At a glance Where: a beach village on Albania’s southern coast, facing four small islets, about 4 km north of the Butrint ruins. Money: lek (ALL) first, though many beach bars and boat skippers also name euro prices. Keep cash for sunbeds, buses, the Butrint kiosk and the Blue Eye gate. Season: summer is the working season. Most shops, bars and hire stands shut from roughly October to April. Advice: Albania is a normal destination, and it is sensible to read the latest UK and US travel advice before you go.

A longer stay in this corner of Albania is built from one base and several outings. Ksamil gives you the beach and Butrint, while Saranda gives you the ferry port and an easier start for inland trips. Costs below are in lek (ALL), and the timings are the ones that decide whether a plan works. Choose a base Base Good for Notes Ksamil beach, islets, Butrint seasonal, most places close about October to April Saranda Corfu ferry, Blue Eye ferry runs all year, less often in winter Two to three nights in Ksamil covers the beach, the islets and Butrint, which is about 4 km away.

There is no long, named trail at Ksamil, and the village itself is flat and small. Good walking here is made of short pieces: the waterfront, the woodland paths at Butrint, a steep hill above Saranda and the approach to the Blue Eye. This page gives each route with its length and costs in lek (ALL). Route summary Walk Length Effort Cost Ksamil waterfront under an hour flat free Butrint trails within the park easy, shaded 1,000 ALL adults Lekuresi hill 30 to 40 minutes uphill steep free grounds Blue Eye path about 2 km, 20 minutes paved 50 ALL gate The Ksamil waterfront The village centre and the shore make an easy stroll.

Tours around Ksamil fall into a few clear groups, and each starts either in the village or in Saranda, the port town to the north. Below is what each one involves, what it costs in lek (ALL) and what to ask before paying. Cash helps with tickets and small boats. Butrint with a guide Butrint is a UNESCO site on a wooded peninsula about 4 km from Ksamil. Plenty of operators run organised visits, and you can hire a guide at the park.

For couples, Ksamil rewards good timing more than a long list of venues. The coast is a working beach village with paid sunbeds, so the calm and the quiet come at the edges of the day and the edges of the season. Prices are in lek (ALL). Most places close from about October to April, so ask whether restaurants are open before you plan a winter dinner. Start the day in the water At first light the bay is almost empty and the sea is flat.

Families do well in Ksamil when plans stay simple: a shallow beach, one outing a day and strict water rules around the islets. This page lists what suits children, what to watch and what it costs in lek (ALL). Summer is the working season, and many places close from roughly October to April. Where small children can paddle Lori Beach, around 700 m west of the village centre, has shallow, sheltered water, and himara.

Ksamil is a small village with a beach, so the best days out are elsewhere in the south. Here are the trips worth making, with the distance, the time and the main cost of each. Money is in lek (ALL), and most gates and buses want cash. Quick comparison Trip From Ksamil Length of outing Butrint about 4 km, 10 minutes half day Blue Eye about 40 km, about 1 hour half day Gjirokaster about 70 km, about 1.

What to see near Ksamil comes down to one major archaeological park, a few castles and a set of small islands. The list below puts the main site first, then the smaller stops in the order you are likely to reach them. Prices are in lek (ALL), paid in cash. Butrint National Park Inscribed by UNESCO in 1992, Butrint spreads over a wooded peninsula between the Vivari channel and Lake Butrint.