In the north-west of Epirus, the Kalamas runs from the country near Ioannina to the Ionian Sea beside the port of Igoumenitsa. Ancient writers called it the Thyamis. It is little developed for visitors, and it is seen at separate places, not followed from end to end. At the coast its delta is a protected wetland of lagoons and reedbeds, known for its birds. Inland, the river bends around ancient Gitana, where a theatre stands beside the water, and it comes out of a short gorge below the Byzantine churches of Pente Ekklisies. Near its beginning, springs come out of the rock under large trees.
Geography
The Kalamas is 115 kilometres long. It begins near the village of Kalpaki, in the north-west of the Ioannina area, and it ends in the Ionian Sea, between the port of Igoumenitsa and the village of Sagiada, close to the border with Albania.
The river first flows south. Near the village of Soulopoulo it turns south-west, and further down it turns west and crosses the area of Thesprotia. The Tyria, a tributary, joins it near the village of Vrosina. Below that, near the village of Pente Ekklisies, the river passes through a short gorge with vertical rock walls, known as the Narrows of the Kalamas. A hydroelectric dam holds the river near the village of Kyparisso.
At the coast the river has built a delta north of Igoumenitsa, with lagoons and salt flats. The ancient name of the river was Thyamis, and it is still used beside the modern one.
Nature & Outdoors
The delta is where the birdlife of the river gathers. It belongs to the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Lagoons, mudflats, salt flats and reedbeds lie between the villages of Sagiada and Kestrini and the sea, with a narrow strip of forest along the river. Dalmatian pelicans, glossy ibises, little terns and kingfishers are among the birds seen there. Most birds are present during the spring and autumn migrations and in winter. The land is flat and open, with dirt roads and no shade.
Inland, the Narrows of the Kalamas are also part of the Natura 2000 network. Vertical cliffs stand above the river there, with plane trees on the banks, and the only way through is the riverbed itself.
Near the beginning of the river, the springs of Vella come out of the rock among large trees, close to the village of Kalpaki. The place is laid out for rest, with shade beside the water.
History & Culture
The river runs around ancient Gitana, a city founded in the second half of the 4th century BC. It was the political centre of the Thesprotians, the ancient people of this area, until the Roman conquest of 167 BC. A visitor sees the theatre, built beside the riverbank with 28 rows of stone seats, the remains of the agora, and a public building with mosaic floors. Many seats of the theatre carry names cut into the stone. They record the freeing of slaves. The site is near the town of Filiates, about 25 minutes by car from the port of Igoumenitsa.
Further up the river, the old town of Osdina stood on a rocky ridge above the east bank, where the river comes out of its gorge. It grew in the late Byzantine period and was left in the 18th century. Today it is an archaeological park beside the village of Pente Ekklisies. Several of its churches still stand, and the oldest dated ones are of 1577 and 1610.
Practical information
Getting there
The port of Igoumenitsa is the base for the lower river. The delta begins just north of the town: follow the coast road and then the dirt roads from the villages of Ragio, Kestrini or Sagiada. Ancient Gitana is about 25 minutes by car from Igoumenitsa, near the town of Filiates. The village of Pente Ekklisies is on the old road between Igoumenitsa and Ioannina, about 40 kilometres from the first and 45 from the second. The springs of Vella are about three kilometres from the village of Kalpaki, north-west of Ioannina.
When to go
For birds, go to the delta in spring, autumn or winter. The delta is open and dusty, with no shade, which makes the middle of a summer day hard. Ancient Gitana is open all year, in the morning and early afternoon. After heavy rain the river rises and can flood. The theatre of Gitana stands low beside the bank, and flood water can reach its stage and lowest seats. The riverbed of the gorge can be walked only when the water is low.
Good to know
The dirt roads of the delta form a maze, so use a map and allow a full day. Take water, a hat and binoculars; there are no hides or shelters. Ancient Gitana has a ticket and is usually closed on Tuesdays; check the hours before you go. At Pente Ekklisies the paths and outdoor remains are always open, but the churches may be locked, so ask the antiquities service of Thesprotia first. Older guides list the Theogefyro, a natural rock bridge over the river near the town of Zitsa. It collapsed in February 2018.
Kalamas (Thyamis) River— been there?Tell others what you saw.
A photo and two lines are enough.
