Butrint, Albania

Butrint is an Ancient Greek city and an archeological site in Albania, close to the Greek border. It is located on a hill overlooking the Vivari Channel. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of an Epirot city, a Roman colony and a bishopric. It is accessible from nearby Saranda and Ksamili.

The current archaeological site includes an impressive Roman amphitheater, a Byzantine Basilica, a Roman temple with mosaic floor, a beautifully carved lion gate as well numerous constructions built throughout the periods. As of summer of 2005, there is a cross-national archaeological team doing digging at Butrint. You can watch the scientists do their work inside the park.

Things to See & Do

* Butrint ruins
* Saranda
* Corfu
* Ksamili

General Information

Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency – Lek (ALL)
Language – Albanian
Land Area – km²
Population – 33,000 approx. (Saranda)
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code – +355

Port Location – The port is located in the city of Saranda.

Travel Links – Butrint is accessible from Saranda, along a road built in 1959 for a visit by the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. It is increasingly becoming a popular tourist destination, attracting day-trippers from the nearby Greek holiday island of Corfu.

Hydrofoils (30 minutes) and ferries (90 minutes) run daily between the New Port in Corfu Town and Saranda. A regular public bus service runs between Saranda port and Butrint.