Somewhere between the emerald green islets, the steep skerries, the small sandy voes, the orgasmic vegetation and the blue lagoons, stands Parga, a town nestled in the shores of the Ionian Sea. Under the soft winter light, it looks just like a post card from a forgotten tropical paradise.

As the town of Parga unfolds before my eyes, I once again think of all the gems that pop out of nowhere, no matter where in Greece you happen to be. In Parga, all the clichés you’ve come across in a travel guide, make sense and take on a new meaning; it’s a “breathtaking” town by the water, endowed with “unspoiled natural beauty”, one of the “best kept secrets” around… The first time I saw Parga was through the black and white pictures of the Swiss traveler and photographer Fred Boissonas, who visited Parga at the beginnings of last century. Although a whole century has passed by, the landscape managed to retain its uniqueness and to prevail over the concrete attacks.

The landscape is indeed fascinating, endowed with the very best nature has to offer. The town is built on the evergreen slopes that sink down into the Ionian Sea, forming countless small bays. Tall rocks and islets emerge out of the water, whereas the islands of Paxoi and Antipxoi pop up in the background. The landscape looks just like an impressionist artist’s painting. The sea and the olive groves around the city make blue and green the prevailing colors in this painter’s palette. The town is crammed in a thin strip of land that connects the Venetian Castle to the mainland. The winding streets begin at the castle’s gate, pass through the “Turkish bazaar” and end up on the waterfront. Deserted and silent during the winter months, they vibrate during the summer, as thousands of tourists, mainly Italians, come here to spend their holidays. At this time, in the middle of the winter, there are very few people walking on Parga’s cobblestone alleys. However, they seem to enjoy the walk on the waterfront, fishing on the dock, shopping in the main market. The winters go by slowly and quietly, waiting for the summer. Parga slowly sinks into hibernation, with the wakeup call coming near spring time. The winter visitor will find the castle’s gate locked and most stores on the water front closed. But he or she will wander undisturbed around the old neighborhoods, in the Venetian olive grove with the huge olive trees and on the snow-white sand beaches of Valtos, Lichnos and Kryoneri.

The wood jetty with the sailing boats on Fred Boissonas’ picture is now replaced by a concrete one, but the people keep on gazing with the same look in their eyes the Ionian Sea. The years made the mule driver that crosses Valtos beach disappear. The house facades are now painted in bright colors, giving the port a lively and happy feel. Behind the glossy port façade, Parga still holds its charm and this unique feel of an island that has sailed ashore.

Gazing at the small islands that emerge out of the emerald green waters and at the lush vegetation that surrounds the town, I realize the phenomenal similarity of Parga to the Pi Pi islands at the far away Thailand. Leonardo Di Caprio could have might as well shoot “The Beach” right here, since the landscape resembles 100% the ultimate exotic destination featured in most travel magazines. Parga, an earthly paradise on the Ionian Sea’s shores, is the best alternative if Thailand is too far away…

By: Tina Kontogiannopoulos