Car & Van Hire - Parga

While the Parga of today is a quintessential Greek beach town, it was once a major Hellenistic settlement. Occupied by the Thesprotians in antiquity, traces of this rich history can be found throughout the area. The town grew more under the Venetians who took control in the 15th century. Parga remained largely in the hands of Venetians despite the Ottoman invasion of Epirus over the next centuries. Landmarks from this period include the ruins of Parga Castle, which loom over the town from its hilltop setting.

Parga's Venetian Castle provides one of the best walks and viewpoints in the town. It also hosts performances and exhibitions during peak seasons from its reconstructed central building. Another highlight of the area is the Ali Pasha Castle, located above Anthousa, some 5 km from Parga's centre. Constructed in the 18th century by the Ottoman ruler of Ioannina, it served as a base for military activity against Parga, which largely resisted Turkish and Albanian attacks until the fall of the Republic of Venice (1797).

Parga is rich in olive trees which were planted by Venetians in the 15th century. As a result, olive oil production was a major industry during the early 20th century. Today, you can learn about the process at the Paragaea Olive Oil Museum, housed in a former factory. The museum also hosts Greek cooking courses and local wine tastings.

Parga's dining scene boasts the best in Greek and Mediterranean produce. Port-side restaurants offer seafood, typical bars, grills and tavernas. Local dishes include hilopites, a Greek pasta served with olive oil and cheese, and lamb kleftiko, lamb slow-cooked and marinated in garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.

The beaches, sailing and water sports activities are by far Parga's most popular pursuits. The town itself consists of two main beaches, the long crescent Valtos and the smaller Ai Giannakis. With a car, you can gain access to more remote locations along the coast like Agios Giannakis, Agios Sostis, Sarakiniko and Lichnos, the latter offering access to the beautiful Aphrodite's Cave. Water sports are available from Valtos Beach, with companies offering water skis, wakeboarding, boat rentals and inflatables.

Car or van hire in Parga will let you explore the Epirus region in more detail. Highlights include the nature reserve of Valtos Kalodikiou, home to otters and turtles, and the hiking trails of Katafigio Agrias Zois Ammoudia. Ioannina, the capital of the region, is located 1 hour away by car. Ioannina provides lakeside excursions on Pamvotida among a plenitude of museums and monasteries.

Parga is a small coastal tourist town with many winding single-lane roads and steep ascents and descents. It's best to avoid driving into the narrow centre and port area itself unless necessary. The harbour itself is pedestrianised during the day. You should also take great care when driving around corners, as there are some steep turns in pedestrian-heavy areas. Locals and tourists alike also tend to park on the side of the main road that enters the town – so be extra cautious of such vehicles.

In general, the speed limits in Parga are 30 km/h. However, you'll want to lower this so as to be more aware of your surroundings. Once you've reached the town's outskirts, limits climb to 50 km/h in built-up areas and then 90 km/h on highways like the E55. The latter highway is the main route to Aktion Airport. Motorways in Greece do reach limits of 120 km/h, but these are rare around Parga.

The main roads in and around Parga are generally well-maintained. Some can be steep, so confidence with height driving is recommended. Be warned that there are a lot of "off-road" trails and mountain paths that should only be approached with a 4x4 vehicle. These are well sign-posted and will unlikely be recommended by any GPS or SatNav system.

Parking in Parga can be notoriously difficult during peak seasons and hours. There are several private off-street car parks with their own signposted rules and on-street spots. These range from cash-only sites to free but limited spots. Traffic police routinely patrol the area during the summer season with on-the-spot fines for double parking, among other violations. If you're staying in Parga, be sure to park at your accommodation and walk into the central waterfront zone instead.

Much like the rest of Europe, cars are driven on the right-hand side of the road in Greece. It is also important to note that overtaking is prohibited when there are humps in the roads, bends, pedestrian crossings, junctions and bottlenecks. What's more, the middle lane of three-lane highways is generally used only for passing. If you're driving with your family with a car hire in Parga, remember that children under 10 years of age are not permitted to travel in the front seat.