ALBANIA – VOUTHROTO – BLUE EYE

Our excursion begins at the international port of Corfu, where we must go through passport control. From there we will travel on our company’s flying dolphin, crossing the blue seas of the Ionian Sea towards the Albanian coast and after half an hour we will reach the city port of Sarandë. Upon arrival you will be able to visit the city of Sarandë known as the “Pearl of the Balkans”. This port city was built on the ruins of the ancient city of Onchismou that flourished during the Roman times but it was destroyed in 552 AD only to be founded again as a modern city during the Ottoman era.

Those of you who want to learn more about the history of this part of this country can enjoy a unique experience simply by following an optional excursion organised by our company, beginning from the archaeological city of Butrint and ending at a stunning natural landscape called the Blue Eye. After boarding the bus, the local guide will inform us about the history, the civilisation and the culture of this part of the world. Upon arrival at our destination, we will be able to admire one of the most well preserved cities with influences from all four Mediterranean civilisations. This city is a true archaeological treasure, as it travels us back in time, thousand of centuries ago, to the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian times. The city of Butrint is situated on a green peninsula, surrounded by rivers that link the Ionian Sea with the beautiful lagoon. The archaeological sites are located in a natural park witnessing the city’s old shine, with the temple of Asclepius, the amphitheatre and the Cyclopean walls travelling us to the Hellenistic period and the 3rd century B.C. Then we are travelling to the Roman period with the public baths called thermae, the gymnasium (training facilities), and the aqueduct (water reservoir) and to the Byzantine period, with the Byzantine church and the baptistery decorated with exquisite mosaics. The culmination of this historical route will be our visit to the castle, dating back to the Venetian period, situated at the top of a hill with a panoramic view to the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea.

Afterwards, we are having lunch at a traditional restaurant in the city of Sarandë. After lunch, we are heading to the Blue Eye –our last destination. This landscape will enchant you and calm down your soul. In the past, it was a relaxation landscape for the communist elite. Sitting under the shades of the green trees, the guide will tell you all about the myth of this amazing natural phenomenon.