Parga Informations

The town of Parga is about 50 km south of Igoumenitsa on the shore of the Ionian sea, opposite the islands Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Parga rises like an amphitheatre up the slopes surrounding the small secluded bay. The small harbour and the boulevard with a lot of restaurants, taverns, bars and cafes whose chairs and tables fill the pavement, the narrow alleyways without car traffic give Parga it's own intimate atmosphere. A string of small rocky islands protects the bay. The largest island has a whitewashed chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, another chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas, and a small fort built by the French in 1808. You can swim from the beach here or in the smaller bay along the shore to the east. Parga today has about 2.500 inhabitants. The surrounding area is planted with olive, orange, lemon, mandarin and other fruit trees, which cover all the other hills around.

The olive tree dominates as you may well have noticed the surrounding area. No wonder because there are about a hundred thousand olive trees in Parga. The trees are much higher here than in other parts of Greece because nobody trimmed them during the Turkish occupation. The trade in olives and olive-oil is except from the tourism the main source of income.

Parga is a resort that will appeal to all ages. It has a rich and eventful history, rare physical beauty, interlaced beaches, emerald sea, calm bays, olive groves and a healthy climate. The influence of the Venetians is marked in its architecture with the Venetian castle set prominently on the hillside overlooking the town.

On the waterfront an array of tavernas offer typically Greek dishes accompanied by fine local wines and across the harbour colorful small boats come and go. The pace of life is slow and relaxed but in the evening the harbour bustles with a cosmopolitan atmosphere which manages to suit all tastes.