Butrint National Park Albania

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Butrint National Park is a very special place and an absolute must-see on any trip to Albania. I know what you’re thinking. You’ve probably never heard of Butrint National Park. Neither had I until I visited Albania. Butrint National Park is located in southern Albania, about 20 kilometres from Saranda, and has a very special atmosphere created by the unique combination of archaeology, monuments, and nature on the Bay of Butrint on the Mediterranean Sea.

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I was in the coastal town of Sarandë when I saw pictures of Butrint in all the local tourist offices. When I saw the pictures of these crumbling ruins nestled in the forest and surrounded by bright blue water, I knew I just had to visit and see it for myself.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Park, the ruins are a portal in time, offering you a fascinating journey through different periods of history. Wander among ruins that bear witness to the impressive works of the ancient Greeks, the Romans and the Ottoman Empire.

Butrint Albania Facts

• The Most Important Sights: Theatre, Asklepsios Sanctuary & Baptistery
• Entrance Fee: Entry to Butrint National Park costs 1000 LEK (10.00 EUR) for foreigners. The park is very diverse and the more you walk around, the more you discover and the deeper you delve into the history of the region.
• Opening Hours: The park is open all year round from 8am to sunset, and the museum in the Acropolis is open every day from 9am to 7pm (the museum has more limited opening hours). The famous national park is huge!
• Accommodation Tip: The closest town to Butrint is Ksamil, a beach village on the Albanian Riviera that is part of the national park. There is a wide range of accommodation in Ksamil, from flats and guesthouses to small hotels. I recommend Noa Boutique Hotel as an affordable option close to the beach . ☑ See Places to Stay in Ksamil

Expect to spend around 1.5 to 3 hours in the park to visit the various archaeological sites, impressive ruins and historic buildings. Be warned: the site can get very crowded at lunchtime and around midday. And if you visit in summer, it can also be very hot.

Tip: If you can, I recommend coming either in the early morning or late afternoon when it’s quieter.

Having seen several ancient Roman cities around the world, I can honestly say that Butrint is one of the best I’ve ever seen – another reason to visit Albania.

Here’s why you should visit Butrint and how you can do it in no time.

Butrint National Park and the ancient ruins

The 2,500-year-old city of Butrint, which was the first Albanian site to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, occupies 11 square miles of the 35-square-mile national park of the same name. Butrint National Park is located a little less than 12 miles from the Greek-Albanian border.

The main part of the archaeological site of Butrint, where most of the ruins are located, is situated on a wooded hilltop peninsula on the channel that connects Lake Butrint to the Ionian Sea. The views from anywhere on the hill are breathtaking and there are plenty of lovely picnic spots in the form of strategically placed wooden benches and tables, so take your lunch with you.

Fun Fact: The name of Butrint comes from the word buthrotos, which means ‘wounded bull’. This name is based on a Greek myth in which the sacrifice of a bull on the neighbouring island of Corfu failed. In the myth, the bull escapes and manages to get back to the mainland. This was seen as a sign from the gods that a settlement should be built on this exact spot.

The history of the ancient city of Butrint

According to Greek mythology, the city of Butrint, formerly known as Buthrotum, was founded by Andromache and her brother-in-law Helenus, the son of King Priam, when they fled from the burning Troy. What we really know is that the earliest evidence of settlement at the site dates back to 50,000 BC, but it wasn’t until the eighth century BC, when Greeks from the Epirus region arrived and settled here, that Butrint became a thriving, fortified town with an acropolis.

In 44 BC, the Romans took over and made Butrint a colony. They built one of their famous aqueducts across the Vivari Canal and expanded the city on reclaimed marshland. Over the centuries, the city became a Christian centre of the Byzantine Empire and was then under Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman control before it was abandoned.

Butrint National Park – Monuments & Things To See

The archaeological site of Butrint is huge and the structures of the ancient sites bear witness to the different inhabitants, so you should take your time to visit. Allow at least two hours to visit the main monuments, and more if you want to really enjoy the views and see the smaller sights such as Roman villas, ancient Greek gates and Venetian towers. If you’re short on time, here are the top five places you should definitely visit.

Ancient Theatre

The shady footpath that leads from the ticket office into the heart of the ruins takes visitors straight to one of the most impressive monuments. The astonishingly well-preserved Hellenistic (and later Roman) theatre was built on the slope of the Acropolis hill in the third century BC and accommodated thousands of spectators on its stone seats. It still does today, as every year in July some of the performances of the Butrinti Summer Festival take place on its stage.

• Location: Ancient Theatre

Next to the theatre are the remains of a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius. This is common throughout the Mediterranean, as offerings to the god of medicine were often used to finance the construction of theatres.

Roman Forum

The only Roman forum in Epirus (an important Roman province and region now shared by Greece and Albania) dates back to the time of Emperor Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). Back then, the forum was the place to go to buy or sell things, take part in heated political discussions, meet people, attend gladiatorial games or take a bath (if you weren’t rich enough to own a private bathhouse).

The public bathhouse, which can still be seen today in the Forum of Butrint, was even equipped with underfloor heating long before it was cool.

Baptistery

After the Roman Empire was divided into East and West, the Byzantines made Butrint an important Christian centre. The baptistery, which is still preserved today, was a Roman building that was later used for ecclesiastical purposes.

• Location: Baptistery

It has an amazing mosaic floor depicting animals and an amazing geometric pattern, which is now unfortunately covered by a protective layer of sand and is only uncovered for a few days a year.

Basilica

If you can’t take a look at the floor of the baptistery, you should know that there is another impressive mosaic on the floor of the Christian basilica a little further up the hill. And you can see this one for free.

• Location: Basilica

The basilica itself is beautiful, built entirely of stone and has a nave bordered by two rows of arches. The basilica is the most impressive of the nine churches that have been found in Butrint so far.

Butrint Lion Gate

The Lion Gate was discovered by Ugolini between 1928 and 1935. In Classical and Hellenistic times, it was one of the entrances to the Acropolis from the northern bay. It owes its name to the lintel depicting a lion devouring a bull, which is considered archaic or archaic-inspired.

• Location: Lion Gate

The gate we see today is the result of a medieval remodelling, in which the original gate was reduced in size by placing a monolith on the south side and using a second block of large dimensions as a lintel. Above the architrave there is another row of blocks that fill the space left by the original entrance. It is clear that the architrave with the lion is a later addition, as the south wall of the entrance was reduced in size to accommodate it.

Butrint Museum

• Location: Museum / Venetian Tower

A climb through densely wooded hiking trails takes you to the 14th-century Venetian castle of Butrint, which houses the small but fascinating Butrint Museum. Highlights of the museum include statues of Roman gods and emperors found in the theatre and elsewhere in the ancient city, as well as inscriptions recording the Manumission, the freeing of slaves in honour of Asclepius.

The rope ferry and the Triangular Venetian Castle

Near the entrance to the archaeological site of Butrint is the cable ferry – a wooden platform that takes people and cars to the other side of the Vivari Canal. There you will find a smaller Venetian castle and less-visited traces of a Roman suburb called Vrina Plain.

Further west of the main excavation site, on a small island in the mouth of the canal, is one of the many imposing castles built by the Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha of Tepelenë in the 18th century. You can see Ali Pasha Castle from a platform near a car park located less than a mile west of the entrance to the archaeological site of Butrint (not to be confused with the archaeological site car park).

Butrint – Where To Stay

The nearest town to Butrint is Ksamil, a beach village on the Albanian Riviera that is part of the national park. There is a wide range of accommodation in Ksamil, from flats and guesthouses to small hotels overlooking the turquoise waters. View all accommodation options in Ksamil.

Getting to Butrint

Butrint is easy to reach from the Greek island of Corfu. In just two hours by ferry or 50 minutes by hydrofoil, you can reach the town of Sarandë, from where buses take you to Butrint every hour in less than 30 minutes. Sarandë can also be reached by bus from Tirana in just under five hours.

Bus from Saranda to Butrint

Butrint is located in the south-west of Albania, about 30 minutes by car from the city of Sarandë. There are several ways to get to Butrint. Firstly, you can hire a car and drive, which is very quick and easy. There are several places where you can rent a car in Sarandë or at the airport.

Taking the bus from Saranda to Butrint is the cheapest way to get there. From the harbour in Saranda, you can easily reach the bus stop on foot. When you leave the harbour, turn right and walk for about 220 m until you see a roundabout with a huge tree in the middle and lots of cars screeching in all directions.

The bus leaves from here.

• There are 2 departures per hour 07:30 – 17:30
• The journey takes about 30 to 40 minutes
• A single ticket costs 200 lek (€2)
• Between the harbour and the bus stop you will pass at least two ATMs
• You will need cash for the bus ticket
• You buy the ticket on board

My top 5 tips for visiting Butrint in Albania

To make your visit to the Butrint ruins an enjoyable experience, here are my tips for your visit:

1. Arrive early, when it’s not so busy and avoid the midday heat. It can get very hot, especially in the middle of summer (July & August), and you’ll be walking quite a bit on the site.
2. As Butrint is located on a peninsula and is surrounded by water, there are quite a lot of mosquitoes on the site. Either wear long and light-coloured clothing or bring mosquito repellent.
3. Wear sturdy shoes, as the paths are unpaved and sometimes lead up quite a few steps.
4. Take plenty of water with you. There is a café on site, but it is rather expensive by Albanian standards.
5. Bring some snacks. Especially if you want to continue exploring after visiting the ruined city.