18 Things to Do in Saranda, Albania (From Someone Who Lived There)

1. Visit the best Saranda beaches

As Saranda is a beach city there are plenty of beaches to check out.

One of the most popular is the centre beaches because they are convenient but if you want more beautiful then you need to visit the beaches on either side of the city.

One of my favourites is the beaches in the Kodrra area of the city.

On the other side of the city, the beaches near Mango and Santa Quaranta are very nice too.

2. Take a trip to Ksamil

Following on with the theme of beaches, one notable seaside town you must visit if you’re staying in Saranda is Ksamil.

Ksamil gets very busy in July and August, because it’s one of the most famous beach spots in Albania.

The water in Ksamil is stunning and worth a trip.

From Saranda, you can drive, which takes around 20 minutes, or take the cheap local bus from the centre.

The bus takes around 30 to 40 minutes depending on how full it is.

You can check the bus timetable here.

3. Watch the sunset from Lëkurësi Castle

An absolute must-do is to watch the sunset from Lëkurësi castle which overlooks the city.

The sunsets in Saranda are a definite thing to do because they are always so beautiful.

At the castle, they also have a restaurant there where you can have a glass of wine or a full meal.

Note that the restaurant only opens in summer.

4. Take a visit to Butrint

A visit to Saranda wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Butrint, a UNESCO protected ancient city.

People have lived at Butrint since prehistoric times, and you can see Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian ruins all in one place.

The ancient city is quite large so I would recommend taking at least a couple of hours to see everything.

You can bring a packed lunch and make sure you bring water.

If you are visiting in the summertime, I would recommend going early as it can get hot and the crowds can get big!

5. Enjoy wine and a view from Kristiano wine bar

Perched on the hill, near the monastery of the 40 saints is one of Saranda’s best-kept secrets, a wine bar!

From here you can get a magnificent view of the city all whilst enjoying an Albanian white or red wine.

The building is stunning as well so if you get the chance to peek inside, do so!

6. Walk the boulevard in the evening

The boulevard is the main deal when it comes to Saranda.

In the summer, it is buzzing with people as well as entertainers, food and souvenir stalls.

The most popular time to walk down the boulevard is when the locals go for their ‘Xhiro’ (walk) at sunset.

This is a tradition in Albania.

Back in the day, it was how everyone in the neighbourhoods saw each other and had their daily catch ups!

7. Visit St George’s Monastery

Even if you’re not religious this is a fantastic historic monastery which overlooks monastery beach and Saranda in the distance.

You can get here by taking the bus to Ksamil and telling the bus driver you want to go to monastery beach (it’s about halfway to Ksamil from Saranda).

8. Check out the cliff monastery

This is one of the best things to do near Saranda that not many people know about.

Located within the hill, just outside Saranda, is a cliff monastery.

St Mary’s monastery is located in the small village of Kostar is set within the cliff and holds a magnificent view of the surroundings.

9. Check out the underwater life

The underwater life in Saranda is quite magnificent if you know the right places.

From corals to beautiful, bizarre sea creatures and even shipwrecks, if you want to discover underwater life opt to do a tour or diving course with the likes of Saranda Diving centre.

Or if you would like to discover it on your own, go to Monastery or mirror beach and swim towards the rocks.

Just be careful of jet skis and boats if you go past the barriers.

10. Take a visit to the monastery of the 40 saints

This is one of my favourite spots in Saranda because of the view and how empty it usually is.

The monastery of the 40 saints sits on the opposite hill to Lëkurësi Castle.

This is another marvellous sunset spot!

The monastery grounds are open all the time but if you want to go inside it’s only open on visiting hours.

11. Eat pizza at Maria Magdalena

Albania does amazing Italian food if you didn’t know already!

Maria Magdalena is an Italian pizza place which is not far from the port.

They also do pasta, but I do recommend trying the pizza because it’s super delicious!

12. Take a dip in Blue Eye

The Blue Eye is a natural spring about a 30-minute drive from Saranda.

The blue eye is a natural spring which has some of the clearest waters you may have ever seen.

Divers have been able to go down to 50 meters before needing to come up because of the extreme pressure so no one can confirm how deep the spring is.

You’re not allowed to swim in the spring itself, and the rules change from year to year, so check the signs, and be warned, the water is freezing!

It stays at around 10 degrees all year, even in summer.

13. Visit Mirror Beach

Mirror beach is another must-do if you come to Saranda.

It’s one of the most beautiful beaches.

You can reach it by taking the bus to Ksamil, it’s about halfway and not far from monastery beach which I have mentioned above.

You will need to walk or drive down to the beach but beware the road is not in good condition and is quite steep with potholes in some places.

Once you reach the beach you will see it was all worth it!

14. Take a day trip to Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër is a UNESCO city about an hour drive away from Saranda.

It’s well known for its stone houses and unique architecture.

This city is a top destination in Albania if you love culture, history and architecture.

Gjirokastër also has one of the best castles within Albania.

You could easily spend a couple of hours exploring the castle alone and learning more about the fascinating history of Gjirokastër.

If you don’t want to drive, this Gjirokastër and Blue Eye day trip from Saranda is a great option. Check availability →

15. Ancient ruins in the centre

Within the Saranda centre are some ruins of an old synagogue.

These days it’s been cordoned off, and to be honest there’s not much to see.

But if you walk past it be sure to take a quick look.

It’s a good example of how a new city is intertwined with an ancient past.

You will find lots of examples of this around Albania.

Within the last 10 years, there have been lots of discoveries of ancient ruins throughout the country so it’s an exciting time in terms of archaeology for Albania!

16. Have a coffee from view cafe

Just as the name says, this cafe has a view and a very good one at that!

I would say this is one of the best views from a cafe I have seen.

You can find this cafe on the 5th road (known as Rruga Gjergj Araniti on google maps).

17. Eat seafood at Fishland

One of the best things to do in Saranda is to try the seafood.

They have fresh, world-class seafood!

Fishland is located by the fishing port (not the port in the centre, there are two so don’t get confused!).

The port is around a 20-minute walk out of the centre.

Because the restaurant is situated right by the fishing port you can expect fresh seafood that has come straight off the boats!

It’s also very affordable and a nice view too.

18. Have a drink at City Lounge

One of the most popular lounge bars is City Lounge.

It’s located not far from Orange (which is a bar/nightclub).

Be sure to have a drink and enjoy the lounge which is right on the water and situated outside.

They have good cocktails and good music!

I hope you enjoyed the best things to do in Saranda from someone who’s lived there, and if you’re still getting there, here’s how to get from Tirana to Saranda.

There is plenty more to do in the city!

If you’re planning more of your trip, here’s my honest answer on whether Albania is safe and my Tirana guide.