Parga Beaches, Greece: A Guide to Every Beach around Parga in Epirus
Parga's best-known beaches are Valtos and Lichnos, two large organised bays on either side of the castle headland, while the sandy town beach and Kryoneri sit in the centre below the Venetian fortress. Parga is a resort town on the Epirus coast of mainland Greece, opposite the island of Paxos. Its beaches spread along the coast east and west of the town, from busy organised bays with watersports to quiet pebble coves with no facilities. For the town itself see the Parga guide, and for places to stay the Parga hotels guide.
- Region
- Epirus coast
- Best known
- Valtos & Lichnos
- Valtos length
- 3 km
- Sarakiniko
- 8 km west
Parga beaches at a glance
Parga has around a dozen named beaches within a short drive of the town, and the table below lists each beach with its distance from Parga, its sand or pebble make-up, and whether it is organised. A dash marks a detail not stated in this guide.
| Beach | Distance from Parga | Sand / pebble | Organised? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parga Town Beach | Town centre | Sand | Yes |
| Kryoneri | 1 km | Sand & pebble | Yes |
| Piso Kryoneri (Golfo) | 2 km | — | Yes |
| Valtos | 2 km | Pebble | Yes |
| Lichnos | 4 km (south-east) | Sand & pebble | Yes |
| Sarakiniko | 8 km (west) | Sand & shingle | A few tavernas |
| Agios Sostis | 7 km | Pebble | No |
| Beretiniko | — | — | No |
| Spartila | 4 km (west) | — | No |
| Agios Ioannis | 6 km (east) | Sand & pebble | No |
| Ai Giannakis | 7 km (east) | Pebble | Summer cantina |
| Pogonia | — | Pebble | No |
Parga town beach and Kryoneri
Parga's town beach is a large sandy beach in the centre of the resort, facing the islet of Panagia and its church. The town beach has hotels and tavernas behind it, and you rent sunbeds and umbrellas on the sand. Kryoneri Beach lies 1 kilometre from the centre, an easy walk, and is partly sand and partly pebble; the islet of Panagia, the Virgin Mary, sits in the sea in front of it. Piso Kryoneri Beach, also called Golfo Beach, lies 2 kilometres from the centre in a bay sheltered by a hill topped with the church of Agios Athanasios. Piso Kryoneri stays quieter than Kryoneri and looks out on the islet of Panagia and the rocks of Skordas and Kremidas. All three beaches sit within 1 to 2 kilometres of the centre and have shops, tavernas, hotels and full facilities.
Valtos Beach
Valtos Beach is a 3-kilometre pebble beach on the far side of Parga's castle headland, about 2 kilometres from the centre. You reach Valtos on foot in about 20 minutes, by car, or by taxi boat in summer. Valtos is an organised beach with sunbeds and umbrellas for hire and a choice of watersports. Its length keeps space on the sand even in high season. The beach is made mostly of tiny white pebbles.
Lichnos Beach
Lichnos Beach lies about 4 kilometres south-east of Parga, a sandy beach with some pebbles set in a large bay. Lichnos is an organised beach with facilities, sunbeds and watersports. You reach it on foot, by car or by boat. The cave of Aphrodite sits at Lichnos, and you visit it by boat or pedal boat; myth says the goddess of love bathed here.
Sarakiniko and the western beaches
West of Parga's castle headland lie Sarakiniko and a cluster of quieter coves — Agios Sostis, Beretiniko and Spartila.
Sarakiniko Beach
Sarakiniko Beach lies 8 kilometres west of Parga, a quieter mixed sand-and-shingle beach reached by car or water taxi. Sarakiniko has a few tavernas and some accommodation nearby, yet it stays fairly quiet next to Valtos and Lichnos. Local legend names the beach after the pirate Sarakinis, who was shipwrecked here and helped by villagers before he tried to abduct a local bride and was chased away.
Agios Sostis Beach
Agios Sostis is an isolated pebble beach 1 kilometre south of Sarakiniko and 7 kilometres from Parga, with no facilities and the Agios Sostis chapel set between two huge rocks above it.
Beretiniko Beach
Beretiniko is a quiet beach 500 metres north of Sarakiniko.
Spartila Beach
Spartila is a quiet beach about 4 kilometres west of the town.
Agios Ioannis, Ai Giannakis and the eastern beaches
East of Parga lie a string of quiet pebble beaches, including Agios Ioannis, Ai Giannakis and the Pogonia coves.
Agios Ioannis Beach
Agios Ioannis Beach is a quiet beach of white sand and white pebbles 6 kilometres east of Parga, set in a sheltered bay below a high mountain; rocks on the seabed make water shoes useful.
Ai Giannakis Beach
Ai Giannakis Beach is a small pebble beach 7 kilometres east of Parga, ringed by olive trees with a high cliff on one side; it can get busy, a small cantina opens in the summer months, and a paved winding road leads down to parking near the beach.
Pogonia beaches
The Pogonia beaches lie further east, small tranquil pebble beaches below high cliffs, with rocks and small islands offshore.
FAQ: Parga beaches
Does Parga have nice beaches?
Yes. Parga's coast holds two of the largest organised bays on this stretch of the Ionian, Valtos and Lichnos, alongside the sandy town beach and Kryoneri in the centre and a run of quiet pebble coves west and east of the town. The mix ranges from busy bays with sunbeds and watersports to facility-free coves such as Agios Sostis and the Pogonia beaches.
How many beaches does Parga have?
Parga has around a dozen named beaches within a short drive of the town. They run from the sandy town beach, Kryoneri and Piso Kryoneri in the centre, through the organised bays of Valtos and Lichnos, to quieter coves such as Sarakiniko, Agios Sostis, Beretiniko, Spartila, Agios Ioannis, Ai Giannakis and the Pogonia beaches.
What is the prettiest beach in Parga?
Valtos and Lichnos are Parga's best-known beaches, and each has a distinctive draw. Valtos is a 3-kilometre sweep of tiny white pebbles below the castle headland, while Lichnos sits in a large bay and hides the cave of Aphrodite, where myth says the goddess of love bathed. The town beach gives the classic Parga view across to the islet of Panagia and its church.
Is Parga very touristy?
Parga is a developed resort town, so its central and best-known beaches — the town beach, Valtos and Lichnos — are the busiest and carry full facilities. Quieter coves lie a short distance out on either side: Agios Sostis, Beretiniko, Spartila and the Pogonia beaches have few or no facilities and stay calm next to the resort's main bays.
