Saranda one of most charming towns  of the Albanian Riviera , and during 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 a part Pllaka beach passing the small port , but Saranda is a great base for exploring the beaches around such as Pulebardhat , Pasqyrat , Manastiri beaches ect., or going to Ksamilbeaches and Butrint Unesco World Heritage Site  if you have your own transport or also take a taxi and why not use the public 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. But also the small castle of Lekursi that offer a spectacular view and a good restaurant or the monastery of Saint George very well conserved and restored . The town was called Porto Edda for a period in the 1940s during WWII, after Mussolini’s daughter. Saranda is well connected with cruisers that come from all over the world and Corfu (the Greek town in front of Saranda) , during summer is mostly full of tourists from Nordic or Eastern Europe countries for its climate , food and beauty .