The Ancient Roads of the Ionian – Why Investing Along This Coastline Is More Than Just Business

There’s something different about the Ionian coastline in Albania. It’s not just the postcard beaches or the way the light falls across the olive-covered hills at sunset — though both are pretty amazing. It’s something older. Deeper. Like the stones themselves remember.

I’ve walked the same narrow pathways in Qeparo that once carried shepherds, traders, and invaders. I’ve stood on the edge of the cliffs near Lukova and thought: this place has seen centuries go by, yet it still feels untouched. Almost hidden in plain sight.

When I talk to foreign clients looking for Saranda apartments for sale or scouting for the perfect beachfront property, I try to share that feeling with them. That sense that you’re not just buying a piece of land or a holiday home — you’re becoming part of a living, breathing story.

Echoes Beneath Your Feet

This region isn’t called the Albanian Riviera for nothing. But unlike some other coastlines in Europe, there’s real history here — and you don’t need a museum ticket to find it.

Butrint, just a short drive from Saranda, is the obvious example. A UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ve probably already read about it — Roman amphitheaters, Venetian towers, Ottoman influences. But if you ask me, the true magic isn’t in the brochures. It’s in the fact that people still speak about Butrint like it’s sacred. Like it’s part of their identity.

And the ancient roads? Many are still there. Winding through hills and lemon groves. Connecting villages like Pilur, Kudhës, and Borsh — each with their own rhythm. Their own way of telling time.

I once took a client to a 3-bedroom seaview apartment on Gjergj Arianiti Street (you can see it here). We stopped on the way to grab coffee near an old stone bridge I’d passed hundreds of times but never really looked at. Turns out, it was part of a 19th-century Ottoman trade route. My client was blown away. “You live with this every day?” he asked. I hadn’t really thought about it like that.

But yes. We do.

It’s Not Just Investment. It’s Legacy.

Sure, there’s a business case to be made. Albanian properties are still affordable compared to Croatia, Greece, or Italy. ROI on seaview apartments in Saranda can reach 8-10% annually during peak Airbnb seasons. Property taxes are low, and most buildings come with full ownership rights — not long-term leases like in some countries.

But that’s not why people fall in love with this place.

They fall in love because there’s a morning stillness here that feels like meditation. Because a walk to the beach can turn into a chat with a fisherman who’s just pulled in fresh octopus. Because you might stumble upon a wedding in the village square and be invited in — no questions asked.

One of our most-loved projects right now, White Residence, is tucked into the hillside of Borsh. Private pools, elegant stone facades, and panoramic views of the sea. But what surprises clients most is the feeling they get standing on the terrace. “It’s like we’re on a cliff in southern Italy — but calmer, quieter. And a fraction of the price,” one Belgian buyer told me.

Where the Past Meets Possibility

People ask me sometimes: “Is it safe to invest here?” And I get it — Albania doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves.

But the south, especially around Saranda, has evolved fast in the last ten years. Roads have improved. Infrastructure is catching up. There are new marinas in the works. Fiber-optic internet. Direct flights to Corfu and Tirana. And most importantly, a growing community of expats, artists, digital nomads, and retirees who see this place not just as a vacation destination, but as home.

I always recommend properties that offer more than four walls and a view. Like this furnished 2-bedroom apartment on Mitat Hoxha. It’s ready to move in, with a spacious balcony that overlooks the Ionian. But more than that, it’s 5 minutes away from the promenade — where locals gather every evening for xhiro (our beloved sunset walks). It’s small things like this that make a big difference when living here full-time.