Saranda & Butrint National Park Day Trip from Corfu by Boat

Corfu New Port and the crossing to Albania

Corfu Town faces the Albanian mainland across a narrow channel; at its closest point the two coasts are only a couple of kilometres apart, and from Corfu's north-east shore you can clearly see the mountains of Albania. The ferry leaves Corfu New Port, the same harbour used by cruise ships and island ferries, and the check-in office for this trip sits inside the port area.

Because you are leaving Greece, every passenger goes through passport control, so the meeting time is about 45 minutes to an hour before the 08:45 sailing. On the default option our driver brings you to the port, with transfer times of 20 minutes to two hours depending on where you stay. Take a seat on the outside deck for the crossing: the views back to Corfu Town and the green Albanian coast ahead are one of the best parts of the day.

Saranda, the gateway to the Albanian Riviera

Saranda is the main town of Albania's southern coast, built in an amphitheatre of hills around a curving bay. Its name comes from the Monastery of the Forty Saints that once stood above the town, and in antiquity it was the port of Onchesmos; the ruins of a fifth-century synagogue and basilica can still be seen in the centre. Today it is a lively resort with a long palm-lined promenade, cafés and fish restaurants.

After Butrint the group returns to Saranda for a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, then follows the guide on a walk along the seafront, with free time to explore, take photos or pick up souvenirs before the ferry back to Corfu. Remember that the local currency is the Albanian lek, and cash is the easiest way to pay for coffee or small purchases in town.

The coast road and Lake Butrint

From Saranda the coach follows the coast south for about twenty kilometres, passing small villages, olive groves and the resort of Ksamil with its tiny offshore islands. The road then crosses a fertile plain to the shores of Lake Butrint, a large brackish lagoon linked to the sea by the Vivari Channel and known for its mussel farms, whose rows of wooden poles stand out in the water.

The guide explains the history of the region along the way, from the ancient tribes of Epirus to the twentieth century, so the ride is part of the tour rather than a simple transfer. The lake and the surrounding wetlands are protected for their birdlife, and the views from the road over the water to the Greek mountains are among the most beautiful on the Albanian Riviera.

Butrint ancient city: theatre, sanctuary and baths

Butrint, the ancient Buthrotum, was settled by Greek colonists, grew into a Roman colony and later a Byzantine and Venetian town, before silt and forest slowly covered it. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, and the national park protects both the ruins and the woodland around them. Is Butrint worth visiting? For many travellers it is the most atmospheric ancient site in the region, with ruins shaded by trees and surrounded by water.

The guided Butrint tour begins at the Venetian tower and leads to the theatre from the third century BC, built into the hillside next to the Sanctuary of Asclepius, the god of healing. You continue to the gymnasium, the Roman baths and the sixth-century baptistery, whose mosaic floor of birds and animals is one of the finest of its period and is usually protected beneath a layer of sand.

Butrint acropolis, the Cyclopean walls and the castle museum

Above the lower town rises the acropolis hill, ringed by massive walls of huge fitted stone blocks from the fourth century BC, known as the Cyclopean walls. The route passes the Lion Gate, named after its carved relief of a lion attacking a bull, and climbs through the trees to the top, where a small castle houses the site museum with statues, inscriptions and finds from the excavations.

From the summit you look out over Lake Butrint, the Vivari Channel and the plain towards the Greek border, the best viewpoint of the day. Paths are of earth and old stone, sometimes steep and uneven, so comfortable shoes are important. The best time to visit Butrint is spring or autumn, when the forest is green and the heat is gentle, but the shade of the trees keeps the site pleasant even in summer.