Sarande is hemmed into the coast by tall hills, and atop one of these is an old structure that goes back to Albania’s early Ottoman times. Lekuresi Castle was once a citadel that enclosed an entire village, but today lies in semi-ruin. What remains are portions of the walls and a crumbling watchtower looking out over the bay. Most people will make the steep walk to admire panoramic views that reach all the way out to Corfu and the Greek border.

 This seaside village between Sarande and Dhermi has the longest beach on the Ionian Sea, at seven kilometres. Despite the paradisiacal landscape mass tourism hasn’t quite arrived at the village that makes the village a quiet and relaxing place. Immediately behind the beach is a small plain with olive groves, and a little further back in the hills are the ruins of mosques and castles to check out. The most popular castle is Ali Pasha Venetian fortress from the 1400s

Bora bora is located about 10km from Vlora in Albania. The beach has sandy and concrete parts. Bora Bora is family friendly, accessible for people with disabilities and supervised by lifeguards. Water activities such as windsurfing and pedal boats are available for visitors. Big loungers with parasols can be rented. Showers and toilets are available. Few restaurants and bars are placed around the beach if you’re looking for a drink and wi-fi.

South of Sarande, on the way to the village of Ksamil, the remote natural bay rated by visitors as the best on the entire Albanian Riviera.

the beach usually is quiet which leaves you relaxed in this natural setting, protected by cliffs and with shimmering turquoise waters that are calmed by the limestone outcrops that lie just offshore

 This village inside the Butrint National Park sits between the Ionian Sea and Lake Butrint. Ksamil is just a few minutes in the car south of Sarande, and it’s a good idea to set off early in the morning to spend the whole day here. The sea next to Ksamil is as calm as anywhere on the Riviera, and you can take a motor boat for a small adventure exploring the little islands found a few hundred metres of the coast. You could weigh anchor in a hidden cove and spend an afternoon sunbathing and swimming in perfect solitude.

 Syri Kalter, in Albanian, is a natural spring and a mesmerizing natural phenomenon in Sarande’s hilly hinterland. What enthralls people about Syri Kalter is the way the sunlight catches the spring on a clear day, creating a deep shade of blue that glistens like an eye. This effect is caused by oxygen bubbles rising up from the bottom of the spring, which is at least 50 meters beneath the surface but may be much deeper. The location is also gorgeous, with oak and sycamore trees around the water, and a wooden platform positioned directly above the “Eye”.