Parga walking tour & city guide

The old town and the castle

Parga was held by Venice for centuries, which is unusual for the Greek mainland, and the castle on the hill dates from that period. A walk up through the stepped lanes of the old town, lined with shops and tavernas under vines and bougainvillea, leads to its gate. Inside, among pine trees and ruined walls, are views over the town on one side and the long Valtos beach on the other.

Below the town, the harbour and the beach of Krioneri look out to the small island of Panagia, with its white chapel, which can be reached by a short swim or a boat ride.

A walking route

Start on the seafront at Krioneri beach and follow the promenade to the harbour, then climb through the old town lanes to the Venetian castle. From the castle, a path and steps lead down the other side to Valtos beach. Come back to the harbour in the evening, when the whole hillside is lit up and the waterfront fills with people.

Beaches and day trips

Besides Krioneri and Valtos, the sheltered cove of Lichnos lies a few kilometres east of town and can be reached by water taxi. Boats from the harbour also visit the Ionian islands of Paxos and Antipaxos. Inland, the Acheron River, linked in ancient myth with the underworld, has cool springs at Glyki where you can wade upstream through a gorge, and the ancient Necromanteion oracle stands near its mouth.

Visiting tips

The nearest airport is Preveza (Aktion), about an hour away, and ferries from Italy and Corfu arrive at Igoumenitsa, about forty minutes to the north. Parga is hilly and the old town lanes are steep, so comfortable shoes help. July and August are busy; June and September are quieter and still warm.