Аппартаменты хороши The apartments are good

Review of Albania
Vasily and Svetlana, Minsk, rested in Saranda on July 13-27.2018.

Good day! We rested in Saranda from July 13 to July 27.2018. Let's start in order. This direction interested us when in 2017. we came from Montenegro to Albania for an excursion. I liked the country: clean, cheaper than in Montenegro, people are friendly and benevolent. We turned to one travel agency (I will not name it) to go for 14 nights in July 2018. to Saranda. We were told that it was only possible for 11 nights, because there were inconsistencies in flights, but this did not suit us.
The transfer from the airport to Saranda took about 5 hours in a comfortable bus with two sanitary stops (there were only 7 of us from Minsk, the rest went closer to Durres and Vlora). The meeting and transfer were organized at a good level by representatives of Aler Travel.
We were booked apartments "Aler Luxury Apartments Saranda 4 *", with a direct view of the Ionian Sea and the Greek island of Corfu.

To say that this view is beautiful is an understatement. Just great. Luxurious apartments: a huge living room (aka kitchen) with a large Zanussi refrigerator, a full set of dishes, a TV with 100 channels (including 5 Russian and 1 Ukrainian), floor electronic scales, a washing machine, as well as a bedroom with a huge closet, there is also an iron and ironing board. And, of course, a toilet with shower and bidet. The room was cleaned 1 time in 3 days, and toiletries (such as a tiny bar of soap and the same tube of shampoo) were no longer provided to us. There was also no toilet paper for a week (it's good that everyone took it with them, which we advise others to do). I had to go to the main reception at the "Aler Holiday Inn" and outline the situation: like, don't disgrace yourself guys, cleaning and toilet paper should be every day (it's still 4*! )!
After 2 days, a roll of toilet paper appeared, they began to clean it every day, but the toiletries did not lie down anymore.
It has its own beach with free sunbeds and umbrellas, the beach is guarded, located under video cameras.
By the way, “Saranda” is translated in Greek as “Forty”. This was once the Orthodox monastery "Forty Martyrs of Sevastia", which was destroyed in the Middle Ages under the Ottoman yoke. The city of Saranda is located in the south of Albania on the border with Greece. In the center of the city, opposite the embankment, there is an Orthodox Church in the name of the Hieromartyr Kharlampy and St. Nicholas. Sunday services are held from 7.00. (local time: minus 1 hour Belarusian time). There is a large Greek diaspora here, some speak Russian.
The Greek island of Corfu is located 6 miles offshore.
You can take a ferry and in an hour on a regular or 30 minutes on a hydrofoil boat - and here it is, Corfu, unless, of course, there is a visa. Then it makes sense to go there.
There were no problems with food at all: there are Spar and Big Market supermarkets nearby, they work from 7.00. until 23.00, seven days a week. Large selection of goods, good prices, accept euros. Euro exchange rate (in exchangers 1 euro = 123 lek. , in stores 1 euro = 122 lek. ). A varied selection of vegetables, fruits, wines, dairy products that we recommend to try. Albania is one of the few countries where the use of GMOs is prohibited at the legislative level. In the city center there are supermarkets "Alfa" (Greek chain store), "Conad" (Italian chain store), Albanian "Market Vellezerit Myrtaj". There are many restaurants, taverns and cafes, expensive and not very expensive. In the city center there is a market of agricultural products in the morning. There are fish shops where you can buy crabs, shrimps, mussels, fish.

Of the excursions, we recommend visiting the Lekursi fortress, the city of Gjirokastra (Gjirokastra), the Butrint National Park (the remains of the ancient city), the Blue Eye spring. Everything else: jeep safari, barbecue boats on the islands - everything is like everywhere else for tourists, if they have financial capabilities and desire.
We especially express our deep gratitude to our Minsk travel agency Planeta Rest, director Olga Viktorovna, tour managers Daria and Anna. There are still people with whom it is pleasant to communicate and want to work in the future.
Svetlana and Vasily