Parga Greece

Tucked away beside a small bay on the lush northwest coast of Greece, the little town of Parga clusters in tiers below a Venetian castle (The Castle of Parga). Parga, located 53 km south of Igoumenitsa, is a popular destination for Greek and Italian tourists, and an ideal stop-over if you plan to visit some of the interesting historical sites in Epirus, Greece.

One of the charms of Parga, it is a very genuine Greek small town. You get the real greek food at most places (if not all), not the tourist version, and people are just very nice. There are as many Greek tourists as people from elsewhere in the world. Wintertime Parga has about 2.500 inhabitants. During tourist-season, many more…

From the Castle of Parga

With the nice town, the harbour and its restaurants, the nearby beaches and the good food, Parga is worth a visit. It is a quiet and relaxing place. Not for those who want a lot to do and having a party but for those who want to relax and take it easy and to make trips into the mainland and some of the nearby islands like Paxos and Antipaxos. The big island of Corfu is also not all that far away.

Parga itself has an interesting history. From the 1300s – 1700s the port was a Venetian stronghold. The Venetian Lion of St. Mark still stands guard over the portals of the kastro. In later dates, both French and Russians took over the town until it was acquired by the British and became a British Protectorate. At this time the Ottoman Turks ruled the Balkans and the notorious Ali Pasha was carving his own Sultanate out of north west Greece. Unfortunately, in 1819, the British agreed to sell Parga to the Ali Pasha with a promise of a truce for the Souliot freedom fighters who occupied the area. The majority of townspeople, knowing his brutal reputation, fled to the Ionian islands. The rebellious Souliot partisans, however, resisted and this led to a historic event in Greek history.

Read also:

• First Impressions of Visiting Parga
• Nekromanteion of Parga- Greek Oracle of the Dead
• The Castle of Parga

Explore the Map of Parga. Parga, Greece location:

To find out more, visit A Complete Guide to Parga Greece