Parga

Parga (Population: 11,866 (2011)) is a small town on the Ionian coast of mainland Greece, just between the cities of Igoumenitsa and Preveza, in the region of Epirus.

Understand
The main draws to Parga are the historical castle which overlooks the town (from a headland to the west of the town) and the beaches. Near the town centre is Krioneri beach, to the west of the town (beyond the castle) is Valtos beach, and 4km to the west of the town is Lichnos beach. Despite its scenic beauty, tourism is rather new here and the number of foreign tourists is small. People in Parga are friendly and the town still feels genuinely Greek. The majority of tourists frequenting Parga are Greeks, although it is gradually becoming more popular among foreign tourists, especially during peak holiday times (namely, July and August).

Get in
There are basically only two ways of getting to Parga, by car or bus, and by boat. There are several daily bus connections from both Preveza and Igoumenitsa, as well as boats from Corfu. Charter tourists arrive with buses from the airport close to Preveza.

Get around
Parga is a very small town, so there is really no need for transportation to get around, except from the boats leaving every now and then to the nearby beaches Lichnos and Valtos. It is possible to walk, though the trip can be very warm during the day. To get to the surrounding areas, there is a car and scooter rental in town.

Buy

 * Parga honey is a local speciality - it is sold by various merchants on the road just in front of Krioneri beach in the town centre.
 * There are many interest curios shops on the narrow alley leading from the town centre up the hill towards the Greek Fortress.

Eat
There are other restaurants, including a Chinese, on the beachside.

Go next

 * Buses leave to both Preveza and Igoumenitsa several times a day. Please note that these are local buses, not driving directly between the towns. The trip may indeed take a few hours.
 * There are many travel bureaus around the town, where boat trips to Corfu and Paxos and Antipaxos (Paxos' smaller neighbour to the south) can be booked.
 * Many tour companies offer trips to Meteora, 2½ hr away by road, deep in the heart of the Greek mainland. Thanks to the construction of a motorway from EU funding, it is now possible to complete the trip in a day and it is no longer necessary to make a night-stop.