Parga

Parga is a mainland coastal town in Epirus that feels like a Greek island without the ferry ride. Colourful neoclassical houses cascade down olive-covered slopes to a harbour where fishing boats bob beneath a Venetian castle built in the 11th century and expanded by the Republic of Venice in the 16th. Climbing to the castle provides 360-degree views across the Ionian Sea, the Panagia islet (topped with a chapel and reachable by swimming), and the beaches that fan out on either side of the headland. Valtos Beach stretches west — a long, organised strand backed by pine-covered cliffs — while Lichnos Beach lies in a sheltered bay to the southeast, its translucent water rivalling any Greek island cove. The old town’s narrow lanes are lined with family-run tavernas serving Epirote pies, freshly grilled fish, and local tsipouro. Inland, the Acheron River — the mythological river of the underworld — offers trekking through cool gorges and waterfalls near the village of Gliki. Parga also serves as a launch point for day trips to Paxos and Antipaxos, and the crystal-clear coves of nearby Sivota.