Is Butrint worth visiting?
Going to the beach or a beach club is not the only thing to do in Ksamil!
Butrint National Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is Albania’s largest and most impressive archaeological site and is absolutely worth visiting and a must-do in Albania.
There is another, bigger archaeological site in Albania, called Apollonia, located near Vlore. However, Butrint is much more impressive, and there’s a lot more to see. So if you’re choosing to see just one such site in Albania, let it be Butrint near Ksamil.
The entrance ticket to see Butrint National Archaeological Park is 10 EUR, and is well worth it for such a site. Card payments are accepted – we paid contactless.
Opening hours of Butrint are from 8:30 AM to 8 PM (last entry 6 PM) in the season from April 1st to October 31st, and 9 AM to 5:30 PM in the off-season/winter, from November to the end of March, with last entry at 3 PM.
The best time to visit Butrint National Park is right at opening or towards closing time, as that’s when it’s the least busy. We arrived in Butrint at 9:30 AM in October, and it was already quite busy with many groups.
If you’re not planning to stay longer in this area, you can easily visit Butrint, Ksamil, and Blue Eye on a day trip.
You can visit Butrint on a day tour from Sarande, and also schedule a visit with a local guide.
What to see in Butrint National Park
- Ancient Theatre
- Temple of Asclepius
- Great Basilica
- Venetian Castle
- Roman Bathhouses
- Lion’s Gate
- Baptistery and Nymphaeum
- Merchant’s House
- Coastal trail along the outer defensive wall
Since there aren’t many information boards around the Butrint park, it’s worth coming here with a guide if you’d like to learn more about the site and its history. There’s a walking tour with a local guide you can join (you meet at the entrance).
Inside the Butrint National Park, some highlights we liked are the Butrint Ancient Theatre, the Great Basilica, and the Venetian Castle. We also loved the coastal trail that passes the Triconch Palace and the Merchant’s House on the way to the Great Basilica.
And we even saw some cute turtles in one of the pools of water somewhere near the theater!
Temple of Asclepius, the Ancient Theater, and the Roman Baths
Triconch Palace and the Gymnasium
Baptistery
Great Basilica
Lion’s Gate
Venetian Castle and the Museum
Albania trip
MUST-HAVE ✔
💳 Save money when changing currencies or taking out cash by bringing a backup travel card. Oh, and in case an ATM swallows your card. Yes, it happened to us. 🤦♂️
🔌 Bring a Universal Travel Adapter with fast-charging capabilities (45W and Power Delivery).
Our recommended route to take around the site
- Visit Temple of Asclepius (5), Ancient Theater (6), and the Roman Bath (7)
- Pass by the Gymnasium (9) to the Triconch Palace (10)
- Walk along the Outer Defense Wall (23) with stops at the Baptistery (11) and Nymphaeum (12)
- See the Great Basilica (13), and continue the coastal trail along the defensive wall
- Pass the Ocean Gate (15), before reaching the fascinating Lion’s Gate (16)
- Walk uphill to the final stop at the Venetian Castle (21) and Museum (22)
After you’re done at the castle, simply walk downhill past the area where the Theater is, and you’re right back at the entrance/exit.
How to get to Butrint
Butrint National Park is located just a 10-minute drive south of Ksamil (5km) and about a 30-minute drive from Sarande.
From Himare, visiting Butrint on a day trip is also very easy, as it’s just over 1.5 hours away (about 70km).
You can get to Butrint National Park by local bus every 30 minutes for just 1 euro from Ksamil (a 10 min drive), or 2 euros from Sarande (a 30-40 min drive).
Driving to Butrint by car is easy on good roads. We came to Butrint in our rental car and parked at the free parking lot right in front. In the peak season and busy times, you might have to park your car further away in the Panoramic Parking Lot, a 20-minute walk from the entrance.
We arrived at Butrint just before 9:30 AM in October and got one of the last spots in the parking lot in front of the entrance. That’s why we recommend you simply stop at the first parking lot and walk to Butrint. Otherwise, you might end up driving back and losing a spot.
If you’re staying longer in Ksamil or Sarande and plan to visit Butrint from there, just take the bus.
Best way to explore Albania?
RENTING A CAR
We love exploring places at our own pace and on our own time, especially to avoid crowds at popular destinations we visit. Plus, watching sunrises and sunsets at epic locations is a must. ☀
That’s why renting a car for us is a no-brainer, and an unmissable part of most trips. 🚗
We love having the choice to compare prices, choose different pick-up and drop-off locations (one-way rentals), and pay for a reasonable full insurance policy without going broke. 🤑
Tours to Butrint National Park
- 🏛 Butrint National Park Walking Tour (starts at Butrint entrance)
- ⭐ Best of Sarande Tour (Butrint, Blue Eye, Ksamil, Lekuresi Castle)
- 🚤 Butrint and Sarande from Corfu (day trip from Greece with lunch)
- 1️⃣ Private Day Tour from Tirana (Gjirokaster, Sarande, Butrint)
Interested in exploring the whole country on a tour? We recommend booking this top-rated Two Week Tour of Albania, with hotels and all other costs included, and a professional tour guide to lead the way.
It follows a similar itinerary to what we did in Albania over two weeks, and in addition to Butrint, visits all the other best spots in the country. Plus, it includes the Valbona to Theth hike, which surprised us, as standard tours usually don’t include cool stuff like that.
How much time do you need to see Butrint?
It takes about 2 hours to visit the archaeological site in Butrint without rushing.
Since it only takes 2 hours to see all of Butrint, you can easily fit it into the same day with some beach time and another attraction.
Final thoughts
Butrint was a great addition to our Albania itinerary, and it was great to see a place like this in Albania that is well-preserved and well cared for.
We spent just under two hours there and can confirm that it’s absolutely worth visiting, especially since it’s practically the only such site in Albania.
Continue your Albania trip planning
- ⭐ Tirana Attractions & Activities (travel guide to the capital)
- ⭐ What Not To Miss in Berat (best places and experiences)
- ⭐ Shkoder Travel Guide
- ⭐ Gjirokaster, the Stone City
- 🥾 Theth, Albanian Alps (best mountain town)
- 🏰 How to visit Kruje Historical Town
- 🌞 Best Attractions and Beaches in Himare
- 😎 Visiting Ksamil in South Albania
- 🌊 Osumi Canyon River Tubing (one of the best things we did in Albania!)
- 🌄 Bovilla Lake (stunning lake viewpoint)
- 💃 Albanian Night (fantastic show with traditional dancing and singing)
- 🛌 Riverside Komani (fantastic riverside hotel for visiting the Shala River)
Must-read - 🇦🇱 Best of Albania in Two Weeks (day-by-day itinerary)
- 🌄 North Albania in One Week (rivers, lakes, hikes, swimming spots)
