Near Lákka are stone bridges and a watermill; farther afield, hiking trails connect villages, and celebrations take place in two different months. Place names are important when planning a trip: two bridges are called Kamara, but Mesopyrgos and Plakovitsa refer to different waterways and surroundings.

Bridges and a mill nearby

In Mesopyrgos, the stone, single-arch Kamara Bridge, also called Kamaroula, spans a stream that flows through the village of the same name and is a tributary of the Acheloos. Kamaroula refers to the same bridge, not a second structure. “Single-arch” describes its shape: one stone arch spans the stream. The structure can therefore be identified by its name, material, design and connection to the waterway.

Near Plakovitsa, another stone Kamara Bridge spans the Skoulikaritis. The river continues on and flows into the Arachthos. Plakovitsa is in the local community of Diasello, where the Bardakas Watermill is also located. The bridge and the mill represent different kinds of structures in the same place: a crossing over a river and a mill building. The waterways also help distinguish the bridges with the same name: near Mesopyrgos, the stream belongs to the Acheloos basin; at Plakovitsa, the Skoulikaritis flows into the Arachthos. If you are planning to visit the structures, check in advance whether they are accessible.

History, hiking trails and celebrations

The historic Korakou Bridge shifts the focus from design and waterways to history. It was in the area of Piges in Arta and was destroyed during the Civil War. This gives it a different historical context from the stone Kamara bridges: the destruction is part of the history of the Korakou structure.

In the wider area of the Municipality of Georgios Karaiskakis, hiking trails connect villages. This offers a different way to find your way around than choosing a single structure: on the trails, the focus is on connections between places, while with the bridges, their individual designs and links to waterways take centre stage. Those primarily interested in hiking can include the wider region in their plans.

The celebrations can also be distinguished by month and location. The Karaiskakia are held every July in Skoulikaria in honour of Georgios Karaiskakis. The Seltsou celebrations are held every August in Piges. If one of these events is a deciding factor for your trip, check the programme and exact dates for the relevant year in advance. The two celebrations follow one another over the course of the year: first the Karaiskakia in July, followed by the Seltsou celebrations in August.

Discover more destinations: Kostakii, Agios Spiridon, Agnanta, Athamanio, Mytikas, Theodoriana, Rodavgi, Melissourgoi

For the broader travel overview: Arta.