Crystal clear waters and golden beaches are the trademarks of Preveza, with its unique coastline. But the sea is not the only advantage it has.
The coexistence of nature and history coexisting over the centuries in Preveza make it worth the while of visitors to explore beyond the obvious.
One such area worth exploring is the Ambracian Gulf. It is one of the largest enclosed bays in Greece and a place of huge environmental significance, counted among the most important ecosystems of the Mediterranean, and with the establishment of the Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park a few years ago, the aim is to ensure its complete protection. The bay was named after ancient Ambracia, a city built by the side of the Arachthos River, on the site of today’s Arta. The Louros and Arachthos Rivers flow into the bay.
A cruise on the waters of the Ambracian Gulf can offer some very special experiences. You will likely see gulls, herons, caretta caretta sea turtles, Dalmatian pelicans, and often if you’re lucky, the bottlenose dolphins!
The Louros River, which is near the Oracle of Dodona, is responsible for creating the famous springs in the village of Agios Georgios, 50 km northeast of the town of Preveza. These springs supply water to Arta, Preveza and even Lefkada, while nearby stands the Louros Roman aqueduct, built by order of Emperor Octavian Augustus, to supply water to the ancient town of Nicopolis.
At a short distance, lies another relatively ‘hidden’ beauty. Lake Ziros. The formation of Lake Ziros seems to have been the result of tectonic activity in the region. Geologists believe that the lake was once an underground cave, the roof of which collapsed some 10,000 years ago. The lake’s physical environment is significant both from an ecological, as well as an aesthetic point of view. The fact that, within such a relatively small area as the Lake Ziros ecosystem, there are three biotopes of Community interest and exceptional natural beauty, serves to emphasise the importance of the area and has led to its mandatory protection. The area around the lake is dominated by forests of deciduous oaks, tall evergreen shrubbery (mostly arias), and eastern plane tree woods line its banks.
Also of exceptional natural beauty is the Lekatsa Forest, which is near the village of Myrsini, at a distance of 35km from the town of Preveza. It is a forest full of rare flora, with a predominance of plane and oak trees, and is a natural game reserve.