Butrint

Butrint, on a peninsula amid a lush, watery landscape near Albania's southern coast, is one of the most beautiful and evocative archaeological sites in the Balkans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inhabited for millennia, it layers the remains of successive civilisations, a Greek theatre, Roman baths and villas, an early Christian baptistery with fine mosaics, a Byzantine basilica and a Venetian castle, all wrapped in the greenery, wildflowers and birdsong of a national park beside a tranquil lagoon, where nature and ancient history entwine.

What you actually see

• The Greek theatre - the well-preserved ancient theatre.
• The baptistery mosaics - the early Christian floor mosaics.
• The Venetian castle - the hilltop castle and its museum.
• The lagoon setting - the ruins amid the greenery and water.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather and the site's greenery and wildflowers at their best; go early to enjoy the ruins in the cool morning. It is an easy trip from Sarande and pairs perfectly with the Riviera beaches and Gjirokaster.

Honest expectations

It is a compact site, seen in a couple of hours, though a genuinely beautiful and atmospheric one, its charm as much the lush natural setting as the ruins themselves. Some of the finest mosaics are kept covered to protect them and only occasionally revealed. It is an easy trip from Sarande. The blend of layered history and tranquil lagoon nature is its distinctive appeal.

Nearby

Sarande, the Ksamil islands and the town of Gjirokaster are within reach.