Parga, Coastal town in Epirus, Greece
Parga is a coastal town in Epirus on the Ionian shore, where white houses with red-tiled roofs cover the slopes and a Venetian fortress rises on the hill above the harbor. Narrow lanes with stone steps lead from the upper part of town down to the water, where small beaches and a fishing quay form the center.
Venice built the fortress in the 14th century as a defensive post against Ottoman attacks and kept control of the site until 1797. The British sold the area to Ali Pasha of Ioannina in 1819, after which many residents left the town.
The old quarter sits on the slope between the castle and the harbor, where small squares open up with taverns and families gather for evening strolls. Fishermen dock their boats at the quay and sell the day's catch directly to nearby kitchens.
Boats run regularly from the harbor to nearby beaches such as Valtos and Lichnos during summer, which are harder to reach on foot. The climb to the castle starts at the upper edge of the old town and takes about 15 minutes on a paved path.
The Acheron River flows just a few kilometers south of town and forms natural pools where the water stays cold even in midsummer. Visitors can walk along the riverbed and enter the water at several points.
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