Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The kástro
8am-midnight • Free
The blufftop Venetian
kástro
provides a haven from Párga's bustle; a long stair-street
leads up to the crumbled, cypress-tufted ramparts, which offer excellent views.
Restored barracks inside the castle boundary house a recommended café; you can
continue up a cobbled way to one of Ali Pasha's summer palaces, a warren of vaulted
rooms and cisterns, with ruined, domed baths at the very summit.
The beaches
Párga's
beaches
line several
consecutive bays
, split by various headlands. The small,
spring-chilled bay of
Kryonéri
lies opposite the islet studded with a monastery and
Napoleonic fortifications, a 200m swim or pedalo from the town quay. Tiny but scenic
Gólfo
beach
, the next (less clean) cove southeast, is reached by a narrow lane signposted
for its eponymous taverna. Immediately northwest beyond the kástro (reached on foot
by the long ramp from the kástro gate, or frequent water-taxis from the town dock) lies
Váltos beach
, more than 1km in length as it arcs around to the eponymous hamlet.
Lýkhnos
beach
, 3km in the opposite (southeast) direction, is similarly huge; a shaded
path through the olive groves from the far end of Kyronéri short-cuts the winding road
in, or again taxi-boats spare you the walk.
3
Castle of Ayiá
8am-midnight • Free
A short, 5km excursion (covered several times daily by tourist train from Kyronéri quay)
leads to the diminutive
castle of Ayiá
(actually between Anthoússa and Ayiá), illuminated
at night. Head west on the main road through and beyond Anthoússa, then turn off at the
side road for Tríkorfo hamlet. The castle is more elaborate and intact than apparent from a
distance, having been rebuilt in 1814 by Ali Pasha's Italian engineers. There's unrestricted
access to the dungeons, the upper gallery and the roof with its rusty cannons and superb
views encompassing Paxí, Váltos beach, Ammoudhiá and Lefkádha.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
PÁRGA
By bus
The KTEL station - just a small booth - is up on the
bypass road, near the start of Spýrou Livadhá (the way to
Váltos).
Destinations
Athens (3 daily; 7hr); Igoumenítsa (5 daily;
1hr); Préveza (4 daily; 2hr).
Services
The post office is on Alexándhrrou Bánga, start
of the main market street, which also has two ATMs.
Kanaris Travel
on the quay sells a few maps and English-
language books/magazines.
Parga.net
at the jetty base
provides internet access (wi-fi signal for laptops); there's
no tourist office, though
W
parga.gr is a useful source of
information.
GETTING AROUND
Taxis
The main taxi rank is at the corner of Spýrou Livadhá
and Alexándhrou Bánga.
Car and scooter rental
Established car rental outlets
include
Parga Hire
at Spýrou Livadhá 4 (
T
26840 31833,
W
pargahire.com);
Synthesis
at Alexándhrou Bánga 6
(
T
26840 31700) and
Budget/National
in Kyronéri at Ayíou
Athanasíou 4 (
T
26840 32584). Waterfront travel agencies
rent scooters.
Parking
There is only one free lot at Kryonéri and a free
olive grove.
ACCOMMODATION
Tour operators and regular visitors monopolize most of Párga's accommodation between mid-June and early September.
Outside these seasons, however, you'll have ample choice on spec.
Rooms/studios
cluster in the lanes inland from
Kryonéri, and the ridge of Tourkopázaro (officially Odhós Patatoúka), where premises have unbeatable views over Váltos
beach.
Camping
options also exist handy to several of the beach areas.
Galini
Kryonéri
T
26840 31581,
W
hotel-galini.com.
On the edge of town below Váltos road, this hotel is
set in a small garden and is as quiet as the name
(“Serenity”) implies, with 25 large, though spartan,
rooms
with
a/c and balconies. Breakfast included. Easter
to Oct.
€80
