Religious tourism

Religious tourism is an important part of the Greek tourist activity and has to do with the visiting of religious places, like monasteries and churches.

The monuments of the Greek orthodox tradition are part of the national heritage and are a significant pole of attraction for visitors. The Byzantine and the post Byzantine churches, the imposing cathedrals, the remote churches, the monasteries, with their significant illustration, with mosaics, murals and pictures, testify the dedication to tradition and the old connection of art with religious worshipping.

Prefecture of Arta  is well known not only to the experts but also to the average Greek person, because of the area's ancient history and the famous Byzantine monuments. Many people call Arta as the Mistra of NW Greece.

The astonishing temple form of the Byzantine Arta does not simply mark one more intellectual centre of the region but Arta of Despots itself believed that it continues the great tradition of Constantinople. The town of Michael II and of Queen Duchess Saint Theodora, of Despot Nikiforos and Queen Anna raised on the flags and  the arcs of the churches the bicipital eagle, an emblem of Epirus' Despots, that permanently reminded the continuity of the Empire's life.

Visit at the web page of the Prefecture  www.nomarxia-artas.gr/index.php?action=aksiotheata the rich Byzantine and post byzantine monuments of Arta Prefecture, read about every monument and schedule your trip at the Prefecture which is full of prehistorical and historical memories, monuments, statues, holy places, temples, theatres, myths and traditions.

Σημείο αναφοράς της πόλης της ¶ρτας για τον Θρησκευτικό τουρισμό αποτελεί ο εορτασμός της πολιούχου της πόλης, Αγίας Θεοδώρας, στις 11 Μαρτίου. Επ' ευκαιρία της μεγάλης αυτής θρησκευτικής γιορτής, γίνεται περιφορά της εικόνας και των λειψάνων της Αγίας. Την περιφορά αυτή συνοδεύει παρέλαση στην οποία συμμετέχουν όλα τα σχολεία της ¶ρτας, ο στρατός, οι πολιτιστικοί σύλλογοι κ.α

A key point of Arta regarding religious tourism is the celebration of the town's protector, Saint Theodora, on 11 March. At the occasion of this great religious feast, the circumambulation of the picture and the relic of Saint is realised. The circumambulation is accompanied by marching, at which all the schools of Arta, the army, cultural clubs etc participate.