The 8 Best Small Towns and Villages Near Saranda for a Riviera Escape
From a UNESCO stone city in the mountains to turquoise island coves, these are the towns and villages worth leaving Saranda for, ranked and explained by what actually makes each one special.
Last updated June 22, 2026
Charming view of Berat, Albania showcasing traditional architecture alongside the Osum River and scenic mountains. · Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie
Saranda is the lively front door to southern Albania, but the region's real character lives in the towns and villages just beyond it: whitewashed beach hamlets clinging to the Ionian coast, an Ottoman stone city in the mountains, and quiet stone villages where grandmothers still sell figs by the roadside. Most are reachable in under two hours, many in well under one, which makes Saranda an ideal base for day-tripping.
This list is ordered to help you choose fast. If you want beaches and photos, start at the top of the coast picks; if you want history and atmosphere, Gjirokaster is unmissable. Each entry tells you what makes the place worth the drive, the specific things to see and eat, and how to get there from Saranda by car, bus (the local furgon minibus), or organized tour.
A rental car gives you the most freedom along the SH8 coastal road, but the furgons from Saranda's bus area are cheap and frequent in summer, and small-group tours cover the big-ticket inland sights without the driving stress. Mix and match: a beach village one day, the mountains the next.
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1
KsamilAbout 17 km south of Saranda (30 minutes) Google
Ksamil is the postcard of the Albanian Riviera, a small resort village wrapped around a cluster of tiny islets you can swim or wade out to from the shore. The water is improbably clear and shallow, shading from mint to deep turquoise, and the beaches are lined with loungers and beach bars that fill fast in July and August. Beyond the sand, the village sits right at the edge of Butrint National Park, so you can pair a morning swim with afternoon ruins. Come for sunset drinks looking out at the islands, or take a boat or kayak out to the quieter coves.
- Swimming out to the three Ksamil islets
- Fresh Butrint mussels at a waterside taverna
- Sunset over the Ionian from a beach bar
- Kayaking or SUP between the islands
Best for: beach days, families, and easy half-day trips
Getting there: Frequent furgon minibuses and the city bus from Saranda (about 30 minutes); a quick taxi or drive down the SH81.
2
GjirokasterAbout 1 hour northeast of Saranda Google
Known as the City of Stone, Gjirokaster is a UNESCO World Heritage town of slate-roofed Ottoman mansions tumbling down a steep hillside beneath a vast hilltop castle. The cobbled bazaar is the heart of it, full of carpet sellers, copper workshops and cafes, while the towering fortress holds a military museum, captured weapons and sweeping valley views. Step inside one of the fortified tower houses, like the Skenduli or Zekate House, to understand how the local merchant families lived. It is also the birthplace of writer Ismail Kadare and dictator Enver Hoxha, giving the town an extra layer of Albanian history. The mountain air and qifqi (rice balls) make it a welcome change from the coast.
- Gjirokaster Castle and its arms museum
- The Ottoman-era bazaar
- Zekate or Skenduli tower houses
- Qifqi, the local fried rice balls
Best for: history lovers and culture seekers
Getting there: About an hour by car via the SH99/SH4, or a small-group day tour from Saranda that usually pairs it with the Blue Eye spring.
3
HimareAbout 1 hour north of Saranda along the coast Google
Himare is the most appealing town on the upper Riviera, a relaxed seaside spot with a long waterfront promenade, a string of pebble beaches and a quiet old village climbing the hillside above. The lower town is where the tavernas and beach clubs are, while the atmospheric Old Himara (Kastro) rewards the uphill walk with stone houses, a hilltop church and big sea views. Use it as a base for the cluster of gorgeous beaches nearby, including Livadhi, Llamani and the cove at Gjipe. The drive up over the Llogara Pass area gives some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in Albania.
- The old hilltop village of Kastro
- Livadhi and Llamani beaches
- Seafood and Greek-influenced cooking in the harbor tavernas
- Day trip to nearby Gjipe Canyon and beach
Best for: a relaxed overnight and beach-hopping
Getting there: Roughly an hour by car or furgon north on the SH8 coastal road; the route is winding but scenic.
4
QeparoAbout 50 minutes north of Saranda Google
Qeparo is really two places: a small modern beach settlement on the water and, high above it, one of the most beautiful abandoned-feeling old villages on the Riviera. The upper village (Qeparo Fshat) is a maze of stone lanes, crumbling and restored houses, olive terraces and an old church, with terrace cafes that look straight down the coast. Down by the sea, the pebble beach is calm and far less crowded than Ksamil or Dhermi. It is the kind of place to wander slowly, photograph weathered doorways and eat lunch with a view.
- The historic upper village and its stone lanes
- Panoramic terrace cafes over the coast
- Quiet pebble beach below
- Centuries-old olive groves
Best for: photographers and travelers chasing quiet authenticity
Getting there: About 50 minutes by car north on the SH8; easiest with your own wheels, as buses drop you on the main road below the village.
5
DhermiAbout 1 hour 20 minutes north of Saranda Google
Dhermi pairs a striking white-stone old village on the mountainside with one of the longest, liveliest beaches on the Riviera below. The shoreline is a magnet for younger travelers and summer beach clubs, but walk or drive up into the old village and you find silent stone alleys, Byzantine-era churches and views across the Ionian. Nearby Drymades beach is mellower, and the Gjipe Canyon hike (sharing access with Himare) is one of the south's best half-day adventures. Time it for sunset, when the light hits the white houses and the water glows.
- Dhermi and Drymades beaches
- The historic white-stone old village
- Byzantine churches dotted around the hillside
- Hiking down into Gjipe Canyon
Best for: beach clubs by day, scenery and hiking
Getting there: Around 80 minutes by car or summer furgon north on the SH8 coastal road.
6
BorshAbout 45 minutes north of Saranda Google
Borsh has the longest beach on the Albanian Riviera, a sweeping arc of pebbles and clear water that, despite its scale, stays refreshingly uncommercial compared with the resorts to the south. Behind the shore sit vast olive groves, said to be among the oldest in the country, and the ruined Borsh Castle on a hill offers a quick climb and wide views. It is a good choice when Ksamil feels too busy and you just want space to spread out a towel. Simple beachfront tavernas serve grilled fish and the local olive oil.
- The expansive Borsh beach
- Hilltop Borsh Castle ruins
- Ancient olive groves and local olive oil
- A small waterfall near the village
Best for: uncrowded beach days and slow afternoons
Getting there: About 45 minutes by car north on the SH8; furgons heading toward Himare can drop you at the turnoff.
7
DelvineAbout 35 minutes northeast of Saranda Google
Delvine is an inland town most coastal visitors skip, which is exactly its appeal: a quiet, lived-in place with layered Ottoman and Venetian history and almost no tourist crowds. Above the town stand the remains of Delvine Castle, and the surrounding area hides old mosques, churches and the nearby ruins and monastery sites that hint at the region's long past. It makes an easy, low-key half-day from Saranda for travelers curious about everyday Albanian life away from the beaches. Stop for a coffee in the town center and watch the unhurried pace.
- Delvine Castle ruins above town
- Ottoman-era mosques and old quarters
- Nearby Mesopotam monastery
- Authentic, tourist-free town cafes
Best for: off-the-beaten-path explorers and history buffs
Getting there: About 35 minutes by car inland from Saranda; local furgons also run the route.
8
PermetAbout 2 hours northeast of Saranda Google
Worth the longer drive for travelers with a car, Permet is a tidy riverside town on the Vjosa, one of Europe's last wild rivers, framed by mountains and famous for its food and natural thermal springs. The town itself is calm and green, but the real draws are just outside: the Benje thermal pools beside an old Ottoman bridge, the Langarica Canyon, and trails into the Fir of Hotova national park. Permet is also Albania's capital of homemade fruit preserves (gliko) and strong raki. It is the best base in the south for hot springs, river swimming and mountain scenery.
- Benje thermal pools and the Ottoman bridge
- Langarica Canyon
- Local gliko fruit preserves and raki
- The wild Vjosa River
Best for: nature lovers, hot springs and a longer day out
Getting there: Roughly 2 hours by car via Gjirokaster; best done with your own vehicle or as a full-day excursion.
Good to Know
Getting around A rental car is the most flexible way to reach the coastal villages along the SH8 and the inland towns. Furgon minibuses from Saranda are cheap and run often in summer but thin out off-season; confirm return times before you set off.
When to go June and September offer warm sea, sunshine and fewer crowds than peak July-August, when Ksamil and Dhermi beaches and parking get very busy. Gjirokaster and Permet are pleasant even in shoulder season.
What to book ahead Self-driving needs no booking, but organized day tours to Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye and Butrint sell out in high summer, so reserve a day or two in advance.
Money The currency is the Albanian lek; carry cash for furgons, beach tavernas and small villages, as card acceptance is patchy outside larger establishments.
Driving Coastal roads are scenic but winding with steep drops and occasional potholes; drive slowly, especially the climb between Saranda, Borsh and Himare.
From island-fringed Ksamil to the stone lanes of Gjirokaster and the wild river pools of Permet, the small towns around Saranda pack an extraordinary range into a short radius. Pick two or three that match your mood, beach, history, or mountains, and build them into a few unhurried days. With Saranda as your base, southern Albania's best corners are never more than a scenic drive away.