There are a few places worth mentioning which get my recommendation if anyone is heading to the Albanian Riviera. First stop Saranda!

We stayed five nights at the Apartment Globus in Saranda.

This building features 13 apartments of various sizes, all of them very well equipped. The building is seven years old and offers all the modern conveniences. They also have free WiFi and air conditioning. Free parking is available and you cannot, and I repeat, cannot beat the view from the private balconies. Corfu (Greece) is a constant fixture in the daily panorama and it is stunning. They are steps away from the beach, however the better beaches are found in Ksamil. The downtown area is about 2km by car and parking is very easy. Our hosts, Dimitri and Laura Ferrari, were most welcoming and accommodating. Their two children, Andrea and Rebecca were adorable and I just have to mention Geneva, their little Canis Terrier, sweet! If you plan on spending a few nights in Saranda Apartment Globus is definitely worthwhile.

We found a couple of lovely Tavernas just walking around. If you don’t want to eat at the typical tourist places, like Limani, which I found overpriced and lacking in cordiality, I would recommend the following:

TAVERNA FREDI

This Taverna is located directly across from the Saranda port where you would go to book your tickets for the Corfu ferry. We just happened to walk by and as we like to try local restaurants rather than touristy ones we went in and were pleasantly surprised. The owner Fredi speaks very good English and the menu is all home cooked, by him of course. We sat on the veranda and enjoyed a rather inexpensive lunch including beer, overlooking the port! The prices range between $3.00-8.00 per person. If you go you must try the boiled cabbage and rice croquettes as an appetizer. Yummy!

TAVERNA TSAKAS

This restaurant is located one street beyond the waterfront on Rruga Mustafa Matohiti. The owners Andrea and Ermelinda were extremely hospitable and the food was superb. We had the grilled lamb and fish with some very good house wine. The view from the veranda is exquisite, as you can see from my photos and overall it was a very pleasant dinner with great atmosphere. For better directions or to inquire about their menu you may call 0693656389 (Vodafone) or 6972241181 (Cosmote).