Epirus

About Epirus

Epirus is a province in northwestern Greece. It is divided into four prefectures: Arta, Ioannina, Preveza and Thesprotia. It has a population of about 350,000. The capital of Epirus and its largest city is Ioannina. A large part of Epirus lies on mountainous areas, called Pindus Mountains. These mountains are known for wild vegetation, lagoons and rivers. Although there are many beaches you can enjoy, if you are a mountain lover, you will cherish this area of Greece. Epirus has a great history, which is connected with the Crusades and Turkish Occupation. The whole traditional atmosphere in combination with the wonderful natural environment will fascinate you!

Epirus - North-West Greece

The region is Epirus in north-west Greece; Epirus is mostly made up of the Pindus Mountains, the backbone of Greece. Both the people and landscape have a unique character that's defined by the mountains, both quintessentially Greek, just a littler tougher, more rugged. Its name derives from words meaning infinite earth, the ancient Greeks believed the region to be a wilderness and the people barbarians, but many archeological sites around Epirus prove otherwise.

It is now thought that both the Mycenaens, and later the Dorians may have emerged from the mountains of Epirus. Since ancient times its history has been the same as the rest of the country, being invaded by everyone from the Romans to the Turks as with the rest of Greece. Up until now the one invasion of Greece not suffered by Epirus is mass tourism.

The Ionian Coast of Epirus

The coast line of Epirus is full of sandy beaches and hidden coves where the mountains fall into the Ionian sea, in some place the pine and fur forests reach the waters edge giving it a fjord-like appearance. The logical place to start travelling in Epirus is Preveza, in the south, having the only airport in the region with European flights. Preveza sits on the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf, it's a picturesque town with a lively waterfront lined with narrow streets of cafes and tavernas. The mouth of the gulf is dominated by two Venetian forts on either side; but is more famous for being the location of the battle of Actium in 31BC, where Octavian defeated Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. The ruins of Nikopoli "Victory City", built to celebrate Octavian's victory, are 7km north of Preveza.

Following the E55 road along the coast north of Preveza is the town of Parga, similar to Preveza with the strong Venetian influence, lively waterfront and sandy beaches. The town is in the shape of a tiered amphitheatre around the bay, with the Venetian buildings and an island atmosphere it feels more like Corfu than Epirus. It's one of Greece's most scenic towns with some beautiful sandy beaches and a breathtaking view across the bay.

Other places of interest along the coast are the ruins of Kassopi near the village of Kamarina, capital city of the ancient tribe of Kassopians; the Necromanteion of Efyras, 37km south of Parga, it is believed to be the gateway to Hades by the ancients. It's not the greatest archeological site in Greece, but how often can you write on a postcard that you've visited the gates of Hell.

At the very northern part of Epirus on the coastline is the port of Igoumenitsa which is the main gateway to Greece for anyone driving from Europe. Ships from Trieste, Venice, Ancona, bari and Corfu all bring thousands of tourists to Greece every year.