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Occupied by several rulers in history, Preveza today is a modern town with all the facilities like any other city in the world. Being at the tip of a peninsula, the city provides ample opportunities for holidaymakers to enjoy the scenic beauty of its sandy beaches and indulge in some water sports. However, if you are here to explore the history of Preveza, the town and its surroundings are quite intriguing. Your flight to Preveza will land you at the Preveza airport, located about 10 minutes from the town on the Mainland.

The Necromanteion located in the nearby town of Parga is both enchanting and mysterious. Necromanteion is actually an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Peresphone (the Queen of the Underworld in Greek mythology) and Hades, the Lord of the Dead. The structure is located in the ancient city of Ephyra, belonging to the Bronze Age. The different parts of the buildings were discovered in the year 1958 and have garnered a lot of interest from archeologists and history enthusiasts alike. Ruins of the structures such as dormitories, courtyard, lodgings of the priests and store rooms can be clearly seen when you visit the site.

Necromanteion was one of the most sacred and popular religious sanctuary of its time. The temple was visited by several pilgrims including Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, who even tried calling the ghost of Achilles, the Trojan War hero of Greek mythology. The Greeks during this era believed in the spirits of the dead still roamed the earth and can be called for special rituals and predicting the future. They were also thought of as asking for sacrifices to appease them. The pilgrims wanting to contact the spirits of the dead were isolated in a dark room, called the Oracle, and kept of a special diet containing hallucinogenic substances to prepare them to meet the souls.

Once these spiritual rituals were over, the pilgrims were taken down a dark smoke filled stairway to an underground vault, supposedly the place where the souls would come to meet them. The vault can still be seen today containing 15 stone arches, dating back to 4th century. The temple was destroyed after pulleys were uncovered in the vault, declaring the ritual of calling the dead a hoax. It remained hidden till it was excavated in 1958 and restored by Archeological Society, Athens.

Whether you are interested in history or not, the place is worth a visit on your holiday to Preveza.