Nautical flag etiquette goes that, as well as your ensign flag, it’s respectful to fly the flag of the country whose waters you are entering. After boarding the ferry in the port of Corfu Old Town, I’d not long settled into a sun-warmed seat on the Ionian Sun’s breezy top deck before the silhouetted double-headed eagle flag of Albania was hoisted. The distinctive red and black emblem fluttered as a sprawl of apartment blocks hugging the horseshoe-shaped bay of Sarande ahead came into sharper focus.
“Welcome to Albania, where the local time is 9am,” the onboard announcement rang out over the rumble of the ferry’s engine. We’d been on the water for just over an hour (there are also fast ferries that make the crossing in 30 minutes) but the time on the clock had barely changed, having gained an hour as we travelled back in time. It was as if crossing the two nautical miles of Ionian Sea to Sarande, on Albania’s southeastern coast, never happened.
After several days of acclimatising to the relaxed Corfu lifestyle, arriving in a new country with minimal effort was mildly disorienting. The searing blue skies and intense summer heat were unchanged, but the atmosphere felt different. That morning, I’d eaten peaks of honey-drizzled Greek yogurt. Later, I tried traditional savoury, filled Albanian byrek pastries.
Corfu’s proximity to its Balkan neighbour makes a day trip easy. It’s also a tantalising “try before you buy” experience in a country that’s emerging as a new holiday hotspot.
Last year, Albania was ranked fourth globally for the largest percentage increase in international tourist arrivals, according to UN Tourism data.
However, I wasn’t quite ready to commit to a holiday. Sampling it from my base in Corfu offered a convenient toe-dip into the water.
A bonus is that the cost of living in Sarande is generally lower than in Corfu, with a meal for two in a mid-range restaurant costing around €10 less, and everything from a coffee or a beer to bus travel generally cheaper.
The ferry gangplank clunked onto Sarande’s dockside, opening a short window to explore. I headed straight for the ancient ruins at Butrint’s Unesco World Heritage site. A 30-minute bus ride south of Sarande and just a few kilometres east from Kalami bay on Corfu, the archaeological site’s history spans a 2,500-year period that includes a Greek colony, Roman city, Byzantine bishopric and Ottoman fortress.
The well-preserved Roman Buthrotum amphitheatre and Venetian towers are highlights, but perhaps most impressive is the way in which the ancient ruins sit within the natural landscape of this national park. The Butrint wetlands include oak forest, Mediterranean maquis, a saltwater lagoon, rocky coast and fields that are form the most diverse landscape in Albania.
Sarande, by contrast, is billed as the modern capital of Albanian’s Riviera, which runs along the Ionian coast from Butrint up to Dafina Bay near Vlore, where Albania’s coast turns into the Adriatic.
However, my first impression was of gaudiness, not glamour. EDM thumped from themed beach bars promising neon cocktails. A row of garish pirate ships lured partygoers onboard for boozy cruises.
Ambling along the wide promenade brought a cartoon chase scene to mind, where a character runs haplessly along a repetitive backdrop. Hotel, restaurant, bar, souvenir shop, hotel, restaurant, bar, souvenir shop.
However, some broke the mould. Limani spilled along the harbour and was a welcoming people-watching pitstop. When I complimented the waiter on the quality of my coffee, he was keen to elaborate on its local roastery origins and voice his preference for espresso. His fluent English filled the gap of my broken Albanian. Second languages in this area tend to be Greek or Italian.
I found warm, family-run hospitality and cold Korça beer at Krahu I Shqiponjes (which translates as Eagle’s Wing). La Petite offered tree-canopied shade by the shore, good humour, and smiles as generous as its meal portions. However, cash is king here, with card payment often refused. Plan to take a day’s supply of Albanian lek or euros or withdraw cash from a cash machine.
The natural environment was more memorable. The Albanian side of the Ionian Sea mirrors its Greek neighbour – clear, shallow, and impossibly aquamarine. Sarande’s beaches are pristine slivers of white pebbles and pop with life. Grandparents spoil children with ice creams, friends share picnics while men smoke. An inflatable obstacle course bobbed metres from the shore.
High above the water is Lekursi Castle, built in 1537 by the Ottoman emperor Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The 45-minute hike up is steep but worth it. I relished a cold drink on the castle’s restaurant terrace, taking in the view of the bay and Corfu beyond.
From here, it was clear that Sarande’s high-rise garishness is mostly confined to the waterfront. While it might not be possible to explore much beyond the city in a day, you can still plan to see a few highlights.
As well as Butrint and Lekursi Castle, there’s the Blue Eye, a mysterious 50m deep spring of bubbling turquoise water near the village of Muzine, about 40 minutes’ drive up into the hills from Sarande. Close to Butrint, Ksamil’s pale powdery beach is a lovely place to sink your toes into the sand, though its beach bars are pricier than on quieter strands. An hour’s drive north of Sarande, mountainous Gjirokaster’s Ottoman-era houses, museums, Cold War tunnels, and bazaar are a fascinating diversion.
My Albanian day trip skimmed the surface. It gave a fleeting glimpse of the lifestyle and culture. The warmth of the people I met and the prospect of unlocking more of its history and geography might well draw me back for more.
Greece’s blue and white flag billowed in the breeze on the return ferry crossing that evening. I changed my watch again to Corfu time. That extra hour was lost on the Ionian Sea, but my Albanian curiosity was sated, for now.
How to get there
Finikas Line and Ionian Seaways operate multiple daily sailings between Corfu’s Old Town Port and Saranda, Albania. Single fares from €18 (£15).
Where to visit
Entry to Butrint National Park costs €10.
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