2 Day Loaded Saranda Itinerary + Things to do
Saranda is a hotspot for tourists along the Albanian Riviera for its beaches, lively atmosphere, and transportation hub. In this guide I’ll tell you all the best things to do in Saranda plus outline a 2 day Saranda itinerary suitable for every type of traveller.
There are plenty of things to do in Saranda from beach hopping to learning about the local history. Typically travellers opt to stay in Saranda to visit the Blue Eye and for the nightlife, however in this guide I’ll help you explore activities outside the “norm.”
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Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
Get my 200+ recommendations all in one place for:
- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
Quick Albania Travel Guide:
**Find my recommended Albania itineraries linked in the section below**
Travel Insurance: ALWAYS purchase reliable travel insurance before your trip. This insurance is trusted by backpackers and adventure sport enthusiasts around the world. You can also use my link to receive 5% off SafetyWing policies. Here’s a blog post with more trustworthy travel insurance options you can compare.
Best Time to Visit: May to September.
Best Activities: Looking for the best tours and activities around Albania? See my Viator shop for my top recommendations.
Currency: Albanian LEK (aka ALL). This is a closed currency so you’ll need to wait until you’re in Albania to withdraw/exchange money. Make sure you exchange any leftover money before you leave the country too. Credins ATMs don’t have a service charge.
Transportation: to enter the country you’ll find 1 international airport in Tirana, 1 port in Saranda (daily ferry arrivals/departures to Corfu, Greece), and a bus line from Montenegro. Buses are very cheap here, but unreliable and taxis are pricey in comparison. Driving is chaotic and there are no trains within the country.
Phone: purchase a local SIM card from Vodafone – the plans are cheap and they include lots of data, however international minutes are typically not available. Vodafone storefronts can be found in bigger cities (Tirana, Saranda, Shkoder, etc).
Language: Albanian, however you can get by with English. Google translate is recommended for smaller cities/villages.
Safety: I found Albania to be very safe. I and my fellow travellers had no trouble with theft and I felt comfortable walking around as a solo female at night. People are generally very welcoming here, but always keep your wits about you – no matter where you travel.
Helpful Info: don’t drink the tap water or bring a purifying bottle like this one. Most hostels/guesthouses/hotels have laundry facilities.
Purchase my Albania map which is downloadable to google maps on your phone. It has 200+ pinned locations around the country – all available at your fingertips.
Packing Guide: here’s my ultimate packing guide/travel essentials.
Albania is one of the last “undiscovered” countries in Europe. Plan your trip while prices & tourism levels are low!
Helpful Albania Blog Posts
Albania Itineraries: 1 week south | 1 week north | 2 weeks whole country | 1 month for backpackers
- My Ultimate Albania Backpacker Guide
- 15+ Helpful Tips You Should Know BEFORE Travelling Albania
- 30+ Best Things to do in Albania: Excursions, Tours, and Destinations
- 17 Best Places in Albania
- Hiker’s Guide to the Albanian Alps
- Valbona to Theth Hiking Guide
- 10+ Albania hikes Worth Doing
- Lodging: best hostels for backpackers | luxury hotels
Things to do in Saranda.
How to get to Saranda
To get to Saranda you can either take a bus from elsewhere in Albania or take a ferry from Corfu, Greece.
The 30 minute ferry from Corfu is the most popular choice for getting to Saranda for those coming from Greece. You can book ferry tickets here.
If you’re coming from elsewhere in Albania almost all cities and towns have bus routes connecting to Saranda. The bus in Albania is typically only a few euros, but it can be unreliable. Google Maps routes have just started appearing online (as of 2024), but I’d recommend always checking with your local accommodation provider for accurate pickup times and locations to ensure the information you have is correct.
This is the location of the “bus station” in Saranda. Quotations as it’s not a station, but rather a bunch of buses on the street with signs for where they’re going. You will be dropped off here from regional bus routes and board here to leave Saranda.
Once you arrive in Saranda you can make use of this bus stop which goes to Butrint and Ksamil.
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Where to Stay in Saranda
There are oodles of places to stay in Saranda. Below are the options I’ve chosen based on price, location, or experience offered.
- Budget/Hostels: Saranda Backpackers has a lively atmosphere, close beach proximity, game nights and excursions, as well as a delicious breakfast – ensure you book this hostel in advance. The Wallaby Hostel also has a lively atmosphere, but the hostel itself isn’t as nice. If both these hostels are full, you can book at Hasta La Vista.
- Mid-range: Hotel Kanes and Hotel Real are both decently priced with a good location.
- Luxury: Hotel Butrinti is the ultimate luxury stay in Saranda. It has a seasonal pool, bar access, a spa, gym equipment, saunas, continental breakfast, etc. There’s also the Bouganville Bay Hotel which has a salt water infinity pool, excursion opportunities, and a private beach.
what to do in saranda and the local saranda bus.
What to do in Saranda
These are the best things to do in and around Saranda. If you’re short on time, this tour encompasses all the best things to do in Saranda in one seamless tour with transportation.
Popular Albania Tours
From Berat: 4×4 tour: Mount Tomorr & Sotira Waterfall | Bogove Waterfall & Osumi Canyon | Osumi Canyon Rafting
From Permet: Benja Hot Springs & Lengarica Canyon | Horseback Riding | River Rafting
From Tirana: Gamti Mountain & Bovilla Lake Hiking Tour | Bike Tour | Traditional Cooking Class | Zipline
From Tirana or Shkoder: Day trip to the Blue Eye of Theth & Grunas Waterfall | Shala River Day Trip
From Vlora: Boat tour to Haxhi Ali Cave & Sazan Island – Karaburun | Snorkelling
From Saranda/Ksamil: Paddle boarding the Islands | Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle – 1 Day | Day Trip to Gjirokaster | Catamaran to Korez & Kokomo Beach
UNIQUE: Multi-day hiking tour: Peaks of the Balkans
You can find more Albania tours I recommend here
Visit the Blue Eye of Saranda (Syri I Kalter)
The best – and most iconic – thing to do in Saranda is visit the Blue Eye. Although not in Saranda, the Blue Eye is best visited from this city. To get to the Blue Eye you can rent a scooter or hire a taxi for 50-60 euros and split the cost with other travellers (what I did), or use the Blue Eye Shuttle by KMG Tourism Group. This roundtrip shuttle runs multiple times/day. You can find timetables and more information on their Facebook page.
You can also take the public bus toward Gjirokaster. Upon boarding the bus tell the bus employees you’d like to go to the Blue Eye and they’ll stop the bus near the parking lot where you can walk the rest of the way.
What is the Blue Eye? The Blue Eye is the source of Bistricë; a 25km long river which empties into the Ionian Sea. No one knows how deep the Blue Eye actually is. The cold, blue water rising to the Earth’s surface still remains a mystery.
If you want to visit the Blue Eye along with Saranda’s other top attractions, this tour encompasses all the highlights.
Walk Through History in Butrint National Park
Another thing you can do in Saranda is visit Butrint – a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of ancient Albanian ruins. You can explore the walking path around the old buildings (what’s left of them) before wandering inside to check out the old artifacts and headless statues in the indoor museum.
To get to Butrint from Saranda you can use the public bus which departs here – just across the street from the main bus station.
Grab a Cocktail in Ksamil
Not far from Butrint you’ll find Ksamil which has beautiful, but loud beaches. Loud music, partying, and more “rambunctious” behaviour is prevalent here which is great for some and not-so-great for others.
The draw to Ksamil is the white sand beaches and sparkling blue water. Plus the absurd amount of beach bars and beachside restaurants. Ksamil is very pretty so it deserves a spot on your Saranda itinerary, however I’d plan to only spend half a day here.
While you’re in Ksamil you may want to try paddle boarding around the Ksamil islands.
Things to do in Saranda for travellers.
Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
Get my 200+ recommendations all in one place for:
- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
Discover the Hidden Beaches
If you’re looking for quieter, more secluded beaches than those that exist in Ksamil you can try Edon-Bina and Shpella a Pellumbave (Mirror Beach). These beaches can be accessed via the same bus route that connects Saranda and Ksamil making it a perfect addition to your Saranda itinerary.
Visit the Local Beaches
If you’re looking for something quick and easy to do in Saranda, Cocktail Dreams is a popular beach. Purchasing a drink here – which only costs about 2.5 euros – grants you free access to using their chairs.
Saranda itinerary plus Ksamil.
Experience Saranda’s Nightlife
Tirana and Saranda are the two best cities for clubbing and nightlife in Albania. The best nightclub to add to your Saranda itinerary is Orange. There are also a few bars scattered around the city that serve cheap bear and host karaoke nights.
Participate in Xhiro
Xhiro – aka an evening walk – is a beloved pastime in Albania by both tourists and locals alike. Once the sun sets and temperatures cool slightly, everyone emerges for an evening walk or to grab dinner out on the patios.
This is something you’ll find yourself doing in Saranda regardless if you plan to or not. An evening stroll along the waterfront is the perfect way to end each day.
Grab a $1 Ice Cream
I won’t lie, one of my favourite things about Albania is the dirt cheap ice cream. Half my diet in Albania may or may not have been the $1 ice cream cones.
Saranda has many ice cream shops and parlours so be sure to stop and grab a cone while you’re in Saranda.
Stroll the Hasan Tahsini Boulevard
The main strip in Saranda is full of shops and restaurants. It’s a great place to go for a walk or grab a bite to eat.
Hike up to the Castle of Saranda (Lekuresi Castle)
Lekuresi Castle is the perfect spot to add to your Saranda itinerary if you’re hoping to see an epic sunset. The top of the castle overlooks Saranda, the mountain range nearby, and Greece.
The trek up to the castle can be a bit boring as it just follows a road. If walking isn’t your thing you can also take a taxi, hitchhike, or trailblazer your own path up the front of the mountain. I wrote more about that in this post.
Come hungry as there’s an outdoor dining area overlooking the sea. This restaurant is on the fancier end of the spectrum so proper clothing and reservations are recommended. You can make a reservation here.
2 Day Saranda Itinerary
This is a loaded 2 day Saranda itinerary designed to help you make the most out of your trip. If you’re short for time, this tour incorporates all Saranda’s best attractions and transportation.
Day 1 in Saranda
To make sure you hit all the important places, the first thing I recommend doing in Saranda is visiting the Blue Eye. Try to go early in the day to beat the midday crowds.
Visiting the Blue Eye should only take about half the day, so when you return to Saranda I recommend grabbing lunch along Hasan Tahsini Boulevard before checking out the beaches within the city limits.
In the evening make your way to the Lekuresi Castle to watch sunset and enjoy a nice meal overlooking the sea.
Day 2 in Saranda
On day 2 you have lots to do in Saranda. After breakfast take the bus to Butrint National Park where you’ll spend around 1-2 hours exploring the ancient ruins and artifacts.
You’ll then take a bus to Ksamil where you’ll spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach or grabbing a beachside cocktail (or two). You can also opt to go paddle boarding to the nearby islands in Ksamil.
When you’re finished up in Ksamil you can explore Edon-Bina or Shpella a Pellumbave (Mirror Beach), however if you spend the majority of the day in Ksamil time may not allow this. The same bus route connecting Saranda-Ksamil leads to these beaches.
When you return to Saranda head out for an evening xhiro and grab a bite to eat. If you’d like to experience nightlife in Albania, this is the perfect time to go out. You can try Club Orange.
and that concludes my 2 day Saranda itinerary. Enjoy!
Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
Get my 200+ recommendations all in one place for:
- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
how to spend 2 days in saranda.
Happy adventuring!
Taylor ♡
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About the Author
HI, I’m Taylor – the voice behind The Holistic Backpacker.
After moving to Banff National Park in 2020 I became an outdoor adventure enthusiast and vowed to never stop exploring.
I now spend my days travelling the world, climbing mountains, and spending nights under the stars in the Canadian Rockies backcountry.
I created The Holistic Backpacker so I could share my adventures and help connect people like you with the same amazing experiences.
