Angelika Pallas ⁽⁶⁾

If you decide to leave Igoumenitsa and head south to Sivota, at a distance of 14 km you will meet Plataria. Plataria is an old seaside village built in between two capes, Agionisi and Chironisi. With a population of 1000 people today it boasts about a modern marina for sailing boats and yachts. It also has an organized beach within the village and of course traditional fish tavernas with fish brought in by local fishermen who go fishing everyday. Fresh fish, sea food, shrimp and lobster spaghetti are considered a specialty in the village. However there are also steak houses for those of you who fish is not your cup of tea. Whatever you choose to dine on you will definitely enjoy the scenery, the beautiful sunset, looking at the sun sinking at a distance in to the sea, and the light sea breeze.

As is the case with all seaside villages in the Prefecture of Thesprotia, Plataria has its own beaches at a close distance(2-4 Km away). There are Kokkinos Vrachos, Gata, Havana and Nautilos beaches with organized beach bars and Elia which offers no organized beach facilities like sun beds or umbrellas.

There is ample parking space within the village, so park your car and walk along the seafront and the marina.

In the village there is also a supermarket, a petrol station, and first aid services in case of immediate need, whereas the most serious cases are treated in the emergency unit in Igoumenitsa. Compared to Sivota, Plataria offers a more tranquil and relaxing atmosphere during the day and at night. For a more eventful nightlife you can go to Sivota which from Plataria is 10 minutes by car.

Angelika Pallas Hotel, being right next to the International Port of Igoumenitsa is in the perfect location for any tourist wishing to visit either Plataria or Sivota on a day trip. It also serves as an ideal getaway to any other place around the prefecture of Thesprotia.

The fish village of Sagiada is located in the western part of mainland Greece. It is a 20 minutes’ drive from Igoumenitsa and geographically it is opposite to the island of Corfu which is within sight distance. The village belongs to the municipality of Filiates, a small town at 15 km away. From Sagiada there is access to the customs office in Mavromati where the Albanian border is.

The small harbor in the village is called Skaloma and is popular with tourists sailing across the Ionian Sea. Fishing is the locals’ way of living, as apart from private fishing boats which throw their fishing nets in the open sea, there are numerous fish farms along the coastline all the way up to the Albanian border. Because of the abundance of fish, the village, although it can’t be considered as a popular holiday resort, is worth visiting for its traditional fish tavernas serving what else…fresh fish, grilled or fried, and any kind of sea food.

According to local history, during the time Epirus was a kingdom, in the area of Sagiada there was a fort which was later conquered by the Venetians (1402 A.C.) with the help of people coming from Corfu.

The ruins of this fort can be seen today in the top of the mountain Strovili. Under the same name, Strovili, there is also a beach, which together with Keramidi are the two nearest to Sagiada beaches. Both are about 10 minutes’ drive from the village but Keramidi is the most organized of the two. Both beaches are easily accessible and there is ample parking space in either one.

For those of you who love trekking a visit to the Old village of Sagiada is something worth doing. There are trekking trails leading you from Sagiada to the Old village up in the mountain which was abandoned after the second World War. Once there you will see nothing but the ruins of stone built detached houses, or cobbled streets but the view from up there will definitely compensate you for the hike. You can also visit the Old village by car.

Halfway between Igoumenitsa and Sagiada there are road signs to the villages of Kestrini, Asproklissi and Smerto. All of them are typical villages of the area which you can stop to visit. On your way to Sagiada you will come across the Kalamas water dam which is close to Kestrini’s flatland. Kestrini’s flatland is a hundrends of acres land covered in tangerine trees as the area here is the biggest producer of tangerines in Greece. In the western part of Kestrini there is the estuary of Kalamas river which you can visit only if you own a 4x4 vehicle. At a close distance to the estuary you will find a beautiful off the beaten track sandy beach, where you will probably enjoy a swim in privacy. The locals call it “Palia Buka Kalama”

Angelika Pallas Hotel, being right next to the International Port of Igoumenitsa and very close to the city centre, is in the perfect location for any tourist wishing to visit Sagiada, Sivota or Plataria on a day trip. It also serves as an ideal getaway to any other place around the prefecture of Thesprotia.

Being the third biggest port in Greece, Igoumenitsa has been characterized as the country’s gate to Europe. The town, with a population of nearly 15,000 people, is located in the northwestern coastal area of the prefecture of Thesprotia. Geographically, Igoumenitsa is opposite to Corfu and Paxos islands, where visitors can go by frequent daily ship sevices. Occasionally there are ships to Kefalonia island as well. The port of Igoumenitsa is also the nearest mainland Greek port to Italy. There are daily ship schedules to and from all Adriatic Italian ports (Bari, Brindizi, Ancona, Venice), with even more frequent ship services during the summer months.

Due to its port, Igoumenitsa has been seen as the starting point of the two most modern highways constructed in Greece during the last decades. If you head north, you have immediate easy access to the Egnatia highway, which extends from this western port of the country, to the eastern Greek-Turkish border at Kipoi, covering a total distance of 670 Km. En route, you can see many different cities, like Ioannina, Metsovo, Veria,and of course Thessaloniki (4 hours away)the second biggest city in Greece. Heading south, you can join the Ionia motorway which has shortened the distance and the time needed to reach Athens.

The prefecture of Thesprotia also shares a border with Albania within half an hour’s drive from the town centre.

Holidays - Relaxation

The town of Igoumenitsa is surrounded by plenty of greenery with the nearby woods dominating the the area. Within the woods there are walking trails leading to the ruins of a Venetian Castle which was later conquered by the Ottomans. The natural harbor of Igoumenitsa was used by the Venetians as a cargo and merchandise station and the castle was built to protect the area. At the north entrance of the town there is a road to Tsimpouriki mountain from where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the whole bay and even gaze at Corfu. There is also a long coastal pedestrian and bicycle lane which leads to the town’s nearest beach Drepano. Drepano is a long stretch of land between the sea and a lagoon. It is a sandy beach with shallow waters and water sports, making it ideal for families with children. At the lagoon, during some times of the year you can enjoy bird watching, flamingos and other exotic birds use it as a stopover.

During the summer Igoumenitsa is a lively town with lots of cafes, bars and traditional restaurants. Almost everything is within walking distance, which makes moving around the town very easy. From the town centre you can walk along the seafront to the northern part of the town where you can visit the archeological museum which exhibits findings from the Paleolithic age to the Byzantine period, excavated in the area. During your walk to the museum you will definitely enjoy the sea view and the amazing sunsets.
If you think of visiting our town, check prices and availability in Angelika Pallas Hotel booking engine.

Ideal Getaway

Igoumenitsa is an ideal place for a leisure break. In the summer, visitors can enjoy the clear, calm and shallow waters in the Drepanos and Makrigiali beaches which are only five (5) minutes drive away. Within half an hour’s drive you should see Sivota with the area’s most popular beaches like Mega Ammos, Zavia, Agia Paraskevi and Bella Vraka. On your way to Sivota, you first meet the fish village of Plataria, with many traditional tavernas serving fresh fish caught by local fishermen. Leaving the cosmopolitan village of Sivota behind, you can take the coastal road to Perdika and visit the beach of Karavostasi with its crystal clear waters. Moving further south, you reach the picturesque village of Parga, which has also many beautiful beaches nearby (Lichnos, Loutsa, Sarakiniko, Ormos Odissea).

Another worth-doing day trip would be to visit the Acheron river, where you can either walk along the river, up to the place it springs, or choose to try an easy rafting and canoeing descent as the waters are shallow and very quite. There are also guided horse rides available. Acheron crosses the village of Gliki where you can find many cafes and tavernas, some of them along the river. Near Gliki there is the historical village of Souli where you can go trekking.

If you decide to move towards the northern part of the prefecture, you will meet another popular fish village Sagiada along, with its nearby beach Keramidi. Crossing Sagiada, you will see a road sign to Mavromati, where the customs office to Albania is.

If you visit the area during wintertime, there are two popular ski resorts at a close distance. Both Metsovo and Anilio are one and a half hour away. Additionally if you have the time to move further north. there is the ski resort of Vasilitsa, which will take about two hours drive to reach.

However if you are not keen on skiing, there are other places of interest to visit any time of year. Zagorochoria (about 2 hours drive from Igoumenitsa) is a group of picturesque villages in the prefecture of Ioannina which are worth visiting, to admire the natural mountainous beauty and walk in the cobbled allays lined with stone buildings, built in a traditional local architecture. There are also organized trekking/ hiking excursions to nearby mountain tops.

Another route you can follow by car, is to drive to the second adjacent to Thesprotia prefecture, Preveza. In your way to the city of Preveza, you can visit the ancient Necromanteio of Acheron river which in antiquity was considered as the place from where the souls of the dead entered the “Under World”.

For the religion lovers, there are monasteries and churches of unique architecture. You can visit the church of St Menas, in Kokkino Lithari, a small church built on top of a huge rock or the church of St George in Kamitsani. What you should definitely not miss for its tranquility and serene atmosphere is the monastery of Giromeri.

Parking

Besides the free parking space offered in front and at the back of our hotel, there are two main car parks within the city. The biggest one is next to the port and the second is just opposite the central church of the town. Both are free of charge. However you can still park your car anywhere around the town as there are no parking meters anywhere. Crime rate is very low in the area, so there is no particular worry for the safety of your vehicle.

International - Domestic Port of Igoumenitsa

In Igoumenitsa there are two adjacent ports. In the old one, which is closer to the city centre, you will see ships docked, ready to depart to Corfu and Paxos island. The newest one, is the port from where ships sail to the greatest Italian ports (Brindizi, Bari, Ankona, Venice, Trieste). This international port, whose entrance is just next to the Egnatia highway, consists of two terminals. The second terminal offers excellent traveler amenities, as there is a modern passengers lounge, taxi rank, and even luggage lockers at a price. In between the two ports there is the town’s bus station. There are banks just out of the old port.

FERRY BOAT ITINERARIES FROM IGOUMENITSA TO CORFU

Frequency: Every two (2) hours. Time taken to get to Corfu from Igoumenitsa: Almost two (2) hours. Ferry services start at about 05:00a.m. and the last one leaves at almost midnight(12:00a.m.). Ticket prices on average: 10,00€ / adult, 5,00€ / child (age 5-10 years old) and 40,00€ / car. 

FERRY BOAT ITINERARIES FROM IGOUMENITSA TO PAXOS ISLAND

Frequency: Daily. Time taken to get to Paxos island from Igoumenitsa: Almost two (2) hours. The ferry boat leaves at about 11:00a.m. Ticket prices on average: 10,00€ / adult, 5,00€ / child (age 5-10 years old) and 42,00€ / car. 

FERRY BOAT ITINERARIES FROM IGOUMENITSA TO ITALY (ADRIATIC PORTS)

To Brindisi, Bari and Ancona, there are daily ferry boat services from 08.00a.m. till 01:00a.m. To Venice, twice per week, usually on Monday and Wednesday(time of departure: 06:00a.m.). The journey to Brindisi lasts about 9 hours, to Bari 12 hours, to Anconda 17 hours and to Venice 24 hours respectively. Prices vary due to the season you are about to travel and the class that you choose to travel.

If you are looking for further information about ship tickets via the port of Igoumenitsa please contact us.