Visiting Butrint National Park
Visiting Butrint National Park is on the bucket list of many travellers venturing to the wonderful country of Albania.
The largest of Albania’s ancient sites, Butrint is found within the 29 sq km National Park that shares its name with the famous ruins.
The ruins themselves originate from several different historical periods, spanning a total of 2500 years.
This article will outline everything you need to know about visiting Butrint National Park.
We begin by explaining how to get to Butrint National Park and how much it costs to enter the ancient site of Butrint.
We then continue by highlighting the best things to see in Butrint, before rounding out the article with our recommendations for the best places to stay in Butrint National Park.
So, let’s dive into: Visiting Butrint National Park
Visiting Butrint National Park - The Basics
Adult ticket - 1000 lekë (£7/€8.20)
Children ticket (12-18) - 500 lekë (£3.50/€4.10)
Best tour to Butrint: Butrint National Park from Corfu
Best place to stay in Sarande: Saranda Palace
Best place to stay in Ksamil: Mario Apartments
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Visiting Butrint National Park
Visiting Butrint National Park features regularly on any worthy Albania travel itinerary, and for good reason.
Very few ancient sites in the Balkans find themselves nestled in the heart of such a fantastic natural setting, making Butrint National Park one of the best places to visit in the Western Balkans.
Despite indications that the site at Butrint had been inhabited long before, it is widely accepted that Greeks from Corfu settled in Butrint around the 6th Century BC. The fortified city was then taken over by the Romans in 167 BC and continued to prosper throughout Roman and Byzantine rule.
Butrint was then abandoned until 1927 when Italian archaeologists began to excavate the site.
Nowadays, visiting Butrint National Park as part of a great 7-day Albania road-trip itinerary allows you to explore well-preserved ruins from several different historical periods, all in one place. It is a marvellous experience and well worth a few hours of your time when you find yourself in Southern Albania.
How to get to Butrint?
Butrint is found 18km south of Saranda, in the southwestern corner of Albania. The easiest and most efficient way to visit Butrint, and the majority of the best sights in Albania in general, is to hire a car. Butrint is also one of the best Corfu to Albania day trips due to how close Corfu is to the Albanian mainland.
When hiring a car in Europe, we always recommend rentalcars.com - they are the most reliable car rental operator in Europe and you can be guaranteed the best prices for a car rental in Albania.
Alternatively, there are regular buses to Butrint departing from Saranda - the 20-minute journey costs 100 lekë (£0.70/€0.80), and the buses depart hourly from 8.30 am-5.30 pm, leaving from outside the ZIT Information Centre. The buses return from Butrint every hour, on the hour.
Ruins being taken over by the forest in Butrint National Park
How much does it cost to enter Butrint National Park?
Despite the majority of blogs and guides indicating prices of 700 lekë to enter Butrint, when we visited, the prices to visit the ancient city of Butrint were as follows:
Adult ticket - 1000 lekë (£7/€8.20)
Group Ticket (minimum 12 people) - 800 lekë each (£5.60/€6.50)
Children (12-18) - 500 lekë (£3.50/€4.10)
Children (Under 12) - free
Butrint National Park Entry Fees
Guided Tours to Butrint from Corfu
One of the most popular ways to visit Butrint National Park is to take a day tour from the nearby Greek Island of Corfu.
Despite the island belonging to Greece, it is found less than 3km away from the mainland of Albania. This makes Albania, a relatively off-the-beaten-path Balkan country, an ideal place to visit on a day trip from Corfu.
Regular guided tours of Butrint depart from Corfu each morning, with your ferry ticket included in the tour price - don’t forget your passport, as you will be exiting the EU and entering Albania.
Best things to see in Butrint National Park
There are many great things to see when you’re visiting Butrint National Park, but underneath we have highlighted 3 of our favourites.
It is worth noting that just outside the visitor entrance to Butrint, there is a curious ferry crossing where you can watch bikes, cars, vans, and campers make their way across the Vivari river channel via an old cable ferry - it really is a fascinating sight!
Venetian Tower
One of the best sites to see in Butrint is actually right as you enter through the gates. The relatively modern Venetian Tower can be found just past the main visitor entrance to Butrint National Park and acts as a wonderful welcome to this fascinating site.
Venetian Tower - right by the entrance of Butrint National Park
Greek Theatre
Arguably the highlight of any visit to Butrint National Park, the 3rd Century Greek Theatre is secluded in the forest and so impressive that often visitors decide to head straight for it, missing out on many other sights along the way.
Greek Theatre - Butrint National Park
Venetian Castle
Following the shaded path up the main hill in Butrint National Park, you will discover a charming Venetian Castle at the top. The views from the castle give you a rough idea of how the city of Butrint will have been laid out in years gone by, but nowadays the Castle is also home to the Butrint Museum.
Venetian Castle - Butrint National Park
Don’t miss: as you make your way around Butrint National Park, make sure to keep an eye out for the local turtles that populate the area. You will find them en masse around the Greek Theatre and Public Baths.
Tips for visiting Butrint National Park
Butrint National Park is open daily from 9 am - 4 pm
Arrive as early as possible - as with any UNESCO World Heritage Site, Butrint is a very popular attraction, and it can get very crowded, even in the off-season. Try to arrive towards the beginning of the day so you can avoid the copious number of tour buses from neighbouring Corfu and Kosovo.
Don’t walk straight to the Greek Theatre - despite it being the undoubted highlight of Butrint National Park, we wouldn’t recommend walking directly to it. Instead, as you enter the park, take the path to the right and slowly snake your way around Butrint before arriving at the Greek Theatre towards the end of your trip.
Wear appropriate footwear - despite Butrint National Park is relatively small; it is surprising just how many steps you will take to see all the sights. Wear comfortable shoes to avoid walking around in pain.
Bring water and snacks - there are very few options inside the National Park when it comes to refreshments, so make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks with you to Butrint.
Butrint National Park
Where to stay near Butrint?
Butrint National Park is found on a small peninsula that consists entirely of the national park. So when you’re visiting Butrint National Park, it is best to base yourself in neighbouring Ksamil or Sarande.
Ksamil lies 4.5km from Butrint, around 10 minutes by car, and is also home to the beautiful Ksamil beach.
Sarande is a much bigger town along the coast and offers much more in terms of other things to do. Getting from Sarande to Butrint is relatively straightforward by car, and the 16km journey only takes around 25 minutes.
Butrint National Park
Best place to stay in Sarande
Saranda Palace - on-site bar, private beach area and a sun terrace, what more could you want? The Saranda Palace is consistently rated the best hotel in Saranda, and when you see the ocean view from your private balcony, it is easy to see why.
Best place to stay in Ksamil
Mario Apartments - the wonderfully located apartments (only a 2-minute walk from the beach) are the perfect place to stay in Ksamil when visiting Butrint National Park. You can spend your day exploring every square inch of Butrint, then return to your apartment and relax in the hot tub while enjoying the sea views from your private balcony.
There we have it, folks, a comprehensive guide to visiting Butrint National Park in Southern Albania. Whether you are taking a day trip to Butrint from Corfu or adding it to your existing Albania travel itinerary, you will surely have a brilliant time in Butrint.
