Saranda (also Sarandë) ancient Onchesmos, is an attractively situated port and seaside town. The town is built back from the pleasant small beach, fringed with palm trees. On the far side of the bay is the harbor and the modern town above the port facilities, with an unattractive collection of blocks of flats. The town has been used by foreign visitors for many years. Day trips can be made by boat from Corfu.
Saranda has had several names in its long history. In ancient Greek it was called Anchises Harbour, in Roman times, Onchesmus, then Hagia Saranda, "Forty Saints": Saranda is Greek for Forty, a mystical number in both Islam and Christianity (40 days or years in the desert, and so on). So the Saints are either Sufis, or (less likely) the Forty Armenian Martyrs of the fourth century whose story is told at the bottom of this page. Later the Italian form Santi Quaranta became more commonly used.
It was an important base in World War I for the Italian navy between 1915 and 1918. In this pre-war period, Albanians called the town Pirro. The port was called Porto Edda after June 1939 under the Italian annexation, to honour Mussolini's daughter Edda. The population at the time was about 2000 people. The town of Saranda is only a few kilometres from Corfu across the straits, and the town has often been linked with the island in history.
Although originally developed by Greek colonists as the port for Phoinike, and mentioned by Strabo and Ptolemy. Saranda only really became a place of any importance in Roman times, as a stopping point on the sea route between Italy and Greece. Cicero, returning from the east, notes 'a favourable wind from Onchesmus'. It was occupied by Ostrogoth invaders in 551. Most of the remains from this period have disappeared, owing to changes in the sea level. It continued as a small port into Byzantine times, then followed the common pattern of decline of most Albanian coastal centres under the Ottoman occupation. Under Ali Pasha it became the port for the trade to Ioannina (Janina). Between the wars its principal export was dried mullet roe, to Italy. In the Second War Saranda was one of the few places in the Balkans to experience an assault by a British landing force, when in October 1944, 40th Royal Marine Commando captured the port to prevent the evacuation of the German garrison on Corfu.
Saranda is a pleasant place to stay for a day or two, with long hours of sunshine at all times of the year, very mild winters and shelter from strong winds thanks to the surrounding Eremece mountains.
The sunsets are particularly famous, when the island of Corfu seems to float on the surface of the Adriatic. There is a good swimming off the rocks 1 kilometre south of the town. It is also a good base to visit Butrint 15 kilometres south. There are interesting remains of the Roman period in the small town museum, among the shops above the front, which has been built around a mosaic which was discovered there. There are also some exhibits from ancient Phoinike displayed, principally a marble statue of a woman, and a bust of Artemis, dating from the 2nd century AD.
Holidays in Saranda
My best holiday was the journey to Saranda. In that city there is one of the most beautiful beaches in Albania.Spendin the time there was wonderfull.Saranda is a small city in teh southwest of Albania. Going there is an amazing aportunity to enjoy your holidays as much as you want. Firstly the way from my city to there, was very beautiful. I had seen the mountains and the forests on them. Was an awesome view. Everywhere trees. My eyes had been looking only green colour because that was the colour of that environment.It was very relaxing.When i was on the top of mountain I saw a miracle. A great view combinated of the blue skywith the sea. When I arrived at the city the first things that i saw were the luxurious hotels. A full view of a new modern citywith a virgin blue sea. I had been there for one week. I did many things such as scuba diving , sailing and i went to many ceremonies that were organized in that time. I had really enjoyed my holiday in Saranda. Was very beautiful there. The food was very delicious and the people very friendly and helpfull.
Even my city named Durres is visited every year more than SarandaI still prefer to go for holidays in Saranda.
