Sarandë, Coastal town in southern Albania
Sarandë is a coastal town in southern Albania that stretches along the bay of the Ionian Sea, with white buildings climbing the slopes and facing the water. The settlement sits opposite Corfu Island and has a busy harbor where ferries dock and small fishing boats moor between the modern jetties.
The settlement was known in antiquity as Onchesmus and served as a harbor connecting Epirus with Italy. In the 6th century the place received its current name from the Monastery of the Forty Saints, whose ruins still stand on the hill above the bay.
The name comes from the monastery of forty martyrs and lives on in this coastal settlement where locals prepare seafood in small restaurants along the harbor. Visitors experience here a mix of Albanian and Greek ways of life while walking the waterfront promenade and lanes that climb the slopes.
Ferry connections to Corfu depart several times daily and bring travelers to the Greek island in under an hour. Those wanting to explore the surroundings find access along the coastal road to nearby beaches and archaeological sites such as Butrint.
The remains of the monastery church from the 6th century stand on a hill east of the harbor and still show parts of mosaics and stone walls. Despite being close to the promenade, few travelers visit these ruins even though they offer a wide view over the bay.
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