The town is based around a small hill that overlooks the Gulf of Monastir [fr] and the two small islands that make up the Kuriat archipelago. The built up area extends for over a mile in every direction from the hill but especially towards the flat tidal area.
Sayada is joined in a "delegation" with the smaller communities of Bouhjar and Lemta (which historically was known as Leptiminus and is still the site of international archaeology). Sayada itself is within the Monastir Governorate which administers the larger area from the city Monastir which is 12 miles inland.