During a visit to Albania in August 2025, I managed to visit two of three sites deemed by UNESCO to have significant cultural and heritage value. These sites were Gjirokaster and Butrint which are both in the south of the country and close to the Greek border. The other site of Berat was too far and it was too hot to fit in at the end of our holiday. Maybe another time!
- Berat (not visited)
- Butrint
- Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster Clock Tower
We arrived here after a long drive from Saranda. With the temperatures reaching +35c during the summer it can be a gruelling drive and having a car with good Air Con is advisable. Buying an e-sim (in advance or on arrival) is also advisable so that you can use your smartphone’s maps for navigation.
At the foot of the fortress city is a modern town with two lane roads and looks mundane. The traffic can be heavy around the main roundabout, but patience pays off. Drivers are in no rush and everyone seems to negotiate the roads without the need to amplify their angst through their car horns.
Heading up to the old town gets exciting – drivers will find themselves following narrow cobbled roads and seeming vertical climbs with never ending curves. Most of city that exists today was created by the Ottomans and never built for cars. I fully expected to see Michael Caine and a column of 1960s Mini Coopers zip past me on the way back down from the old town.
Our hotel looked out across the Drinos valley and mountains stretching as far as the eye can see. The view is breath taking as are the old buildings and there is a real sense of place at Gjirokaster. We found somewhere to have lunch near the hotel and relaxed. The food and drink in Albania is noticeably cheaper than other countries in the Balkans. The quality is excellent, and the fruit and vegetables are delicious. They taste like the real thing and not like the greenhouse produce that we get in our Supermarkets.
Due to the excessive heat, we went out again in the early evening and walked around the cobbled streets. During the evenings, the town has a nice buzz to it and there are small family run bars and shops to enjoy. It didn’t feel too touristy or overly commercial and there are none of the international franchises that can sometimes jar the experience when visiting a picturesque place.
In the morning, we walked up to the fortress to explore before it got too hot. Entrance is around €8 and there’s plenty too see. We walked up to the highest point of the fortress which has existed since the medieval times. The Ottomans added to it and then abandoned it in the 18th Century. You’ll find disused kitchens, prison cells and a collection of artillery pieces. There is also a colony of Bats not far from the entrance. We could hear them slumbering in a dark recess.
T 33
On the outer wall towards the Ottoman Clock Tower, you will find an old USAF T-33 which made a forced landing in 1957 after straying in Albanian Airspace. This was quite a trophy for Communist Albania and remains as a relic from that era. It’s worth mentioning that Albanian Dictator, Enva Hoxha came from Gjirokaster. I’m old enough to remember when Albania was regarded as Europe’s own North Korea and you’re welcome to do some background reading on this era.
Butrint
Before heading back to Tirana for the last night of our trip, we headed for Butrint which is further south and closer to Corfu. I missed a turning and the SatNav took me on a rectangular route that follows rich farmland and some very Romanesque straight roads. The farmland around here is very well maintained with plenty of Olive & fruit trees. The snag to approaching Butrint from this way is that there is a cable ferry that can take 2-4 cars at a time back and forth across the Vivari channel that separates Butrint from the southern approach. In the height of summer, I would suggest parking adjacent to the castle and ferry on that side and travelling as foot passengers. Ignoring the advice of my daughter we paid €8 to take the car across only to find that the carparks were full. I had to leave the family behind to re-cross the channel and park the car before returning as a foot passenger for the 3-minute journey. The Ferry man forget to collect my €1 toll so I felt like I’d won a small victory.
Butrint Ferry
Entrance to Butrint is currently LEK1000 or €10 (cash or card). The signs advise that it takes around an hour to walk around the site. There are also signs warning you to beware of snakes (my worst nightmare!). Luckily the only snakes that I saw were on the signs and none under foot.
Butrint has been important to humans since prehistoric times and great civilisations have left their mark since then. The site is almost surrounded by the Vivari Channel which means that it has a natural barrier and makes it feel spiritually important. The walk around much of the perimeter is shady with mature trees which offer respite from the summer heat. That said- it’s still hot!
Butrint Turtle
Visitors will find an amphitheater guarded by small turtles and a Roman Baptismal temple. This reminded me of a smaller scale Stonehenge which could have been an influence to the Roman architect. The buildings are a mixture of Greek, Roman, Medieval and Ottoman. At ground level, some of the Roman mosaics are visible and others are covered in sand and gravel to preserve them for future generations. In the trees there are twittering birds and the whole area is important for migratory birds.
Butrint Amphitheatre
Butrint mosaic
Butrint Baptismal
There is also a small area near the entrance dedicated to local craftsman and producers and you can find needlepoint art as well as local honey and delicious fig jam.
As with Gjirokaster, I would love to come back in a cooler season to enjoy more comfortably. The country is still developing as a place for tourism but you will find Albanians warm and friendly people and the country has much to offer.
I visited Albania for a family holiday and recommend set aside 4-6 days for the south of the country if taking a fly drive. I also recommend one of our escorted tours which are in small groups with the added benefit of local guides and a driver to make the trip more relaxing.
By Mark Champagne
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