Butrint Archaeological Park

"Butrint National Park is located on a small peninsula jetting off the mainland in southern Albania based around the ancient city of Butrint. The national park encompasses an area of 36.37 square miles (94.2 sq km). This Albania national park is a special place with a wealth of history, cultural significance, and protection of threatened species. The park protects natural, semi-natural, and man-made habitats. It is a historical place that served as a Greek colony, a Roman city, and a bishopric of early Christians. The small peninsula based national park is comprised of marshes, reed beds, coastal waters, rocky shorelines, sandy beaches, and Mediterranean forests. In addition to these facets of nature, the national park features ancient Roman ruins and a small Amphitheatre as part of the ruins. It is the ecological lagoon environment where the archaeological gem sits that makes this national park such a treasure. These ruins are 2,500 years old and some of them are the best-preserved Roman ruins across all of Europe. The Temple of Asclepius is one of the highlights of the ruins. Some of the other ruins represent some of the early Christian presence in Albania. The wildlife of the park includes 39 species of mammals, 246 species of birds, and an abundance of coastal species as well. Some of the mammals include grey wolf, red fox, golden jackal, otter, and beech marten. The coastal waters feature bottlenose dolphin, short-beaked dolphin, striped dolphin, monk seal, loggerhead sea turtle, and the leatherback sea turtle. Birdwatchers have opportunities to see a peregrine falcon, common buzzard, rock partridge, and the amazing golden eagle. There are numerous other bird species to enthrall the bird lovers."

"I recommend visiting Butrint National Park while in Ksamil or Sarande. You can take the local bus here (it comes hourly) and will leave you just outside the park. You can prebook your tickets online or you can pay at the entry with CASH ONLY. There are no ATMs here so please make sure to have cash. I think it would be beneficial to hire a guide for here if you're into history however this was a last minute plan so I explored without a guide and still really enjoyed the beauty of the place. Collect a map on upon entrance to help you find your way around the park."

"another UNESCO World Heritage site which brings the best of nature and history together. It showcases beautiful ancient ruins and a well-preserved amphitheater nestled within a expansive salt lagoon. The park's historical resonance lies not only in its architectural marvels but also in its ability to chronicle the continuous interplay of different cultures throughout the centuries, having been initially built by the ancient Greeks but also influenced by the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans over 2500 years. "