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Saranda

Just a few pictures of Saranda, which was a disappointment having heard so much about it. We arrived on 1 September and everyone appeared to have gone home with very few people about and a lot of places nearly empty or closed.

Like much of Albania there seemed to be a lot of uncontrolled building going on. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the whole of the hillside around the bay is covered.

The beach wasn't nearly as nice as those we visited last year south of Vlora, though the beach at Ksamili to the south was very pleasant and we saw plenty of other more secluded beaches to the north of Saranda along the coast road that looked good too. Didn't have time to stop though.





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Comments

Anonymous said…
thank you for the pcitures! My dear hometown, I miss you so much!
8:28 pm
Anonymous said…
"which was a disappointment having heard so much about it"

Saranda has a different emotional meaning and historical/social context for Albanians, as any other city in Albania.

To me it is just paradise!
8:32 pm
An Albanian in NoVA said…
Two years ago, I spent my beach vacation in Saranda. Last year I spent it in Vlora and only got to spend one night in Saranda. I thought that Saranda was 100 times better than Vlora. The city is smaller and has a perfect vacation atmosphere, especially in the evening. The beach in Saranda is better than any other city beach in Albania, although the real beaches are outside the city, either to the south (Ksamil, Pasqyrat etc.) or to the north (Kakome etc.)

But seeing as you went there after the tourism season so to speak, I can see why you didn't like it that much. Saranda is one of those places that only "exists" during the Summer months.
11:16 pm
The PC said…
those secluded beaches are THE reason to go to the south. I'm sorry you missed them.
1:06 am
Erisel said…
Nice! But Vlora is the BEST!
9:07 am
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