Parga, a Venetian seaside town
A Venetian town on the Ionian coast with a castle and beaches, which was sold to Ali Pasha in 1819.
- Location
- Ionian coast, between Preveza and Igoumenitsa
- Venice
- 1401–1797
- Sale
- 1819, to Ali Pasha
- Beaches
- Valtos, Krioneri, Lichnos
Parga lies on the Ionian coast between Preveza and Igoumenitsa. It is first mentioned in 1318 and came under Venetian control in 1401, run as a mainland exclave of Corfu. It remained Venetian until the fall of Venice in 1797.
Castle and beaches
The castle, on a hilltop above the town, defended against attacks from land and sea. The Ottomans destroyed parts of it several times and the Venetians rebuilt it in its final form. Valtos is one of the longest beaches and lies near the castle, Krioneri is the main beach and Lichnos is about 3 km away.
1819
In 1819 the British ceded control of Parga to Ali Pasha of Ioannina in exchange for a monetary settlement. Many residents, largely Greek and pro-Venetian, left rather than live under Ottoman rule. In 1913, after the Balkan Wars, Parga became part of Greece.
