Slow Mornings, Strong Coffee: Why Europeans Are Falling in Love with Albania’s Café Culture

by someone who lives and breathes Saranda

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If you’ve spent any time in Albania—especially along the Ionian coast—you’ll quickly notice something different in the air. Not just the salty breeze from the sea or the smell of grilled seafood from a taverna tucked behind a bougainvillea-covered wall. It’s the rhythm. The pace. People here move slower, speak softer, and take their time with the little things—especially coffee.

I’ve been living in Saranda for over a decade now. Originally, like many others, I came here for the sea views and sunshine. But what really got under my skin—what still anchors me to this place—is the way mornings start and afternoons stretch long into conversation. It’s the ritual of coffee. And believe me, it’s not just about caffeine.

A Lifestyle, Not a Latte

Back home in many parts of Europe, coffee is fuel. Something you grab from a kiosk while checking emails or rushing to catch the metro. Here? It’s sacred. You sit. You sip. You talk. Sometimes for hours. No rush. No takeaway cups.

We have cafés on nearly every corner. Some new and stylish with Instagram-worthy interiors, others older and rough around the edges, where the same four men have been playing dominoes every afternoon since I first moved here. And all of them—all—are full of life.

A lot of my international clients mention it after spending just a few days here. “There’s something about the energy,” one German couple told me last summer. They had originally planned to buy in Greece, but after a few unplanned coffees by the sea in Saranda, they decided to check out some local listings. A few weeks later, they closed on a one-bedroom seaview apartment on Rruga Panorama.

It’s a different kind of lifestyle. One where your schedule isn’t ruled by stress or screen time. And more and more Europeans are starting to crave that.

Why Coffee Hits Different Here

There’s a tiny café in the hills above Saranda. No name on the door, just a few plastic chairs and the scent of fresh mountain oregano in the breeze. The older man who runs it doesn’t speak much English, but he makes the kind of espresso that makes you stop and just be. I once brought a Belgian investor there, and he said it was the most peaceful he’d felt in years. He ended up buying a small holiday home not far from White Residence in Borsh.

There’s something else too. In Albania, you don’t drink coffee alone. Even if you show up by yourself, someone might wave you over. Locals chat with strangers. The waiter might join the conversation. It’s this gentle informality that makes even a simple espresso feel like a shared experience.

You start noticing it once you’ve been here a while: deals happen over coffee. Friendships begin with a macchiato. Property viewings? Almost always include a café stop nearby. (And yes, I have a favorite spot near the promenade where I take clients before showing them beachfront property. Best way to soften a negotiation? A good Freddo and a sea breeze.)