A rental car turns Saranda into a base for short drives to UNESCO sites, beaches and mountain towns across Vlorë County. The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) karst spring is about 22 km away on the SH99, a 35-minute drive; its water sits near 10°C and over 50 metres deep, parking is tiered at 200–800 ALL and entry is 50 ALL cash only. Butrint National Park lies 25 km south, a 25-minute drive, UNESCO-listed since 1992 for layered Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian remains; the foreign entry fee is 1,000 ALL (about €10) and a visit takes 2–3 hours. Gjirokaster, the UNESCO 'City of Stone', is 60 km inland on the SH99, roughly an hour away, with a 400 ALL castle fee — it pairs well with Blue Eye on the same corridor. Ksamil is just 15 km and 15 minutes south, where two sunbeds and an umbrella run 1,000–4,000 ALL and arriving before 9:00 beats the parking queues. Lëkurësi Castle sits 3–4 km above town, a 10-minute drive with free entry and parking and the Restorant Kalaja e Lëkurësit for sunset dinners over Saranda and Corfu. Porto Palermo Castle is 45 km north on the SH8, about 50 minutes, with free causeway parking, a 300 ALL fee and cash preferred; Borsh Beach lies 7 km further north. Cash in Albanian Lek is the norm for fees and parking across all these stops.