Parga Castle

What makes it special

The castle sits on the hilltop between the port and Valtos, the longest sandy beach in Parga. Its ruins are the outline you see on the cliff from the sand.

Look up as you reach the entrance for the winged lion above it. Most of the castle you walk through is Venetian work, from a rule that ran until 1797. The citadel at the summit is known as Ali Pasha's acropolis, after the ruler who later strengthened the defences.

From the battlements the walls, gates and turrets frame the harbour, the deep-blue bays and the open sea beyond. Panagia, the islet in view from the walls, has the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at its centre.

Visiting

From the square with the large anchor on the promenade, a narrow lane of more than 60 steps climbs through the old town to the castle. Souvenir shops line most of the way. A second route starts at the end of Patatoukou street.

The paved stone path ends at the gate on the southwest side, guarded by a rounded bastion. Just inside, the rebuilt barracks now hold a cafe, with a WC on site.

Walk the full circuit of the walls first, past old weapons, towers, storerooms and tunnels. Then climb to the citadel on the summit, where a church stands among the ruined rooms. To leave, retrace the lane to the port, or take the path past the castle down to Valtos beach.

Tips

The old town below the castle is the steepest part of Parga, a knot of narrow alleys, some of them stepped.

The gates shut at 8pm, so make the climb in the late afternoon, when the light lies across the harbour and the deep-blue bays. The cafe just inside the gate is a place to sit before you explore the ruins.