--- title: "Sarande Cruise Port" url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/eastern-mediterranean/sarande description: "Albania's Ionian Riviera surprise" --- # Sarande 🇦🇱 · Albania · Eastern Mediterranean > "Albania's Ionian Riviera surprise" ## At a Glance - **Avg. Ships/Day:** 1 - **Avg. Time in Port:** 8.1h - **Visiting Sailings:** 13 - **Cruise Lines:** 2 ## Peak Season Busiest months: May (5 sailings), Mar (3 sailings), Apr (3 sailings) ## About Sarande Sarandë faces the island of Corfu across a narrow channel on Albania's Ionian coast. The waterfront promenade is the centre of town, lined with cafés, seafood restaurants, and a few hotels. The ruins of a 6th-century synagogue sit near the harbour. The town is small and easily covered on foot. Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site about 18 kilometres south, is the main excursion. The ruins span Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian periods and sit on a wooded peninsula beside a coastal lagoon. The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), a deep karst spring about 25 kilometres inland, has water so clear it looks artificially blue. Ksamil, a short drive south, has small beaches with views to the Greek islands. Albanian food to try: tavë kosi, a baked lamb and yogurt casserole, and grilled fish with local olive oil. The Albanian lek is the currency, but euros are accepted in most tourist spots. ## Quick Facts - **Currency:** ALL (Albanian Lek) - **Language:** Albanian - **Timezone:** Europe/Tirane (UTC+1) ## Location Coordinates: 39.8661, 20.0042 - [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Sarande/@39.8661,20.0042,13z) - [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Sarande&ll=39.8661,20.0042&z=13) ## Things to Do in Sarande Top-rated shore excursions that fit a typical ~8h port call. Prices are starting prices per person. | Tour | Rating | Duration | Fits Port Day | From | Provider | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Sarandë: Small-Group Boat Tour on Speedboat Swim & Snorkel Stops](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/d0d0e1c3-69fd-421a-985c-f84ad69d6da4.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (235) | 5h | ✓ | €36 | Viator | | [Blue Eye Experience & Lekursi Castle Sunset from Sarand or Ksamil](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/9ee4868e-34bc-4eaa-9d40-f7f6a19c3424.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (70) | 3h 40m | ✓ | €24 | Viator | | [Kayak Sup Tours Lukova Caves - Kroreza](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/d2e190df-7643-4102-8b3b-d9308c709d58.md?via=markdown) | 4.8★ (53) | 4h | ✓ | €35 | Viator | | [Half-day Tour in South Albania (Blue Eye, Lekursi Castle, Ksamil)](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/9d16f05c-c3c7-4efc-9271-371d856367b4.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (25) | 4h | ✓ | €99 | Viator | | [Porto Palermo Kayak and Sup Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/28980c36-d1ac-41bb-9593-1015e4e2ea7a.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (27) | 3h | ✓ | €35 | Viator | | [Tour to Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle from Saranda(Sunset Option)](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/e4945b02-58cc-41ea-accf-3aefe09a8d7b.md?via=markdown) | 4.8★ (28) | 4h | ✓ | €24 | Viator | | [Lina Boat Trips Coastal Adventure in Saranda with Snorkeling](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/d41e4ada-17ec-4630-8680-be7d262bfafd.md?via=markdown) | 4.8★ (37) | 5h | ✓ | €28 | Viator | | [Blue Eye Motorbike Tour / Pillion Ride](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/0c2a8acf-f8eb-41c1-b219-e02fb67ac862.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (16) | 4h | ✓ | €79 | Viator | | [Butrint a UNESCO World Heritage Site,Lekursi Castle,Ksamil Beach](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/d672bf82-40bc-4c27-898c-ec5c557dfaa3.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (16) | 4h | ✓ | €44 | Viator | | [Hidden Stories of Saranda Communism](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/20f6043a-d64a-43a3-b096-e2a5a027b7d0.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (16) | 4h | ✓ | €35 | Viator | | [Butrint – 3,000 Years of History Between the Lagoon and the Sea](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/1ef356c1-6dae-4307-8390-87d4b3b74961.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (14) | 3h | ✓ | €35 | Viator | | [Special Tour "Wine Tasting - Blue Eye and Lekursi Castle"](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/19dbbf7b-1a8f-4c38-a267-83008e29a75e.md?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (21) | 5h | ✓ | €41 | Viator | Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. ## Nearby Ports - [Corfu](https://cruisello.com/destinations/eastern-mediterranean/corfu.md): 15 nm - [Kefalonia](https://cruisello.com/destinations/eastern-mediterranean/kefalonia.md): 104 nm - [Brindisi](https://cruisello.com/destinations/eastern-mediterranean/brindisi.md): 105 nm ## Cruise Lines Serving This Port - [Holland America Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line.md) - [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) ## Cheapest Available Sailing **[View this cruise →](https://cruisello.com/cruises/adriatic-threshold-athens-dubrovnik-rome~PCL-CB-20280320-10.md)** - **Price:** €1,362 per person (€2,723 total for 2 guests) - **Cruise Line:** [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - **Ship:** [Caribbean Princess](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises/caribbean-princess.md) - **Duration:** 10 nights - **Departure:** 2028-03-20 - **Itinerary:** Adriatic Threshold – Athens, Dubrovnik & Rome ## Featured Cruises from Sarande Prices are per person, two sharing, in the fare's own currency. | Cruise | Ship | Line | Departure | Nights | Price | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Ancient Tides – Istanbul, Dubrovnik & Rome](https://cruisello.com/cruises/ancient-tides-istanbul-dubrovnik-rome~HAL-OOSTERDAM-20270504-21.md) | Oosterdam | Holland America Line | 2027-05-04 | 21 | €3,899 | ## Browse Cruises - [All cruises visiting Sarande](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md?stopoverPorts=sarande) (13 sailings) ## Browse - [Eastern Mediterranean cruises](https://cruisello.com/destinations/eastern-mediterranean.md) - [All Destinations](https://cruisello.com/destinations.md) - [All Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md)