Town Guide ยท 30 August 2026 ยท 7 min read
Why Preveza deserves an afternoon before you drive on to Lefkada or Parga
Most campervan trips from PVK airport head straight for Lefkada or Parga โ but Preveza itself, our own base town, is worth a slow afternoon before you go.
If you've flown into Preveza (PVK), there's a good chance you've already driven through the town without really seeing it โ most rental pickups point straight at Lefkada or Parga within the hour. That's a shame, because Preveza is a proper working town of around 20,000 people, with a Venetian old town, a genuine seafood scene, and a waterfront that's easy to enjoy without a plan.
Why everyone drives past
Geography is mostly to blame. PVK airport sits on the Aktio side of the Ambracian Gulf, across the water from Preveza town, and the two are connected by the AktioโPreveza undersea tunnel โ a quick, easy crossing that most itineraries treat as a formality on the way to somewhere else. Lefkada is under an hour further on, Parga about the same, so the natural pull of a first- or last-day itinerary is to keep moving.
That's a reasonable choice if you're short on time, but it means most visitors never set foot in the town they flew into. Preveza doesn't try particularly hard to change that either โ it's not a resort, and it doesn't need to be, which is part of what makes it worth a look.
Getting to and from Preveza
Preveza is about as centrally placed as it gets for a Western Greece trip โ a short hop from the airport, and within striking distance of most of the region's other bases.
| Route | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| PVK airport โ Preveza (via the tunnel) | About 10 minutes (tunnel toll โฌ3.00 for a standard car) |
| Preveza โ Lefkada town | About 30โ40 minutes (27km) |
| Preveza โ Parga | About 1 hour (60km) |
| Preveza โ Ioannina | About 1h 30 (99km) |
| Preveza โ Agrinio (via Ionia Odos) | About 1 hour (86km, toll around โฌ5) |
The tunnel is the one fixed cost on this list โ budget โฌ3.00 each way for a standard car, more for larger vehicles. Everything else is a normal Greek regional road, easy in a campervan.
What to see and do
The waterfront promenade (paralia)
Preveza's paralia runs along the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf, facing the strait and the tunnel entrance across the water. It's the natural place to start โ cafรฉs, a slow evening stroll, and views across to Aktio as the ferries and fishing boats come and go.
The Venetian old town and clock tower
Behind the waterfront, narrow streets shaped by Venetian, Ottoman and French periods of rule lead up to the old clock tower, Preveza's small but genuine landmark. It's a compact area, easy to wander in half an hour or stretch into a lazy afternoon.
Monolithi Beach
A short drive south of town, Monolithi is reportedly one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe, stretching roughly 22โ25km along the coast. Wide, sandy, and largely undeveloped compared to the beaches further north โ worth the detour even if you're only stopping for an hour.
Ancient Nikopolis
About 7km north of Preveza, Nikopolis was founded by Augustus to commemorate his victory at nearby Actium and later became a major Roman and early Byzantine city โ the walls, theatre, and basilicas are still substantial. Expect a combined site-and-museum ticket somewhere in the โฌ10โ20 range following 2025's national pricing reform โ check current fees locally.
The Ambracian Gulf wetlands
The Ramsar-designated wetlands around the gulf, including the Rodia and Tsoukalio lagoons, are a genuine wintering ground for flamingos, pelicans, herons and cormorants. Even a brief stop along the gulf road can turn up birdlife you won't see on the beach side of the peninsula.
Where to eat
Preveza takes its seafood seriously, and because it's a working fishing town rather than a resort, the tavernas along and just behind the waterfront tend to serve what actually came in that morning rather than a laminated tourist menu. Expect grilled fish sold by weight, small plates of gulf shrimp and mussels, and the kind of unhurried service that comes from feeding locals as much as visitors.
It's also a university town with a year-round economy, so unlike some of the more seasonal spots further along the coast, you'll find places open and busy well outside July and August.
Where to stay
Preveza works well as a first or last night before or after picking up your campervan โ there's no need to rush straight to Lefkada or Parga on arrival day, especially if your flight lands in the afternoon. A night in town lets you start the road trip properly rested rather than driving on after a travel day.
As with the rest of the region, informal roadside camping (chairs, an awning, staying put outside a proper site) crosses into camping rather than parking โ see our full guide on where you can legally stay overnight.
Best time to visit
Spring and early autumn suit Preveza particularly well: warm enough for the waterfront and Monolithi Beach, quiet enough that the old town and tavernas feel like a real town rather than a stop on a route. Winter is mild by Northern European standards and is actually the best time to catch the gulf's wintering birdlife, if that's part of the appeal.
Because it's a working town rather than a seasonal resort, Preveza doesn't shut down outside summer the way some coastal villages do โ it's a viable stop nearly year-round.
Keep planning your trip
- Ancient ruins near Preveza: Nikopolis, the Nekromanteion and Kassope
- The best beaches between Preveza and Parga
- 7 Days in Western Greece: the complete campervan itinerary
- Browse our campervan fleet
Picking up your campervan at PVK?
Preveza is ten minutes from the airport across the tunnel โ browse our fleet and give yourself an afternoon in town before you hit the road.
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