Kodrra Saranda: Where to stay, eat and beach

My girlfriends and I started our trip to Albania in Kodrra, Saranda, Albania. Compared with Ksamil, Saranda is much more pleasant. You get a mix of history, locals and delicious food with far fewer tourists.

Don’t get me wrong, the beaches are still overcrowded and Saranda is very much a city, but it was a great entry point to the rest of beautiful Albania.

We spent two nights here and I’d say that was plenty. The first day we explored Saranda and the beaches. The second day we took a day trip to Ksamil. The third day, we drove north towards Dhermi and Gjipe beach where we’d stay for the second part of our trip.

Where to stay in Kodrra

We stayed at an apartment in Saranda’s Kodrra neighborhood. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the ferry and less crowded than the city center. The apartment was recently renovated and was perfect for our girls trip. I’d argue the apartment itself was the highlight of our time in Saranda.

Our host was accommodating and lived next door with his wife. The apartment had an enormous terrace with views overlooking the sea. We had breakfast, did yoga and meditated there each morning. All the bedrooms had sliding glass doors out to the balcony and air conditioning.

Penthouse apartment in Saranda

Where to eat in Kodrra

Taverna Kapiteni

Our host recommended Taverna Kapiteni. He’s friendly with the owner and frequents this taverna. We glimpsed at the reviews online. They were mixed but we opted to give it a try.

The staff was young and friendly. They seated us at a booth outside and covered the table with brown paper.

First, we ordered some pints. The beer went down easy in the evening humidity. The server recited the fish caught that day.

I chose the whole sea bass served with lemon and Albanian spices. Most of the other girls did too. We also split Greek salads and potatoes. The potatoes reminded me of the ones I used to eat in Thessaloniki ten years ago. Always sliced thin, lightly fried and dusted with salt and oregano.

A meal for seven people cost about €65. A steal.

Oxhaku Psistaria & Restaurant

Oxhaku Psistaria & Restaurant was also a stone’s throw away from our apartment. Turns out, this was one of the best meals we ate in all of Albania.

We feasted on sea bass, octopus, Greek salad, grilled vegetables, grilled okra, potatoes, tzatziki and some other dips. We shared a pitcher of the house wine to wash it all down. The food was spectacular. The servers were also overly friendly and accommodating.

After dinner, we enjoyed complimentary limoncello and a fruit platter. We were the last table remaining. Everything was so fresh and well seasoned. The best part, so cheap! The entire meal was €80.

Kodrra Beaches

Most of the beaches in Saranda lie to the east of the ferry docks. They are often overcrowded and a little dirty. Knowing this, we visited the beaches just west of the city in the Kodrra neighborhood. To get to Kodrra beaches just follow the road past the ferry docks. You’ll be there in under 15 minutes.

There are two beaches, one named Era beach and the other one doesn’t really have a name at all, but it’s right in front of Hotel Apollon.

Like in Ksamil, the Kodrra beaches are overcrowded. They are lined with sun bed after sun bed. There’s little space to park your bum for free. The water also tends to be rough. I’d only recommend these beaches for your first or last day in Albania – the ‘get yourself together’ days.

If you really want to spend time at the beach, don’t go to Ksamil, it’s not like what you’ve seen on Instagram. Instead, drive north towards Dhermi like we did the next day.

Beach bars in Kodrra

Since the beaches themselves were poor, we spent time at the beach bars. Most had no menu and few served hard alcohol. We visited in June and were told this is just before the high season, so that may have been why.

Hotel Apollon Beach Bar

We enjoyed the tiki bar style Hotel Apollon beach bar. This is the first place we visited in all of Saranda. It was just a few steps from our apartment and had great views overlooking the sea.

Turned out the food was pretty fantastic too. They served mostly Greek dishes and seafood. We split a few Greek salads, cheeses, octopus and other snacks. For the location, the cost was more than fair. They only accept cash so plan in advance.

Santa Paola Apartments Bar

We also enjoyed some cocktails and snacks at the Santa Paola Apartments. This was after finding out that Shark Beach Bar & Restaurant doesn’t serve hard alcohol.

A little swankier and yes, they had a full bar, but no menu. Getting information from the servers was tricky due to the language barrier. In the end, we enjoyed a nice view overlooking the beach and some mojitos.

All in all Saranda is the perfect starting point to explore this part of Albania. It’s where the ferry from Corfu drops you off, it’s where all the major car rental agencies are located and it’s easily accessible from the main road.

That being said, I certainly enjoyed the Dhermi portion of our trip much more.