Butrint national park
Butrint National Park
Published on 16/10/2025
As said before, Sarande was an insane destination; I have never heard more noise in one place than there. Literally, a club at 2 am is quieter than the boulevard of Sarande. But anyway, as also said before, around Sarande there is enough to do where you do not have to wear earplugs to protect your precious ears. SUCH AS: Butrint National Park. This national park is a true historical gem. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything about the history anymore, because I am writing this article two years after having visited it.
What I do remember is that there is a local bus that goes to the park from Sarande city center. The evening before we wanted to go, we decided to check out the bus stop and this was for the best; it was just a pole on the sidewalk, you will definitely walk past it. On Google Maps there was a picture uploaded of the bus schedule, so we decided this should be the correct place. I think this is the correct place to be, but please check again if you are there.
noëlle
Hi! I am Noëlle and I wrote this article for you!!! Hopefully, you like reading this article and find my tips and struggles helpful. Also, ignore the grammar and spelling mistakes; I did not proofread it. I absolutely loved Albania and hope you will have the most amazing trip too! :)
The next morning we left around 08:00. We bought some breakfast in the supermarket and were early at the bus stop. This was a mistake of course, the bus is never early in Albania, but we did not want to risk it. At some point there was such a delay that we were actually doubting if it was a legit bus stop. But then the bus came!! We got on, paid our 50 euro cents (or 50 LEK, maybe it was €5 indeed or even €6) and it brought us all the way to Butrint National Park. The stop for the park is unmissable; it is just in front of the park and the bus driver will scream that it is the correct stop.
The park just opened 10 minutes ago and there was already a small line (1 family in front of us haha) to enter the park. Entrance is 100 LEK and you can buy a ticket at the entrance. At the entrance, you also get a map that shows you all the highlights of the park. I am already going to say that I am so sorry, but I literally remember nothing anymore. There was an amphitheater and a basilica and a baptistry and a palace. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the history is incredibly interesting (please believe this). The park is more than 3000 years old and I would honestly recommend reading the Wikipedia page, because we’re here for vibes and not information.
Anyways, I can really recommend going! It is really nice to read about the history of Albania and the park looks beautiful too. We spent around two hours and had a drink at one of the cafes. The bus back to Sarande stops, again, right in front of the park. However, as it is considerably busier at 10:00, the bus will be late because it cannot maneuver through the cars and has to drive all the way to the end of the parking lot to turn. The bus from Sarande to Butrint also stops at Ksamil, so if you want to add this city to your itinerary, or if you are staying in Ksamil, you can perfectly visit Butrint National Park with the bus too!
