one of the first places that started to offer sushi to accompany your drinks, making it a fantastic place to hang out for a few hours.
Open in summer only.
6. The Tunnel Bar
The Tunnel Bar has only opened in June 2022 but is already a favorite among the expat community in Saranda. The bar is run by the same Australian owners who run the popular Wallaby Hostel, so they have a good taste of what the international community wants. The Tunnel Bar distringuishes itself by serving some international food and snacks that you can’t easily get elsewhere in town. They also organise events and other gatherings and broadcast sports events, so it’s a great place to meet new people.
Open all year.
7. Orange Lounge Club
Orange Lounge Club is a large beachfront venue with a great view over the water and the Saranda coastline. The club is always busy and popular among the somewhat younger crowds. There are seats and standing tables and they have a dance floor and a stage for occasional performances. Every evening they have live DJs pumping up the crowds.
Open all year.
8. Mango Beach
Mango Beach is an all-time favorite among locals and visitors as they always manage to get the crowds coming. It’s a great place at any time of the day as they have a large beach with sunbeds and umbrellas and an outdoor bar and restaurant overlooking the beach. There’s always music and in the evening they even have live DJs playing at the beach bar and the indoor club has always a line-up of national and sometimes even international DJs.
Open in summer only.
9. Ksamil
If you’re really in for the nightlife, why not spend an evening or even an entire day in Ksamil? The famous beach town is only 12 kilometers south of Saranda and has a surprisingly good nightlife.
During the day you could for example spend some time at Mulino Beach, one of the hottest new places that opened this year with a swimming pool, a pier to jump straight into the sea, a beach bar with a live DJ and they even have an eye-catching windmill!
Poda Beach Bar is famous for its ‘schuma parties’ (foam parties) which they organize a few times a week. They usually start in the afternoon and run until the early evening.
After finishing your dinner during the amazing sunset, you can head to Bianco Lounge, a lounge bar with three floors and live DJs in the middle of the Ksamil peninsula.
A final word of caution: Albania has an almost zero tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving. Also for your own safety, plan to get a taxi back or stay the night in Ksamil if you can’t convince anyone in your group to skip drinking for one night.
Ksamil only has a nightlife in summer.
Looking for more inspiration for a night out? Check our Nightlife page or search for bars, restaurants and cafes in our Food & Drinks directory.
1 Comment
8 types of lifestyle
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