Parga
Parga is a town and municipality located in the northwestern part of Greece. It is a resort town known for its natural environment and attracts thousands of tourists. Valtos Beach is one of the best and longest, located near the castle. Lichnos Beachis located 3 km from Parga.
Nearest airport is Preveza, about an hour from Parga by bus. Parga is a nice small town resembling towns on Greek islands. We had a very nice day tour to the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos, and a boat trip along the coast and up a small river from Ammoudia. The other days we either spent at the Valtos beach, on the other side of the castle, or on the local beach in Parga. We spent evenings at small restaurants in the Harbor.
2013-07 – Arrival and first evening in Parga
We flew into Praveza, and we reached Parga after about an hour in a bus.
I had carefully selected a hotel by description and location, and Bacoli turned out to be a nice modest oasis not far uphill from the main street and the harbour. The garden had different fruit trees, providing shade in the afternoon – perfect for an Ouzo after a day on the beach.
We walked down through the pedestrian shopping street to the pier to have lunch. Then I walked up to the castle to get an overview of the town. In the evening we walked up to the ridge between the town and Valtos beach and dined in in a restaurant overlooking the Valtos bay.
2013-07 – The Parga Castle
The second day I walked up to the fort to explore the castle remains and the fortifications. It was a hot walk, but I was rewarded with a magnificent view of the town and the Valtos beach. I stopped for a coffee in a small restaurant overlooking the harbour.
The Castle was used to protect the town from invasions from the mainland and the sea. It was initially built in the 11th century to protect the town from pirates and the Ottomans. In the 13th century the Venetians rebuilt the castle to fortify the area. In 1452, Parga and the castle were occupied by the Ottomans for two years; part of the castle was demolished at that time. In 1537, Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa burned and destroyed the fortress and the houses within.
2013-07 – Valtos Beach – on the other side of the fort
To get to Valtos Beach from the town we had to climb a lot of steps between tourist shops – the same street that leads up to the fort. Instead of turning left at the ridge to the fort, there was a new set of steps leading down on the other side towards tempting clear water.
Alternatively you can take a boat from the harbour, round the cliff to Valtos beach.
On the beach we hired sun-beds, and in the nearby Tango Club we had our lunch. A nice place with a pool and lots of music.
2013-07 – Evening in Parga
Not much to do in the evenings except looking in shops and dining in one of the several restaurants. I prefer family ordinary restaurants to the more fashionable. There you get good personal service.
It is nice with a stroll along the beach promenade after dinner, and perhaps have a coffee and drinks in one of the many bars.
2013-07 – Boat trip to Antipaxos and Paxos
We crossed to a beautiful bay in Antipaxos where we stopped for swimming. Then we continued to a large cave on the west side of Paxos. Here we all jumped into the water and swam through the cave.
Thereafter we continued back and around to the town of Gaios on the east side. Here we went ashore and had lunch at a taverna. After walking around the harbor area we returned to the boat for a cruise back to Parga.
2013-07 – Boat Trip up the Acheron River from Ammoudia
We also booked a trip by a smaller boat to explore a Acheron river. The boat took us along the shore to the river estuary near the beach village of Ammoudia.
Sailing slowly up the river was nice, and we felt like explorers. On the way back we stopped for half an hour in Ammoudia, where there is not much to do except look in one of the very few shops, or have something to eat or drink in a local taverna.
The tour included a stop at Lichnos Beach to swim and lay in the sun, but we were surprised by a rain shower. Perfect time to have lunch at the beach restaurant.