Parga
Parga is located at a distance of 68 km. northwest to Preveza and 50 km. southeast to Igoumenitsa. It belongs to the prefecture of Preveza which id located in Epirus. The city of Parga is amphitheatrically built and is one of the most beautiful summer resorts of this country. Many picturesque streets lead to the castle, to its shops, restaurants, but also to its many bars and night clubs that there are in the city.
The whole picture of Parga with its picturesque bay, the beautiful little island of Virgin Mary and the taverns create a majestic atmosphere. This picture complete the exceptional beaches of the region: Kryoneri, Valtos, Lichnos, Sarakiniko, Ai – Giannakis. These beaches are fully organised and are oferred for many water sports.
Every summer many tourists visit Parga, as it has now an excellent touristic infrastructurs with many hotels, rental rooms, camping, restaurants, bars, cafes and night clubs that leave the best impressions to every visitor.
Though the history of Parga is also impressive:
According to the tradition its habitants have been settled there from the settlement of Palioparga to Petzovolio, the opposite mountain, after a sign of Virgin Mary. It is said that her icon “left” all the time the settlement of Palioparga and the habitants have always found it on the hill that nowadays there is the castle of Parga.
But also many arcaelogical items that were found into the settlement and the nearby region show that people lived here from the neolithic period. In 1337 the new settlement around the castle appears for the first time in byzantine documents.
From the 15th century till the end of the 18th century Parga is an autonomous regions, under the protection of the Venetians. Because of its location and the prosperity of its habitants, it was target for many conquerors, but also it was target of the famous pirate Chairentin Barbarossa.
In 1797 is conquered by the French and after by the British, that will give in to Ali Passia. Because of the help that it was offered by its habitants to the besieged Souliotes, they suffered the retaliations of Ali Passia and they were forced to abandon Parga.
On April 15th in 1819, the day of Holy Frida, the habitants of Parga burnt their dead people and left for Corfu. Ali Passia was forced to bring the Turks and Greek from Epirus to stay in the devasteted city. ΟThe native people of Parga turned back to their place after the February of 1913, when Parga was liberatedn by the Turks along with the rest part of Epirus.
