Kiafa Castle (Souli)
Souli, Thesprotia, near Samoniva (74 km / about 1 hour 20 minutes from Preveza)
The ruined fortress of Souli, on a steep hilltop at 700 m above the Acheron gorge: the stronghold of the Souliotes, later rebuilt as a castle by Ali Pasha. 1 hour 20 minutes from Preveza.
About Kiafa Castle (Souli)
Kiafa stands on the top of a very steep hill at 700 m in the mountains of Souli, opposite the height of Kougi, about 74 km (1 hour 20 minutes) from Preveza. The nearest hamlet, Samoniva, is about 1 km away.
The Souliotes settled in this rocky, dry and hard-to-reach land around 1550, between the mountains of Mourga, Tourlia and Zavrouchos, near where the Tsangariotikos stream meets the Acheron river. Kiafa was one of their four first villages. For 250 years no other part of Greece faced so many campaigns: the Ottomans attacked in 1721, 1731, 1754, 1759, 1762, 1772 and 1775, and Ali Pasha of Ioannina three more times, in 1788, 1789 and 1800. Kiafa was never taken by force. The Souliotes left on 16 December 1803, after a siege of four years.
Ali Pasha then built a large rectangular fortress over the whole hilltop, with two arched gates, bastions at both ends, cannon openings, storerooms, water tanks and a guest house for himself. The Souliotes came back in 1820, but had to leave again in 1822. Today the castle is abandoned and in ruins.
Good to know
- The last part is on foot, up a steep, rocky hill: wear good shoes and take water.
- Combine it with the Acheron springs at Glyki.
Help keep it unspoiled: take your rubbish with you, never light fires outdoors in summer, and respect wildlife and local life. How to travel responsibly
Photos
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kiafa Castle from Preveza?
About 74 km by road, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes from Preveza town centre. The last part is on foot.
Who built Kiafa Castle?
Kiafa was one of the first villages of the Souliotes. After they left in 1803, Ali Pasha of Ioannina built the fortress whose ruins stand there today.
Was Kiafa ever captured?
No. It held out against every campaign; the Souliotes left in December 1803 after a four-year siege.
Last updated 20 October 2026. Information checked against el.wikipedia.org. Spotted something out of date? Use “Suggest a place” in the footer.
More castles & monuments in Preveza
Top pickPantokrator Castle
Ali Pasha's sea fort at the mouth of the strait, with one of the very few surviving rivellino gun batteries, famous for its sunsets and now awaiting restoration.
Pantokratoras, south-western tip of the Preveza peninsula, about 2.5 km from the centre
Top pickParga Castle
The Venetian castle on the rock above Parga, which held out against Ali Pasha. Free entry, a café in the old barracks and views over Parga bay and Panagia islet.
Top of the old town, Parga (about 62 km / 1 hour from Preveza)
Top pickZalongo Monument
The huge cliff-top monument to the Souliot women of 1803, by sculptor George Zongolopoulos, reached by 410 steps from the Monastery of Agios Dimitrios.
Mount Zalongo, above Kamarina (about 29 km / 26 min from Preveza)