TUE 25OCT22 Sarande, Albania

We tendered into Sarande, Albania for our tour of some of the older sites. My first impression is that this is a pretty poor country as this is the first time we ran into people begging for money in the streets. It may be because it was a communist country up until 1991. 

We took a leisurely walk along the promenade facing the sea before we re-boarded the bus and headed out for Lekuresi Castle. The castle, built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, is located on a strategic hill overlooking the town of Saranda. Great views of Corfu and Ksamil islands dominate the landscape.
We stopped at the Mesopotamian Monastery, currently under restoration but nonetheless a fascinating attraction. A good example of a fortified Byzantine 12th-century monastery.
We stopped to have a snack at Foenike restaurant, along with a demonstration of traditional Albanian folklore.

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