Places to Visit in Ksamil

Visit the historic site of Butrint protected by UNESCO (just 4 km from the campsite)

Butrint, ancient Buthrotum, a port from Hellenistic to Ottoman times, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-west Albania. Situated on the Straits of Corfu, and surrounded by a picturesque lagoon, it is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the Adriatic Sea region. Following twelve years of archaeological excavations and major investment in site management, the site and its museum make it an exceptionally attractive place to visit.

Visit the Blue Eye (just 25 km from the campsite)

Once reserved for the communist élite, the Blue Eye water spring in southern Albania now beckons all visitors, regardless of their political leanings, with its cool waters and the shady grounds that surround it.

The Blue Eye spring makes a refreshing spot for a break from the nearby archaeological site of Butrint, the ancient city of Byllis to the north or the newly-opened for visitors underground compound built during Albania’s totalitarian regime in the neighbouring city of Gjirokastër. While southern Albania holds numerous archaeological wonders, the country’s stunning nature and landscapes also make it a worthwhile destination. The region’s mountainous territory gives for surprising and dramatic landscapes – to be enjoyed either for their own sake or as the backdrop of historical sites, like the ancient cities of Butrint and Byllis or the modern city of Gjirokastër, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A spot of natural beauty of the former kind is the Blue Eye, known in Albanian as Syri Kaltër, which is located on the road between the cities of Saranda, on the Ionian Sea, and Gjirokastër, situated further inland.

The Blue Eye is a 45-metre deep water spring set amid a forest of hazelnuts, walnuts, cherries, pines and fir trees.

The water in the inner part of the spring appears very dark blue, like the pupil of an eye, and a lighter colour of blue as an outer ring – the iris, which gives the impression of a blue eye.

Some visitors also like to throw stones into the spring’s centre, only to see them pushed back up to the surface after a while.

Another pleasant, and perhaps a more fulfilling, activity at the site is enjoying lunch at the restaurant, located near the Blue Eye’s waterfall. The venue has tables built on a balustrade above a fresh spring water river, which creates a cool breeze moving upward – a welcoming factor in the summer heat that is not to be underestimated. The restaurant serves traditional Albanian food, like roast lamb and grilled fish.

Visit Gjirokastra town protected by UNESCO (just 70 km from the campsite)

Visit Lekuresi Castel near Saranda town( 14 km from the campsite)

Things to do while you are in Albania Visit the historical city of Berat