Sarandë Travel Guide|Albania Traveller

Sarandë

My guide to eating,partying,beaches,sightseeing and exploring Sarandë.

DiscoverSarandë

Sarandë is one of my favorite places to explore in Albania.Whether you're looking for beautiful beaches, traditional food, nightlife, incredible views or day trips, there is plenty to discover.

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🏖️ BEACHES

Beaches Around Sarandë

These are two beaches I visited outside the main center of Sarandë. They are very different from each other, so here's what you should know before going.

Mucobega Beach

Mucobega is a beach club,so you normally have to pay for chairs.However,there is a small public section where you can put your own towel.

Beach club with paid chairs
Small public section
There is also a small café nearby that isn't part of the beach club and has better prices
Around a 10-minute walk from the other beach
You can walk, drive, or look into taking a bus

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Praia Alvaro e Natalia

This is a public beach a little farther outside Sarandë. From downtown, it's around a 35-minute walk.

Public beach
Around 35 minutes walking from downtown
Once you reach the dirt road,look for the large metal pot and turn onto that street
Continue all the way down toward the beach
You'll usually see people and cars parked along the way
If you see cows and continue past them, you're going the wrong way

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☀️ Come prepared:There is no shade at the public beach,so bring an umbrella if you can and plenty of water.During the summer it can get extremely warm.

Our little expedition:We walked to the beaches and honestly,it felt a little like an expedition — but it was completely doable if you're ready for a walk!

🍽️ FOOD

Eating in Sarandë

Here are some of my favorite places to eat in Sarandë — from traditional Albanian food and local flavors to beautiful rooftop restaurants with a view. Whether you're looking for a casual meal or somewhere nice to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere,these are some of the places I recommend trying.

Julia Rooftop Lounge&Restaurant

A beautiful rooftop option if you're looking for a nicer meal with a view over Sarandë. The atmosphere is especially beautiful in the evening.

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Daklesa Tradition

A good option if you're looking for traditional Albanian food and local flavors.

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Restaurant Te Bequa

Another restaurant option to add to your Sarandë food list if you're looking for traditional and local-style food.

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📍 THINGS TO SEE

Sightseeing

Two places I'd recommend adding to your Sarandë itinerary are Lëkurësi Castle and the Blue Eye.They offer completely different experiences.

01 — CASTLE

Lëkurësi Castle

If you're in Sarandë, I highly recommend making the trip up to Lëkurësi Castle. The views are absolutely breathtaking, and it's one of those places that feels completely worth the trip.

You can hike up if you're up for it, or go by car. There is limited free parking. There isn't regular public transportation directly to the castle,so a taxi or tour bus may be the easiest option.

Sunset is beautiful,but this is also when the castle gets extremely busy.Traffic leaving the castle can become very heavy and you could potentially get stuck for1 to 1.5 hours.

If you mainly want photos,you don't necessarily need to stay until sunset. During peak summer, the castle can get very crowded.

There is a restaurant inside the castle and sometimes there is live music, which makes the experience even more special.

Tip: If you're driving,either leave immediately after sunset or wait until the crowds have disappeared before driving back down.

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02 — NATURAL WONDER

Blue Eye

The Blue Eye is a beautiful natural spring surrounded by greenery and incredibly clear blue water.The spring is more than50 metres deep.

Swimming is not allowed,although you can put your feet in at the shore.Please respect the rules and help protect this beautiful natural area.

From Sarandë,direct buses run multiple times a day and take around40–45 minutes.From Ksamil,you can take a bus to Sarandë and then another bus toward the Blue Eye.

If you're driving, it's around40 minutes from Sarandë.Parking is available,with prices mentioned around 200–300 lek.

From the parking area,there is a walk to the spring.The walk can take around 20–30 minutes.There is also a small tourist train,with prices mentioned around300 lek one way or 600 lek return.

You can also find e-scooters or fat bikes for rent.Going early or later in the day can help you avoid the biggest crowds and the hottest afternoon sun.

My tip:The Blue Eye is beautiful,but I personally didn't think the hype was quite as crazy as I expected. If you have time, it's worth seeing,but I would avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.

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🎉 NIGHTLIFE

Party in Sarandë

If you actually want to dance,Rock&Blues was my favorite.Dancing isn't always a huge part of nightlife in Albania, so I really liked that this place actually got busy and people were dancing.

Rock & Blues Saranda

This was my favorite club in Sarandë simply because it actually gets busy and people dance. For Albania, I thought it was a pretty good nightlife option.

Entry is usually around €10. Sometimes, if you're a woman,you may be able to get the entry price down.

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Orange Club Sarande

I didn't personally try Orange Club. I heard from other people that it wasn't very good,so I decided to stick with Rock&Blues instead.

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🚤 BOAT TOURS

Boat Tours in Sarandë

If you want to explore the coast from the water,booking a boat tour is really easy in Sarandë.Simply walk along the promenade near the main beach and you'll find lots of little kiosks selling different types of boat tours.

Morning Boat Tours

Most boat tours start early in the morning, making them a great option if you want to spend the day exploring the coastline and different beaches.

Sunset Boat Tours

There are also sunset tours if you'd rather be on the water later in the day.There are many different companies to choose from,so you can walk along the promenade and compare the different options before booking.

💡 My tip:Don't feel like you need to book your boat tour online in advance. Walk along the promenade near the main beach and you'll see plenty of kiosks offering different tours.Take a look at the different options and choose the one that works best for you.