Albania’s capital city of Sarande, situated on an open sea gulf on the Ionian, is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. Highlights here include Blue Eye National Park, with its phenomenal “eye”-shaped spring, nearby waterfall and tranquil gardens; the Castle of Lekuresi, high atop a hill affording splendid views of the amphitheatric city stretching down to the Ionian Sea; and nearby Gjinokastra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its beautiful and dramatic vantage point overlooking a lush valley between the high Gjerë mountains and the rushing river Drinos.