Saranda
Saranda is a bay town on Albania's Ionian coast, facing Corfu. The Ksamil beaches and the Butrint ruins sit a short drive south.
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Saranda is a bay town on the Ionian coast of southern Albania, across the water from the Greek island of Corfu. It works as a base for the beaches at Ksamil, a short drive south, and for Butrint, an ancient city with Greek, Roman and Byzantine layers that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The town has cafes, restaurants and ferry links to Corfu, so it suits travelers who want to eat out in the evenings and move between Albania and Greece. Summer is the season for swimming. Spring and autumn are cooler for walking the ruins at Butrint. Two to four days covers the town, a half day at Butrint and a beach day. Couples, families and travelers adding a sea stop to a longer Albania or Greece route are the usual fit.
Saranda in five
- Pick your base: town or KsamilSaranda has the restaurants, the port and the buses. Ksamil, to the south, has the beach coves and the small islands reached by boat. Most trips split two nights between them or choose one and day-trip the other.Where to stay in Saranda
- Book a half day for ButrintThe UNESCO site layers Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian ruins, so give it a morning and keep the beach for after. Check the site's own page for hours and tickets before you go.Butrint day trip
- Read the ferry timetable by seasonIonian Seaways' 2026 timetable changes by season, with a single Corfu sailing a day from January to early March. The ferry guide lists the summer last boats and when to stay a night.Corfu to Saranda ferry
- Rent your car in Albania, not CorfuThe operator warns that rental cars may not be carried across. Collect a car in Saranda or Tirana if you want to drive the south.
- Add the Blue Eye on the way to GjirokastraThe Blue Eye spring and the stone town of Gjirokastra fit one long day by road. Start early, or sleep in Gjirokastra and continue north to Berat.Gjirokastra
Need to know
- Airport
- None in town; Corfu (CFU) by ferry, Tirana (TIA) by road
- Getting there
- Ferry from Corfu; road from Gjirokastra, Vlora and Tirana
- Getting around
- Walkable waterfront; taxi, bus or car for Ksamil and Butrint
- Best base
- Saranda for choice, Ksamil for beaches
- Time needed
- 2–3 nights with Butrint and Ksamil
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy daysHigh12°Low9°Mild, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 191 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh13°Low10°Mild, wetFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 130 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, wet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh15°Low11°Cool seaMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 138 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool sea
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh17°Low13°Spring, greenAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, green
- MayClear10 rainy daysHigh21°Low17°Swim, quietMayClear
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Swim, quiet
- JuneClear4 rainy daysHigh26°Low21°Warm seaJuneClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 28 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh29°Low24°Hot, ferries fullJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 7 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, ferries full
- AugustClear3 rainy daysHigh29°Low24°Hottest, busyAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 36 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest, busy
- SeptemberClear10 rainy daysHigh26°Low21°Warm seaSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- OctoberRain10 rainy daysHigh21°Low18°Mild, fewer boatsOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 174 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fewer boats
- NovemberRain15 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh18°Low15°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 329 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Wet, quiet
- DecemberRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low11°Mild, wetDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 210 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, wet
Average daily high and low in Saranda, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Saranda
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
12
- Feels like
- 11°
- Humidity
- 94%
- Wind
- 10 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 100%
Saranda
09:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today19°12°100%Monday: Thunderstorms. High 19°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Tue16°11°98%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 16°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Wed17°9°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu18°10°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri17°10°6%Friday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Sat16°9°13%Saturday: Rain. High 16°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 13%.
- Sun12°11°20%Sunday: Rain. High 12°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 20%.
Updated 09:27 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 81.47 ALL
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
Day trips from Saranda, the full guide- Butrintshort drive south, half a dayGreek, Roman and Byzantine ruins on a wooded peninsula; pair it with Ksamil.Read the guide
- Gjirokastrainland by road, a full dayThe Stone City, with the Blue Eye spring on the way.Read the guide
- Corfuby ferry, a long day in seasonCorfu Town and its old fortresses, if the 2026 timetable allows a same-day return.Read the guide
Before you go to Saranda
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Rules for Saranda, checked
- Ionian Seaways 2026 timetable: hydrofoils 30–45 min, ferries 55–70 min; one sailing a day each way from 1 Jan to 6 Mar.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
- The same timetable page carries a notice that rental cars may not be carried from Corfu to Albania; check your rental contract.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
- UK FCDO: wildfires are a danger in Albania from April to October; causing one is a criminal offense.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
Saranda FAQ
How many days do you need in Saranda?
Two nights cover the waterfront, Butrint and a beach afternoon in Ksamil. Add a third night for Gjirokastra and the Blue Eye, which is a full day by road.
Is Saranda worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a south-coast base with Butrint, Gjirokastra and the Corfu ferry within reach. It is a resort town, so come for the setting and the day trips more than the old streets.
Should you stay in Saranda or Ksamil?
Saranda for restaurants, buses and the ferry port; Ksamil for beach coves and quiet mornings. Ksamil is closer to Butrint, but with fewer evening choices and heavy summer crowds.
Can you visit Saranda from Corfu in a day?
In season, yes: the 2026 timetable has later sailings from spring. From January to early March there is one sailing a day each way, so stay a night. The ferry guide lists seasons and last boats.
When is the best time to visit Saranda?
June and September give warm sea with fewer people than July and August, and spring and October suit Butrint and Gjirokastra. The Riviera question is answered in the where-to-stay guide.