Three Days Around Ksamil

October 31, 2026

Ksamil works best as a base for a short stay of two to three nights rather than as the start of a long route. Beach days, the islets and Butrint fit in easily. Longer plans come from adding Saranda, the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster and Corfu, all of which are day outings from the same base. Prices are in Albanian lek (ALL), and cash is the safest way to pay.

Two to three nights in Ksamil

A stay in the village gives you the bay, the islets and Butrint, which is about 4 km south and 10 minutes away by bus or taxi. Most of the village is seasonal, so restaurants, sunbed rentals and boat operators are at their fullest from about May to September. The Booking.com listings for Ksamil show what is open when you travel.

Saranda as a base

Saranda is about 18 km from Butrint, around 45 minutes by the Butrint bus, and it is the port for Corfu ferries, which run all year with a reduced schedule in winter. It is also a convenient starting point for the Blue Eye.

A three-day loop

A simple plan uses Ksamil or Saranda as the base.

Day 1: Butrint National Park, with an adult ticket at 1,000 ALL. Last entry is 18:00 from April to October and 15:00 from November to March. Spend the late afternoon on the beach.
Day 2: the Blue Eye, about an hour each way from Ksamil, with entry at 50 ALL and a walk of about 2 km from the car park.
Day 3: Gjirokaster, about 1.5 hours by road each way, with the castle and the Ottoman tower houses at about 200 to 400 ALL per site.

Adding Corfu

Corfu ferries leave from Saranda port. The crossing takes about 30 to 45 minutes by hydrofoil and 55 to 70 minutes by conventional ferry, and Greece is one hour ahead. In summer a day trip works. From 11 November to early March there is one boat a day each way, so the next boat back is the following morning and an overnight on Corfu is the only option. Rental cars cannot be taken from Corfu to Albania. See the Ionian Seaways timetable for current sailings.

Winter stays

Most Ksamil businesses are closed from about October to April, and Butrint moves to shorter winter hours on 1 November. A winter visit suits walking at Butrint and quiet coastline, but not swimming, sunbeds or boat trips. The Blue Eye path is muddy after rain.

Practical notes

Albania is a normal destination, and the UK and US governments publish current advice that is worth reading before you book. The nearest airports are Corfu, reached by ferry, and Tirana, about 280 km away, roughly 4.5 to 5.5 hours by road.