Albania came on to my wish list in 2023 when I watched the wonderful Bettany Hughes, the Oxford historian and broadcaster, this time on the BBC, wax lycricing about the Butrint Archaeological Site in the furthest reaches of Albania, close to the Greek border.

You always wonder if you will get as much out of a visit, without the infectious enthusiasm and knowledge of someone like Bettany, but this was not needed here. It is a smallish site, with an easy to follow path, short informative instructions at each junction and a wonderful, small, but perfectly curated museum at the end. All made more wonderful by it’s location, on a tree covered bulbous spit of land in the middle of a vast lagoon. The trees give you much needed shade, and yet shards of sunlight cover the main structures like spot lights in a dark room. It is a peaceful and very beautiful place.

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. What makes Butrint special is, like the country, that so many groups of people passed through it, each adding depth to the site and bringing their own architectural flair. The building of Butrint started in this location with the Greeks in the 4th century BC. Then the Romans, Byzantines, Venetian, and finally the Ottomans all added to its importance. It becomes clear to you after visiting the museum how influential Butrint would have been in earlier times. Centrally positioned in the Mediterranean and a place you needed to circumnavigate if you had your sights set on Venice.

The only thing missing at the site was a cafe for a much needed cold drink after all that sun and history! For this you needed to take a short cabled car ferry ride ( think moving pier) to a drinks spot on the far bank. More fun!

What a great day here. How privileged I feel to have been able to visit, and thank you Bettany for inspiring me!