Leaving Saranda port your journey takes you inland, crossing the River Bistrica, the rocky channel of Tsouka and the wide plain of Vurgu and long a marshy landscape beside Lake Butrint, whose waters were inhabited in ancient times by nymphs and dryads. Your destination is the Unesco World Heritage Site of Butrint, located in a region of extensive bio-diversity making it fascinating to nature lovers who come to admire the birdlife, butterflies and flora, as much as to After you leave the port, your journey will take you to Unesco World Heritage Site of Butrint, located in a region of extensive bio-diversity making it fascinating to nature lovers who come to admire the birdlife, butterflies and flora, as much as to those who wish to retrace ancient history. The Roman emperor Augustus founded a colony here and Butrint was the site of a small Roman port city until the 6th century AD. Following periods of Byzantine and Venetian rule the city was largely abandoned at the end of the Middle Ages when marshland encroached on its territory. One of the most wondrous archaeological sites of the Mediterranean region, Butrint is yours to discover, wander like an early explorer amongst the ruins left by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Turks scattered amongst the dense trees of this enchanted forest. Visitors will explore only the lower part and learn more about the history. Next you stop at Hotel Livia. The beautiful surrounding estuary offers the perfect growing conditions for mussels. The hotel’s chef will demonstrate how to cook and prepare a delicious recipe which includes the famous mussels if they are in season.