SARANDE

"The gateway to Southern Albania"

... is a small town located between high mountains and the Ionian Sea.  
The name Sarande derives from an early Christian monastery dedicated two Santi Quaranta (Forty Saints).  
Located on the shores of the Ionian sea, in front of the Greek Island Corfu, Saranda is characterized by a Mediterranean climate and warm sea waters. Saranda is the gateway to southern Albania and is a town of about 33,000 inhabitants. It is beautifully situated in a horseshoe-shaped bay, surrounded by mountains and the Ionian Sea. The town lies opposite the Greek island of Corfu and warm ocean currents gives a very pleasant Mediterranean climate. Saranda has an average of 300 sunny days a year. Because of its beautiful location and its warm weather, the city is one of the most attractive on the Albanian Riviera. Saranda has such ancient times been the city where newlyweds have spent their honeymoon. Around the bay that forms the front of the town and along the seafront located hotels and restaurants. These offers both delicious food and accommodation, both at a very comfortable price.

Saranda can be reached by land or by sea. It is connected with Greece by three routes:

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1. To the nearby Greek island of  Corfu  (New Port). The daily ferryboats are at 10:30; 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (fewer out of season - check with the ticket office at the port). The 10:30 passage is a hydrofoil wooden takes about 45 minutes. The 4:30 p.m. is a car ferry. ( The local time at Corfu is one hour ahead of Albania.)

2. By the border of Qafe Bota with Igoumenitsa.

3. By the border of Kakavi with Ioannina ice Reached from other parts of Albania by two routes IMPORTANT: 

      i. From Vlore it FOLLOWS the Riviera or "Bregu" (a line of picturesque, gorgeous Mediterranean beaches and                      villages. Bregu is the summer hostel of the country Prime Minister and President) 

       ii. From Gjrokaster to Tepelene, Fier and Tirana. From Tirana to Saranda you can travel by the bus, taxi vans or taxies.

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The are two itineraries: Tirana-Durres-Fieri-Vlora-Dhermi-Saranda or Tirana-Durres-Fieri-Mallakastra-Tepelena-Gjirokastra-Saranda. If you travel through the Riviera (the first) you should pay more attention as the way is narrow. Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia follow this itinerary to reach Saranda: Strufe-Qafe Thana-Librazhd-Elbasani-Rrogozhina-Fier and so on. 

The tourists come here from

Greece, reach the border of Kakavi in ​​two ways: From Ioannina and Igoumenitsa. You can fly from Athens two Ioannina, and then the distance from Ioannina to Kakavi takes around 40 minutes by bus or taxi.

When you reach Kakavi, you follow this itinerary: Kakavi-Gjirokaster-Jergucat-Qafe - Muzines-Sarande. Though Qafe-Bota, the itinerary is Igoumenitsa-Qafe Bote-Sarande, but the roadway is narrower.The idea of ​​an airport in the village of Vrion is of great interest, pickup itself only 5 km far from Saranda. A facility is the urban service Offered nowdays.