Ambracian Gulf

The Ambracian Gulf is a shallow basin about 40 kilometres long joined to the Ionian Sea by a channel only 600 metres wide at Preveza, which makes it almost a lake: brackish, warm and highly productive. Around 150 common bottlenose dolphins live here permanently, a small isolated population studied for decades and unusually easy to see from boats, along with loggerhead turtles and one of the largest concentrations of Dalmatian pelicans in Greece. Lagoons fringe the shore, Rodia, Tsoukalio, Logarou, worked with traditional fish traps for eel and mullet, and reedbeds shelter herons and egrets. An undersea road tunnel now connects Preveza with Aktio beneath the entrance channel, and small boats run wildlife trips from Preveza and Vonitsa.

History

The gulf saw the Battle of Actium, in which Augustus' forces defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and in 1538 the Battle of Preveza, where the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa defeated the Holy League under Andrea Doria; after Greek independence it formed part of the border with the Ottoman Empire. The remains of many ancient cities lie on its shores, among them Nicopolis, Argos Ippatum, Limnaea and Olpae (Wikipedia, Ambracian Gulf).

What's there

• The dolphins - a resident bottlenose population seen on boat trips.
• The lagoons - traditional fish traps and reedbeds around the shore.
• The pelicans - Dalmatian pelicans wintering in large numbers.
• The narrow entrance - the 600-metre channel between gulf and open sea.

When to go

Spring and autumn for birds and calm water; summer is hot and the gulf can be hazy, though dolphin trips run daily. Winter brings the largest pelican gatherings.

What to expect

The gulf suffers from low oxygen and pollution episodes, and fish farming dominates parts of the shore, so the scenery is working rather than pristine. Dolphin sightings are likely but never guaranteed, and trips are weather-dependent.

Nearby

Nikopolis and Preveza lie at the entrance; Arta stands at the head of the gulf.

Key facts