Butrint - an archaeological site in Albania

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Butrint is an archaeological site in southern Albania. The city was inhabited for about 3,000 years, and the oldest finds date back to 800 BC. There are ruins here from completely different eras, and when you walk around the area, you can travel back in your imagination to many different times in history.

Butrint in Albania

Butrint is located in the southernmost part of Albania, on a cliff next to the Vivari Strait. It has been a Greek colony, a Roman town and an episcopal diocese, and today around 650 people live here.

Ruins from different eras

Butrint has been populated since ancient times. At least the city is known to have been inhabited for almost 3000 years, and archaeological excavations have been going on there since the 1920s. It originated as a Greek colony, was later a Roman city, had its heyday during the Byzantine period and was abandoned at the end of the Middle Ages, when it was under Venetian rule.

The original population probably had a fort and a sanctuary and traded by selling food to Corfu. By the 4th century BC, the city had grown, including an amphitheatre.

Rome took control of Butrint in 167 BC and it became part of the province of Illyricum. In the 2nd century, the city was destroyed by an earthquake, and reconstruction included the impressive Triconch Palace.

In the 5th century, Butrint became an episcopal diocese and a baptismal chapel and basilica were added. In the 6th century the city came under Slavic control and the city declined until the 8th century, when the Byzantine Empire took control of the area. Thereafter, several different groups continued to fight, and the city was repeatedly re-governed ...

In 1267 Charles I of Anjou took control, and in 1386 the area was bought by the Republic of Venice. In 1797, Butrint was handed over from Venice to Napoleon I and became French. In 1799 it was taken by the Ottoman Empire and remained part of the empire until Albania's independence in 1917.

So the buildings here are from completely different periods in history. For example, there is an ancient theatre and bathhouse, as well as an early Christian church. The city wall from the 4th century BC also remains. There is also a museum on the site, with statues, artefacts and a film about the archaeological work.

Butrint - a popular attraction

Butrint is a popular attraction in Albania, with busloads of French, Polish, Estonian and all sorts of others. If you want to walk around in peace and quiet, it's a good idea to arrive early in the morning, perhaps as early as 8am when they open. From 10am onwards you can expect it to be quite crowded.

It cost about 48 kr/person to visit the area when we were here (2015) and about 34 kr/person if you came in a group of at least six people. The latter meant we quickly became "friends" with a bunch of Dutch people in the queue ...

Interesting 'car ferry'

Just outside Butrint is an interesting version of the "car ferry". We haven't tried it ourselves, but it feels like it deserves to be pictured!

See more in the neighbourhood

There is of course much more to see and do near Butrint. Here are some tips:

• Ksamil is a small and charming holiday resort
• Saranda is a larger and slightly busier holiday resort
• Blue Eye is a crystal clear spring with shimmering blue water

READ MORE: Facts about Albania - 30 things you (might) not have known