Ipiros - Preveza

PREVEZA

Preveza The town lies 410 kms from Athens and 50 kms from Arta. The town and its port are located at the entrance to the Amvrakikos Gulf. The cathedral church of Agios loannis with its artistic altar screen and the Venetian Clock Tower are worth a visit. There are several pleasant swimming beaches near Preveza such as those of Agios Georgios, Margarona, Skafidaki and Agii Apostoli. Preveza is an entry and exit point in Greece and has Customs and Health authorities as well as a passport control office and foreign currency exchange facilities. There is also a yacht revictualling and bunker station.

NIKOPOLIS
Nikopolis lies 7 kms from Preveza and its ruins mark the site of the large ancient city built by the Roman Emperor Octavius in the 1st century B.C. The city walls have survived in fairly good condition and there are traces of two theatres, e stadium, a gymnasium and temples dedicated to Aris (Mars) and Poseidon. There are also Roman baths in the area as well as two burial grounds where excavations produced many finds. In addition, there are remains of four Early Christian basilicas showing very attractive mosaics. From Nikopolis one can proceed to the village of Kanali (14 kms from Preveza) with a fine swimming beach.

Beyond it is the village of Zalongo (27 kms from Preveza) where the famous monument stands in memory of the women of Souli who jumped to their death off the high cliff rather than be captured by the Turks.

KASSOPI
The ruins of this ancient city lie near to Zalongo. It was destroyed in the 4th century B.C. There are remains of two theatres and a large building which served as a hostel.

MESSOPOTAMOS
This is a village, 45 kms from Preveza at the junction of the Aheron and Kokitos Rivers where the ancient necromantic oracle stood. It was the only of its kind known in Greece, where the ancient inhabitants of Ipiros communicated with souls of their dead. According to mythology this was the spot where Charon rowed the dead across the subterranean lake and took them to Hades.

PARGA

Parga Parga lies 64 kms from Preveza and 90 kms from Arta. It is a small, picturesque town with many attractions. It has been built amphitheatrically round a bay and is flanked by small inlets and coves, sandy beaches and islets off- shore with thickly wooded hills all around which make it look like a set piece for a landscape painter.

There are attractive spots in the surrounding district such as the sandy beach at Lihnos, or Kiperi with its immense, spreading plane tree, Nerantzoula, Agios Thanasis, Krioneri, Hayopoulo and the Agios Nikolaos bay with its large fresh water spring which breaks surface in the sea. All the land around Parga is well watered making thus the entire district very fertile.

The Venetian fortress next to the town is worth a visit and so is Erimokastro perched on a conical hill while, in the church of Agii Apostoli, there are many ecclesiastical relics and a 12th century ikon of the Virgin, Mary.