Kanali, Parga Greece - Family Summer Holiday

On the 30th of July 2025, we travelled on our family Summer holiday to Kanali, Parga, in Greece for 10 nights/11 days.

We chose Kanali as a resort for our family summer holiday, as while Parga itself can be quite lively (especially in the summer), Kanali offers a more relaxed, residential, less commercialised resort feel, which is what we like.
Kanali has a beachfront and is backed by Olive groves, making this resort a more peaceful retreat, but it’s also a good place for exploring too.

We stayed at the Ionian Theoxenia hotel, which is a newly built, small, family-run hotel. The hotel has just 21 rooms and is set back from Kanali beachfront, which is around 80 metres away.
We booked to stay in a deluxe family room, with a double bedroom, plus two proper beds in the lounge area, plus a balcony, bathroom and the room also had a fridge and a kitchen sink too. The views from our family room were over the pool and sea beyond, with some great sunsets too.

During our stay, we ate at some fabulous local restaurants at a very reasonable price, including:-
• Del Mare Restaurant – probably our favourite, we loved it so much we ate there during the day and made a return booking for their “Greek night”
• Taverna Elia, where we also ate twice
• Akrogiali grill, where we ate day and evening too
• Terastios Restaurant
• Must restaurant - in front of the Must Hotel in Kanali, free sunbeds with umbrellas for a minimum purchase of 4 Euros per person, how fab is that?!
• The service was so good for drinks, we stayed and had a gorgeous beachfront lunch too
• Skaloma Taverna” in Ligia, around a 20-minute drive from our hotel in Kanali, heading towards Parga Town. The is a speciality fish restaurant (recommended by our hotel receptionist as her favourite!) situated on a quiet little harbour with stunning harbour and views, and the sunset last night did not disappoint.

From Kanali, you can easily reach Parga’s attractions, take boat trips, or go inland to the Acheron.

We took our hire car over to the stunning Parga town, around a 45-minute drive from Kanali, so what’s Parga's old town like?
Parga Town is a picturesque seaside town nestled between the Ionian Sea and lush green, dramatic hills. Parga is known for its Venetian-style houses, colourful buildings stacked along the slopes, and a romantic, laid-back atmosphere.
We wandered through narrow cobbled streets and alleys that wind past traditional tavernas, quaint shops, and vibrant bougainvillaea. The old town has a timeless charm, perfect for strolls and soaking in the local vibe

The beaches near Parga Town are:-
• Valtos Beach: Just below the Venetian Castle, this long sandy beach is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports – we had a wonderful lunch here with great sea views!
• Lichnos Beach: Surrounded by olive groves and turquoise water. Great for snorkelling.
• Sarakiniko Beach: A bit more secluded—crystal clear waters and a quieter vibe.
Boat taxis connect many of these beaches for a scenic ride along the coast.
From Parga Town, there are also day trips to Paxos and Antipaxos islands, or inland to the Acheron River for rafting and hiking.

We took a road trip with our hire car, from Kanali, Parga, over to Lefkas, a journey of around 70 minutes.
This is our first visit to Lefkas, and wow, what a gem in the Ionian Sea!
Lefkas is one of Greece’s most breathtaking islands, known for its stunning scenery, dramatic cliffs, and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Accessible by a floating bridge from the mainland, this Ionian jewel offers a mix of unspoiled nature and vibrant culture.
One of the highlights of Lefkas is the charming town of Nidri (where we stayed overnight). Nidri is a bustling hub for tourists and locals alike, housing one of the main marinas for boat trips.
From Nidri, you can take a boat trip to nearby islets, such as Meganisi, Ithaca or Skorpios (once owned by the Onassis family), or explore hidden beaches and sea caves only accessible by water, which is exactly what we are doing today!
Lefkas combines natural beauty with authentic Greek charm. We like it so much, we want to come back!

After our little jaunt to Lefkas overnight, we took a fabulous full-day boat trip from the resort of Nidri with Seven Island Cruises. Our first stop was the famous cave of Papanikolis at Meganisi island, famous for its role as a World War II submarine hideout! Our second stop was at Atokos island, a privately owned uninhabited island aside from the goats and infamous “wild boar” nothing can be taken ashore other than phone/camera, no food, no touching of the wild boar, or crowding, just observing, although they do get a little excited when a boat or swimmer arrives, a truly memorable experience, especially for my animal mad 18 year old!
Our third stop was on the island of Ithaca, and the village of Frikes, which was simply stunning, a small, charming harbour village, a quiet, picturesque spot with a lovely laid-back vibe. Our fourth stop was at a beach on Ithaca for swimming in crystal clear blue waters. Our fifth stop was off the beach at Skorpios island. Skorpios rose to fame as the private estate of shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who purchased it in 1963. He most famously married Jacqueline Kennedy on the island in October 1968! It was a blooming brilliant day on the water!

On the last day of our hire car, we took a trip to the Acheron Springs, located between Parga town and Kanali. The springs are part of the Acheron River, which flows through a stunning gorge surrounded by steep, forested mountains and limestone cliffs. The springs emerge from underground near the village of Glyki, creating icy cold turquoise pools and streams, so cold it numbs your legs even on a short river crossing!
After that, we made our way to Loutsa Beach, which runs into Vrachos Beach. These are wide, long, golden sand beaches with clear turquoise waters. These resorts are more frequented by the Greeks and locals and are backed by green hills and a more open, natural coastline, but not overly built-up. The “Vibe” in these two beach resorts is relaxed and calm, with some beach bars, tavernas (with amazing sea views), and lots of sunbed options. There’s also room for laying down your own towel, if you prefer. These resorts are ideal for families or couples wanting space and peace, with low-key tourism. Good to Know - The water is shallow near the shore, good for swimming. The winds can pick up sometimes, making it breezy and cooler. There’s also parking available nearby.

We’ve absolutely loved having a car and exploring this beautiful area of the Greek mainland and Lefkas island too, and would have no hesitation returning to this area again.