Butrint
Butrinti
A UNESCO World Heritage ancient city where Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian ruins are layered together in the forest by the lake. It is a must-see in Albania.
Butrint is Albania's most important archaeological site and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1992. A forest loop trail of about 3 km passes the 4th-century BC Greek theatre, the Temple of Asclepius, Roman baths, the 6th-century baptistery (its floor mosaics are usually covered with sand for protection), the cathedral, the Lion Gate, and the Venetian Tower. Inside the Venetian Castle on the hilltop is a small museum, and from the walls you can look out over the Vivari Channel and toward Corfu. Admission is about 2,000 lek (confirm on site). Butrint is about 5 km from Ksamil, and buses from Sarandë go there directly in about 40 minutes. Note: bring water and sunscreen, and use insect repellent in summer.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–19:00 in summer; until 16:00 in winter
Nearby sights
- Vivari Channel & Ali Pasha Castle
- Ksamil Beaches
- Lake Butrint
- Ksamil Islands
- Pulëbardha Beach
- Mirror Beach (Pasqyra)
- Lëkurësi Castle
- Monastery of the Forty Saints