SARANDA
The gateway to the southern Albania, is a small, situated on a beautiful horseshoe bay between a mountains and the Ionian Sea
Exploring Saranda!
The sea panorama, the variety of flora, favored by the soft climate and warm sea waters, make Saranda the preferred center for rest and recreation and an important tourist town. Honeymooners traditionally spend their holidays here. Saranda has an excellent climate, averaging 290 sunny days a year. In the summer temperatures rarely exceed 30 degrees during the day, while the sea breeze at night is quite refreshing. Saranda is an old town, first settled by the Illyrian tribe of Chaonians who named it Onchesmus. Cicero mentions it as convenient harbor with favorable winds. The bay on which town is build gives Saranda its charming look, that can be better appreciated if approached from the sea. Many mosaics found in the town confirm that the town must have seen some above average development around 2nd and 3rd century AD. The town is a good base for exploring the most beautiful part of the Albanian coast - a strip also known as the Albanian riviera. Tthe coastal road to Vlore is also wonderful. Near Saranda there are the ruins of the ancient city of Butrint and the Springs of "Blue Eye". You can also visit the museum city, Gjirokastra. It is about 1.5 hours by bus.
The city of Saranda, also known as the "southern seaport of Albania", enjoys a favorable position in front of the Greek island of Corfu. Saranda and the surrounding area make up one of Albania's most important tourist resources. The ancient city of Butrint lies south of Lake Butrint, about 18 km from Saranda. This is the most important archeological point of Albania, which since 1992 is on the UNESCO list. Other attractive objects are the points of cultural and historical heritage, such as the archaeological sites of Foinik (in Finiq), the castle of Lyceurs, (2 km south of Saranda), the ruins of the Monastery of 40 Saints, the Mesopotamian church, of the Blue Eye sources. From Saranda you can take a tour of the city with typical architecture of Gjirokastra, which is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2006. In Gjirokastra is Albania's largest castle. There you can visit the Weapons Museum, located in the fortress, the Ethnographic Museum, located in the home where the communist insurgent Enver Hoxha was born, as well as the new museum in the home of the well-known writer in Europe, Ismail Kadare.
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Saranda port information accompanied with city and port maps
Shore Excursions Saranda port, are offered & tailored in our own creative way,we present you the Albanian culture,culinary offer,national parks,UNESCO sites
Air Temperature:
Coldest month: January with 4°C
Warmest month: July with 31°C
Language:
Albanian
Currency:
The official currency used in Albania is Lek.
Daily Exchange rate please check here: http://www.xe.com/currency/all-albanian-lek
Cash dispensing machines are ubiquitous. Most hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa) and you can also pay with Euro or Dollar in them. Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, travel agencies, hotels, cheques can be cashed in banks. Just outside the port area you can easily find banks or exchange offices. (National Bank of Albania is just in front of Port Entrance). In Albania you can easily pay also in Euro or USD.
National Holidays:
January 1 and 2 – New Year’s Day
March 14 – Summer Day
March 22 – Nevruz Day
April 5th* – Catholic Easter
April 12th* – Orthodox Easter
May 1 – International Worker’s Day
July 17th** – Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
September 24th Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)
October 19 – Mother Teresa Beatification Day
November 28 – Flag and Independence Day
November 29* – Liberation Day
December 8 – National Youth Day
December 25 – Christmas Day
During the national holidays all public institutions are closed.
***Note: As of April 2015, the holidays on the above dates that are on weekends (Saturday, Sunday) are pushed as a day off on the Monday, but make sure to double check for this.
Accesses information:
Bus and coach: Parked on the pier 50 m from the cruise ship
Taxi Service: Available 50m from the ship at main port entrance (Taxi service is not equipped with taxi meters, a distance of 2-3 km taxi driver would cost 2-3 euro.
Post Service: 1000 m
Bank: 150 m
Souvenir shop: 250 m
Restaurants: 100 – 150 m
Coffee shops: 100 m
Distance from the center: 300 m, 3 minutes walking distance
Brief Description of Saranda port Accesses:
Cruising with the ship, you will enter into the well heard Bay of Saranda, being in mids of Corfu and the largest southern city of Albania. The captain is the one taking care of a smooth touchdown and you can enjoy the view of the Ionian Sea waters in this bay, deep blue below the vessel and the white-ish waves hitting the rocky shores. While anchoring you will notice the horseshoe shape of the harbor of Saranda and the walk to the center of the city is the exploration of a part of this horseshoe. As you enter the port and continue to the city, you will well understand why this area (the whole bay) was at most of times envied from most of the invaders of the Balkans; not just the bay, but also the hilly terrain around it create almost the perfect conditions for an important port as Saranda. The way to the center goes along the main promenade that is alongside the shore where Ionian Sea touches Saranda. The view is splendid with Corfu island in front of you, and with the bars, statues and the city on your left side. Along the walk you will certainly get that feel of a city of youth, with young energetic spirit as you walk to the center of the city. Don’t forget to think of the reason why Saranda is nicknamed as the City of Honeymooners.
Here are the harbor characteristics, water depths, entrance restrictions, tug and pilotage requirements, lift and crane availability, supplies and services to assist you in planning your next port of call at Port of Saranda
| General InformationPort Location: Sarande Port Name: Port of Sarande Port Authority: Sarande Port Authority Address: Port Office, Sarande Port, Sarande, Albania Phone: 355 85 25827 Fax: 355 85 25827 800 Number: Email: Web Site: Latitude: 39° 52′ 19″ N Longitude: 20° 0′ 20″ E UN/LOCODE: ALSAR Port Type: Pier, Jetty or Wharf Port Size: Small Anchorage Depth: 16 m – 21 m Cargo pier depth: 1.5 m – 6m Dry dock: N/A Harbor Size: Very small Harbor Type: Coastal Natural Railway size: N/A Max size: up to 500 feet in length Repairs: None Shelter: Fair |