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“Tourism holds a great promise in stimulating economic development and employment growth across this beautiful country…I wish Saranda and Albania’s coastal regions a wonderful tourism season,” says U.S. embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Henry Jardine

TIRANA, May 14 – A characteristic mussel and olive oil festival has opened the new tourist season in the southernmost Albanian town of Saranda, nicknamed as the pearl of Albanian Riviera.

The Butrint archeological park and its famous lake known for its quality mussels just outside Saranda, was also the host of a special concert marking Europe Day on May 9 when internationally renowned Albanian soprano Inva Mula performed at the ancient amphitheatre of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stefan Çipa, the Mayor of Saranda, is optimistic about this year’s prospects of Albania’s southernmost town, which has tourism as its top industry.

“’Your destination, Our Saranda’ will be this year’s tourist slogan. In Saranda you come as a visitor and leave as a guest,” he told reporters.

The outgoing Saranda mayor says he hopes the number of tourists visiting Saranda will increase by 20 percent this year.

“Last year we had some 500,000 visitors, mainly from Kosovo,” he says, adding that this season finds Saranda in improvedtourism infrastructure.

U.S. embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Henry Jardine, and USAID-Albania Country Representative Marcus Johnson also participated in the opening ceremony of the tourism season.

The Pearl of Albanian Riviera

Known as the pearl of Albanian Riviera, the southernmost Albanian district is a top destination in Albania during summer, offering tourists a combination of rocky and sandy beaches as well as cultural heritage attractions such as the Butrint UNESCO World Heritage site and the Blue Eye spring. Situated just next to the Greek island of Corfu with regular ferry lines, Saranda remains one of Albania’s top destinations despite the boom of uncontrolled constructions somehow spoiling the beauty of Albania’s southernmost coastal town.

“Saranda is a great location for summer travelers who want a good deal without having to compromise cleanliness or good food. Whether you want to relax on the beach and swim to one of the islands in Ksamil, visit ancient archaeological sites like Butrint, or perhaps just enjoy a nice meal or drink next to the glistening Ionian Sea, you will likely find yourself charmed by this unique location,” says a Saranda promotional website.

In 2013, Saranda, known for its beautiful pure Ionian waters, was named by the United States Price of Travel portal as the third cheapest beach destination in Europe.

“The town of Sarandë in the south is arguably the highlight of the Albanian Riviera, and part of its appeal is that it’s just across the channel from the (also modestly priced) Greek island of Corfu. Perhaps one day it will be competing for the mass market cheap holidaymaker, so it could be a good choice for those who like to go to those places first so they can complain about the development later,” says the portal.

Nicknamed as the pearl of Albania, the southern coastal town of Saranda is one of the top destinations in Albania known for coastal and archeological tourism, the latter represented by the Butrint park, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992.

Things to do

Butrint

A visit to the ancient UNESCO World Heritage site city of Butrint is another must when travelling in the vicinity of Saranda. Butrint is described as a microcosm of European history since it exhibits remains from major empires of the area, including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman ruins.

Interesting things to see in Butrint include the Greek amphitheatre (later remodeled by the Romans), the baptistery, the cathedral, the Lion’s Gate, and the museum which includes many interesting artifacts found in the area.

Butrint is one of several places in Albania which was kept off-limits to the general public during the Communist Era. The city was made into a tourist destination for foreigners to visit, but Albanian citizens were not allowed due to fears that they would try to escape by swimming the short distance to Greece.

The Blue Eye spring

This natural, deep spring embodies the clear, vibrant blue color which is seen in many of Albania’s water bodies. The way in which the water bubbles up to the surface helps create the illusion of an eye, with the dark-colored center as the pupil, and the surrounding blue water appearing as the iris. The spring is reported to be about 45 meters deep, but some say it goes even further.

Ksamil

In order to really enjoy swimming and sunbathing while in Sarandë, it is really necessary to spend at least a day in Ksamil. There are a few beaches from which it is even possible to swim to one of the nearby islands. Paddleboats are available for rent, or else you can pay a boat to take you to one of the islands which are a little further away. There are nearby restaurants which have freshly caught fish, and mussels from Lake Butrint.

Lekursi Castle

Built in the 16th century, Lekursi Castle is located on the top of a hill, overlooking Sarandë. There are excellent views of Corfu and the islands of Ksamil from the castle, and inside you’ll find a nice restaurant which is frequently visited by tourists. The castle was built because the vantage point was ideal for protecting the city from invaders who might have tried to come by boat.

Synagogue Complex

Located near to the City Hall in Saranda, these ruins show that there was a large wealthy Jewish community in Oncheasmos (ancient name for Saranda) during the 5th century AD. There was a community center and school in addition to religious activities. The floors have many different mosaics, including animals and also a menorah and other Jewish symbols, which prove that this was a synagogue. The buildings were destroyed either by an earthquake or by Slavic invasion. The synagogue had been converted into a basilica during the 6th century.

40 Saints Monastery

The 40 Saints Monastery refers to the same story where modern “Saranda” got its name from (Saranda means “40” in Greek). This monastery was built in the 6th century, then was modified over a period of several hundred years. It is comprised of two levels, but the upper one was destroyed in WWII. The monastery was built in honor of 40 Christian martyrs (Roman Soldiers) who were sent to their death in Siberia when they wouldn’t renounce their religion.

Ancient Town of Finiq

Visit Finiq by following the Sarande-Gjirokaster national road. Here you can see evidence of life from during the Bronze Ages, but also the remnants of a town which developed mostly during the 2nd century BC, but continued into the 5th and 6th centuries BC, with the greatest amount of development during the 2nd century BC.

Finiq was the most fortified town of the Illyrian tribe of the Chaonians. It had merchant connections with cities as far as Corinth and Syracuse, which was proved by coins found during excavations. The amphitheater of Phoenike was one of the biggest during its time.

Saint Nicholas Monastery

Located in Mesopotam, this monastery is on a small hill between two branches of the Bistrica River. There are several large white blocks at the base of the church which are pre-Christian. It also includes relief sculptures of mythical animals. There is a large, unique and complex church Destroyed and rebuilt many times, stages of building are visible. The Albanian government is currently undertaking restoration. The wall of the complex includes ruins which are older than the church itself, and also several towers.

Lukove

Lukove is a beautiful seaside village, with an old road that leads down the hillside to “Lukove beach.” During summertime it is a peaceful escape from the more crowded beaches of Saranda and Ksamil. The beach is characterized by course sand and smooth pebbles, and the water is an aquamarine color like you’d expect to see only in the tropics.

As with many coastal locations in Albania, one can see lots of abandoned cement bunkers, which were used as lookouts during the days of Albanian isolation. The village is very small and offers little in the way of amenities, but there is at least one decent-sized hotel to stay at. The hillsides of Lukove are full of olive and citrus trees that were planted by communist work parties.

Borsh

Located in the northern part of Sarande District, the beach at Borshi is known as “the Pearl of Southern Albania”. The territory changed hands several times throughout the years, being at one time a part of Ancient Epirus, another time part of the Roman Empire, and also was held by the Turks. At 5 km, Borshi has the longest beach in the Ionian Sea.

Himarë

Although technically located in the District of Vlorë, Himarë is not too far from the city of Sarandë and would make a nice day trip or else a nice place to stop if travelling up the coast. There are beautiful white sand beaches, and majestic mountains which slope down towards the sea. Himarë is bilingual, with many of the residents speaking an archaic dialect of Greek. (visitsaranda.com).