Hotels in Ksamil. Hotels in Albania

Straits of Corfu and island of Ksamil

Albania isn’t one the most famous or popular tourist destinations in Europe today, which is pretty sad since it truly is an amazing country with beautiful people. Ksamil is one of the more famous destinations in Albania, and it has gained more and more visitors the recent years. This little turquoise pearl is located along the Albanian Riviera, and it is, in my opinion, one of the best beach destinations in Europe!

Ksamil is a place of beautiful paradise beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters. This town has a pleasant climate all year round, and the best part is that it’s not full of tourists and it’s also very affordable.

In this guide, I’ll show you some beautiful photos of Ksamil, what to do there, tips on good accommodation, how to get there, and much more!

Hit the beaches

One of the best things to do in Ksamil is to relax at their fantastic beaches with white sand and turquoise waters. It’s so relaxing to lay there in the sun, listen to the sound of the waves, and enjoy the incredible views of the mountains, ocean, and lush nature.

There are several beaches to visit in Ksamil, where the most of them offer the facilities you need for a whole day.

Go on a day trip to Saranda

Saranda is one beautiful city located around 30-minutes away from Ksamil. This town is the biggest in Southern Albania, and it’s from here you can catch the ferry to Corfu in Greece. Saranda isn’t the most popular tourist destination in Albania, but it’s still an excellent place to enjoy the daily life of Albania and to have a stroll in their beautiful harbor.

See Syri i Kalter

It’s a must to visit Syri i Kalter when you’re in Ksamil. This natural phenomenon is also known as the Blue Eye and lies about 50 minutes away by car. Here await crystal clear waters that shift in turquoise and green colors. It’s truly an amazing place and something you have to visit while you’re in Ksamil.

This place has got its name “Blue Eye” from a part of the lake where the bubbles from the pool create a dark blue color, and this looks like an eye in contrast to the other bright colors.

You can get here both via guided tours and also on your own if you have a rental car. I think it’s the best to have a rental since you can go and see some other attractions like Butrint the same day.

Explore Butrint

Butrint was an Ancient Greek and later Roman city. Today this place is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you can see an old amphitheater, a monastery, watchtowers and also a fort.

Butrint lies about 20 minutes away from Ksamil and can be reached by both bus and car. You can of course also hike and bike there!

Visit Gjirokaster

If you’re into history, then you have to visit Gjirokaster, which is a historic town and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The biggest attraction here is the old fort that is perched on top of the town and all the old traditional stone houses.

You can go here either by car or catch the minibusses from Saranda.

There are two ways to get to Ksamil. Either you catch a flight to Corfu in Greece and take the boat over to Albania, or you fly to Tirana and take a bus from there. I think both ways are nice in their own way, so I would just buy the cheapest flight tickets and take the ferry/bus depending on where you land with your flight.

Tirana to Saranda

From the bus station in the capital of Albania, you can catch busses to Saranda. It will take you 6 hours and cost around 10 euros. Yes, it’s a long way, but the scenery is totally worth it. You get to see so much more of Albania than if you just sit on a ferry from Greece. Along the way, you’re going to see both mountains, lush nature, beautiful rivers, and old castles just about everywhere!

Corfu to Saranda

The most popular, shortest and easiest way, is to travel to Corfu in Greece and then catch the ferry over to Saranda. The ferry takes around 30 minutes and costs around 15 euros.

Saranda to Ksamil

From Saranda, you can either take a taxi or hop on the local bus. A taxi from Saranda to Ksamil costs around 10 euros, and the bus costs less than 1 euro.