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Ksamil Islands & Butrint National Park

Day trip from Saranda

Butrint is one of the best archaeological sites in the Mediterranean: a Greek theatre, Roman baths, a Byzantine baptistery and a Venetian castle, all layered on a forested peninsula surrounded by a mirror-flat lagoon. We walk it in the cool of the morning with a guide who knows the 2,500 years of history well.

Itinerary

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

  1. 08:45

    Pickup in Saranda

    Short scenic drive south along the riviera road toward the Greek border.

  2. 09:30

    Butrint National Park

    Two-hour guided circuit: theatre, forum, baptistery mosaic, and the castle museum at the top with lagoon views.

  3. 12:00

    Lagoon-side lunch

    Butrint mussels, grilled fish and cold white wine at a family restaurant on the Vivari channel.

  4. 13:45

    Ksamil beach afternoon

    Three hours of pure beach time. Sunbeds reserved, islands a short swim away, cocktails a short wave away.

  5. 17:00

    Return to Saranda

    Back by late afternoon: salty, sunned and content.

Experience & Highlights

  • Guided walk of UNESCO-listed Butrint
  • The Greek theatre, Lion Gate and Venetian castle
  • Afternoon at Ksamil beach with reserved sunbeds
  • Optional swim out to the Ksamil islands
  • Seafood lunch by the lagoon (mussels are the local pride)

Full Description

Then: Ksamil. Afternoon free time on the famous white-sand beach, with the option to swim or pedal-boat out to the islands a few hundred metres offshore. We handle sunbed reservations in summer so you're not hunting for a spot at 2 pm.

What's included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in Saranda
  • Butrint entry ticket and guided tour
  • Reserved sunbeds at Ksamil (June–September)
  • English-speaking guide all day

Not included

  • Lunch (we order, you choose & pay)
  • Pedal boat to the islands (~€10/hour)

Good to know

  • Bring swimwear under your clothes; changing rooms at the beach are limited.
  • Butrint has shaded paths but wear a hat for the castle climb.
  • Runs daily April–October.

Good questions, honest answers

How do you get from Saranda to Butrint?

Three ways: the local bus from Saranda's seafront runs every 30 to 60 minutes via Ksamil (about 40 minutes, very cheap, can be packed in summer); a taxi costs around €15 to 20 each way; or this tour, which includes hotel pickup, the entry ticket and a guide through the ruins. If you want the history explained rather than just the walk, the tour is the better value.

Can you combine Ksamil beach and Butrint in one day?

Easily, they're ten minutes apart. The order matters though: Butrint in the cool of the morning when the site is quiet, then Ksamil for the afternoon swim. Doing it the other way round means walking the ruins in the midday heat and hunting for a sunbed at 2 pm.

How far is Butrint from Ksamil?

About 4 km, less than ten minutes by road, at the end of the peninsula past the Ksamil islands. The local Saranda bus continues from Ksamil to the Butrint gate, or it's a short taxi hop.

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