Why Investors Are Falling in Love with Albania’s Ionian Coast

If you’ve ever driven down the winding coastal road from Saranda to Borsh, you’ll understand why people keep calling this part of Albania the next big thing. It’s not just the turquoise sea that glows differently here, or the way the olive trees lean toward the water like they’ve been guarding it for centuries — it’s something deeper. A kind of calm that seeps into you, quietly convincing you that this is where life should slow down.

And investors are starting to feel it too.

The Shift: From Curious Travelers to Confident Investors

I still remember a few summers ago, most of my clients were just curious tourists. They’d walk into the office with sunburned faces and a question that always began with “How much would a small apartment cost here?”
Now, those same people come back with spreadsheets. ROI calculations. Questions about management companies.

The interest has turned serious.

Why? Because the numbers are finally catching up with the emotions. Property prices along the Ionian Coast — from Saranda to Ksamil to Borsh — are still a fraction of what you’d pay across the sea in Greece or Italy. Yet rental income, especially during the summer season, is growing fast. Some of my clients are already seeing returns up to 12–16% annually, depending on how they manage their listings.

That’s the part people underestimate. This isn’t just a beautiful coastline — it’s a living market, quietly maturing every year.

Saranda: The Beating Heart of the Riviera

If you ask me where it all begins, it’s here — in Saranda.
I’ve lived here long enough to see the city evolve from a sleepy coastal town to a year-round community. Cafés that used to close in October now stay open through winter. Foreign languages echo through the promenade even in November.

Saranda has become the anchor of Albania’s real estate story.

When clients ask me where to buy, I often show them new developments like this seaview 1-bedroom apartment on Skënderbeu Street.
It’s in a quiet, upscale neighborhood — one of those places where you can actually hear the sea at night. The building is brand new, fully furnished, with a private swimming pool and a panoramic view that nothing will ever block. I’ve seen clients walk out to the balcony, fall silent, and then whisper, “I could live here forever.”

And I always smile. Because that’s exactly how I felt the first time I saw that same view.

Ksamil: The Jewel That No Longer Hides

Ksamil has changed. In the best possible way.

I remember when there were only a few small guesthouses here. Now, it’s one of the most in-demand destinations on the entire Albanian Riviera — especially for those searching for beachfront property or modern seaview apartments close to the water.

There’s one new development I particularly love showing — this modern 1-bedroom apartment in Ksamil. It’s a 2025 build, finished to perfection, with a shared private pool for residents and located just seven minutes from the beach. The neighborhood is quiet, clean, and still has that untouched feeling that reminds me of how Ksamil used to be years ago.

Another one that always gets attention is this luxury duplex for sale in Ksamil — everything brand new, two swimming pools (one just for the duplex, one shared), underground parking, and only 300 meters from both the beach and the center. It’s perfect for families or investors looking for strong returns — up to 16% per year in peak season.

When I walk clients through those apartments, I can feel their surprise. They don’t expect this level of design here. But Ksamil is full of quiet luxury now — the kind that doesn’t scream, but whispers.

Borsh: Where Serenity Becomes Strategy

If Saranda is vibrant and Ksamil is glamorous, Borsh is peace.
It’s where I go when I need to reset. The drive there is half the therapy — winding through olive-covered hills until the sea appears again, vast and untouched.

Most people don’t know that Borsh has one of the longest beaches in the Balkans — about 7 kilometers of unbroken coastline. And yet, it’s never crowded. That’s what makes it so special for investors who understand that true luxury is privacy.

Our construction company, with over 15 years of experience and a team of more than 150 skilled professionals, is currently developing White Residence Villas in Borsh.
Four private villas — each a 300m² paradise, surrounded by nature, with panoramic sea views and private pools. Every detail, from the stonework to the veranda design, has been thought through. The villas are located just a seven-minute drive from Borsh Beach, on the main road — but far enough to keep the tranquility intact.

Whenever I visit the site, I end up staying longer than planned. There’s this small café nearby, run by a local family, where they serve strong mountain tea and fresh bread from the morning oven. It’s the kind of place that reminds you what “quiet luxury” truly means.

Tourism: The Pulse That Keeps It All Alive

It’s impossible to talk about real estate here without talking about tourism. Every year, the season starts earlier. Last summer, I had bookings in April — something that would’ve been unthinkable five years ago.

And it’s not just foreign tourists. Albanians from Tirana, Kosovo, and North Macedonia are rediscovering their own Riviera, buying second homes, investing in small boutique rentals, and driving demand for affordable properties that can also generate income.

It’s this mix — local passion and foreign curiosity — that makes the market so resilient.

The Data Behind the Emotion

Investors often ask me: “Yes, it’s beautiful. But does it make sense financially?”

Here’s what I tell them:

• Average ROI on seaview apartments and duplexes in Ksamil and Saranda ranges between 10–16% annually, depending on management.

• Occupancy rates during summer often reach 85–95% on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.

• Property prices are still among the most competitive in the Mediterranean — even with new luxury developments, the average cost per square meter is far lower than in Montenegro, Croatia, or Greece.

But what you can’t quantify — and what really drives value — is the feeling.

That sense of peace when you wake up to the sound of waves instead of traffic. The smell of olive trees after it rains. The late dinners where the waiter insists you try the family’s homemade olive oil “just for taste.” These are the things that make people not only invest, but stay.

A Future Built on Balance

What makes the Ionian Coast so special isn’t just its growth. It’s the balance.
Between development and nature. Between excitement and calm.

We’re seeing investors who used to look at Croatia or Montenegro now quietly shifting their focus here. Some have already bought their first properties. Others come for a weekend, fall in love, and decide before their flight home that they’ll be back — not as tourists, but as owners.

And honestly, I can’t blame them.

A Personal Note

A few days ago, I was standing on a terrace in Ksamil, overlooking the bay. A light breeze was moving through the lemon trees nearby. My clients — a couple from the Netherlands — were silent, taking it all in.
Then the husband turned to me and said, “You know, this feels different. It feels real.”

That’s what I love about this job. I get to see people experience what I already know — that Albania’s Ionian Coast isn’t just a place to visit. It’s a place to belong.

And for those of us lucky enough to live here, it’s home.