Page 53 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Corfu & the Ionian Islands

Top 10 Day Trips to the Mainland ❮❮ 51

Ioánnina
6 ALBANIA Kónitsa Grevena
85 km (52 miles) from
Igoumenitsa • Ferries from Corfu Sarandë Kalpáki A2 15
Town to Igoumenitsa: www.gtp.gr Corfu Town 20 6 Kalabaka
A 2-hour drive from Igoumenitsa, 6 Ioánnina
A2
and picturesquely located beside Corfu Igoumenitsa Dodoni 30 Tríkala
Lake Pamvotis, the city of Ioánnina 6 5 Karditsa
has a rich architectural heritage. Paxí Párga 21 GREECE
Landmarks include the 17th- Nikopolis Árta
century Aslan Pasha Mosque and Préveza
a formidable Byzantine citadel. The Lefkáda Town Amfilochía
small island of Nisi, in the lake, Lefkáda A5 38
is dotted with historic churches. Ionian Agrínio
Waterside restaurants in its single S ea Astakós Nafpaktos
village serve fresh trout, river crabs Ithaki Mesolóngi
and crayfish. Kefalloniá Pátra
Argostóli
Vikos Gorge
7 Kyllíni 33
9
110 km (71 miles) from
Igoumenitsa • Ferries from Corfu Zákynthos Zákynthos Amaliada
Town to Igoumenitsa: www.gtp.gr 0 km 40 Town Pyrgos 74
Cutting through the Vikos-Aoos 9
National Park, the Vikos Gorge has 0 miles 40
Greece’s most spectacular hiking
Nafpaktos
trail. A 4-km (2-mile) walk can be 9
made between the villages of Mikro 95 km (60 miles) from Astakós
Papigko and Vikos. Hiking the full • Ferries from Kefalloniá and Ithaki to
14-km (9-mile) waymarked trail Astakós: www.gtp.gr
from Monodendri to Megalo Papigko The medieval harbour town of
takes 6–7 hours, so an overnight Nafpaktos is surrounded by Venetian
stay is required. ramparts and has a picturesque
Venetian port and castle, and a long
beach. Named Lepanto by the
Venetians, it is famous for the
naval battle of Lepanto, which was
fought just offshore in 1571.
Mesolóngi
0
48 km (30 miles) from Astakós,
50 km (31 miles) from Pátra
• Ferries from Kefalloniá and Ithaki to
Astakós and Pátra: www.gtp.gr
Ancient Roman mosaic at Nikopolis • www.greecebirdtours.com
A 90-minute drive from Pátra or
Nikopolis
8 Astakós, Mesolóngi played a heroic
part in the War of Independence.
40 km (25 miles) from Lefkáda
Town • www.visit-preveza.com Lord Byron (1788–1824), romantic
Founded by the Roman Emperor poet and champion of the Greek
Octavian (later known as Augustus) struggle, died here. His heart is
to mark his victory over Mark Anthony buried in the town’s Garden of
and Cleopatra at nearby Actium, Heroes. Mesolóngi is surrounded
Nikopolis, surrounded by arched by the lagoons and saltpans of the
brick walls, is a remarkable relic Mesolóngi Lagoon National Park,
of the Roman Empire. An excellent which attract pelicans, storks and
museum displays finds from the other migrant birds, making it a
site, including notable mosaics. delight for bird-watchers.

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