Saranda or Sarandë is a small city in the south of Albania on the Albanian Riviera. It is located on a horseshoe bay between mountains and the Ionean Sea. The city is also located opposite the Greek island Corfu. Saranda is named after an early Christian monastery and it has a population of 32 thousand people. The city has a Mediterranean climate with almost 300 sunny days per year.

Saranda was occupied by the Greek, Italians and Nazi Germans. It was occupied by the Italians in 1939, by the Greek in 1940 and by the Germans in 1941. The city center has communist architecture, but there are many shops and bars since the fall of communism. This gives the city a very nice Mediterranean feel. Tourists can relax at the Saranda Bay, the Butrint Lagoon and Pulbardha Beach.

Most attractions are outside the city center of Saranda. The impressive ruins of Butrint are definitely worth a visit, as well as the hypnotic Blue Eye Spring and lovely beaches at Ksamili village. Tourists can take the coastal road to Vlore or other Albanian cities. Just above the city there is the old castle of Lekures where you can get a panoramic view of the bay below, below, the inland mountains, the Lagoon and Corfu.

Travelers to Saranda need a valid passport. A visa is not necessary for short visits up to 90 days. You do need a return ticket to enter the country. As said Saranda has 300 sunny days a year.