Saranda is the unofficial capital of the Albanian Riviera, and come the summer months it seems like half Tirana relocates here to enjoy the busy beach and busier nightlife along its crowd-filled seaside promenade.
What was once a sleepy fishing village is now a thriving city, and while Saranda has lost much of its charm in the past two decades, it has retained much of its charisma. The town beaches are nothing special, but Saranda is a great base for exploring the beaches of the riviera if you have your own transport.
The town’s name comes from Ayii Saranda, an early monastery dedicated to 40 saints; its bombed remains (including some preserved frescos) are still high on the hill above the town. The town was called Porto Edda for a period in the 1940s, after Mussolini’s daughter.
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