Parga is a town and municipality located in the northwestern part of the regional unit of Preveza in Epirus, northwestern Greece, with 12,000 inhabitants. The seat of the municipality is the village Kanallaki. Parga lies on the Ionian coast between the cities of Preveza and Igoumenitsa. It is a resort town known for its scenic beauty. The present municipality Parga was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Parga and Fanari. Parga is at a distance of 65 km from the Aktion National Airport and during the summer months connected with the surrounding islands (Paxos – Antipaxos – Corfu).
The Castle is found on the top of a hill overlooking the town and was used to protect the town from the mainland and the sea. It was initially built in the 11th century by the residents of Parga to protect their town from the pirates and the Turks. In the 13th century, as their control of the region increased, the Venetians rebuilt the castle to fortify the area. In 1452, Parga and the castle was occupied by the Ottomans for two years during which time part of the castle was demolished.. 1537, the pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa burnt and destroyed the fortress and the houses within. Before the reconstruction of the castle in 1572 by Venetians, the Turkish demolished it once again.
Parga and the surrounding areas have many restaurants and seaside taverns serving fresh fish and unique local recipes. The character of the city is lively and modern but also with intense elements of the past. Place for daily meetings is the main road in front of the port, where every evening you can enjoy the sunset, while the sun disappears in the Ionian Sea, between the Castle and the Island of Virgin Mary. The entertainment in Parga begins early in the morning and never stops. With idyllic walks and tours, with small stoned paths and traditional good food. Even when the daylight doesn’t reflect in the Ionian sea, Parga has many surprises for you and as long as the night is coming around the city reveals to you picturesque taverns by the sea or inside the small paths, tranquil and lounge places for your drink, but also and vigorous and entertaining rhythms for those who seek this kind of entertainment. In Parga and the wider region you could enjoy many sports, marine and other, since there are facilities for diving, water skiing, fishing, wind – surfing, hiking, bird watching, rafting, mountain biking, paragliding and horse riding.
Parga rightfully attracts thousands of tourists every summer, not only because of its natural beauties, but also because of its beautiful beaches. Swimmers can enjoy the calm and warm waters, and a wide variety of sea sports or games are also available. The coasts of Parga are probably the best part by the beaches of Ionian Sea. The most popular and most visited beaches are: Valtos, Kryoneri, Piso Kryoneri, Lichnos, Sarakiniko, Ai Giannakis and other steep but also of rare beauty beaches.
