Ksamil Landmarks and Viewpoints

October 31, 2026

The sights near Ksamil are easiest to plan by distance. The list below starts at the village shore and works outward, giving each stop’s cost in Albanian lek (ALL) and the hours that matter. Cash is the safest way to pay.

From the beach: the four islets

Four limestone islets sit off the main bay. The nearest is about 70 to 100 m away, and the others are 200 to 400 m out. They offer no shade, shop or bag storage, and the channel has no lifeguards, so most people simply view them from the sand.

4 km south: Butrint National Park

Butrint is the headline sight, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1992 on a wooded peninsula by Lake Butrint and the Vivari channel. Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian remains stand together here. Among them are a Greek theatre, Roman baths, a baptistery, the Great Basilica, a Venetian tower and a museum in the acropolis. The baptistery mosaic is normally buried under sand and cloth.

Ticket prices:

Adults pay 1,000 ALL.
Ages 12 to 18 pay 500 ALL.
Under-12s enter free.
Groups of ten or more pay 800 ALL each.

The ticket also includes the museum and the Triangular Castle side. Between 1 April and 31 October the park opens at 08:30, with last entry at 18:00 and closing at 20:00. Between 1 November and 31 March it opens at 09:00, with last entry at 15:00 and closing at 17:30. The museum keeps shorter hours, about 09:00 to 16:00. Details are on butrint.al , and the bus or taxi from Ksamil takes about 10 minutes.

Across the channel: Vivari and Ali Pasha

A cable-ferry hop beside the Butrint entrance leads to the Triangular Castle at Vivari, a Venetian work that sources place in the 15th century. Cars use the same chain-hauled raft, and the fare should be checked at the slip. Near the channel mouth a small fort on an islet is linked with Ali Pasha of Tepelena. Boats from the Butrint entrance reach it for about EUR 10 per person.

4 km north: Mirror Beach

Pasqyra, or Mirror Beach, runs along the coast road. It remains scenic, though paid sunbeds now cover most of the sand.

18 km north: Lekuresi Castle

The castle stands above Saranda and is about 10 minutes by road from the town centre. Ottoman builders raised it in the 16th century, and 1537 is the traditional year. Two towers and a length of wall remain. Entry to the grounds is free, and the terrace restaurant in the walls has its own hours.

Planning the sights

Butrint can take most of a morning. Keep the afternoon for the beach, and leave Lekuresi for an evening trip. To book a guided Butrint visit, browse Viator .