A capital, transport hub, as well as the prefecture's commercial and administrative center, Arta is studded with archaeological sites and is full of life, with charming pedestrian zones, modern shopping centers, cafesand bars. The prefecture of Arta contains imposing mountains covered in spruces, fertile plains, roaring rivers and lagoons with important ecosystems.

It is one of Greece's most beautiful regions and is located between the Tzoumerka mountain range and Amvrakikos gulf. It makes up the north-eastern part of Epirus. The varied scenery of the prefecture combines the beauty and harshness of the Greek mountains with the gentle and shallow beaches of the gulf of Amvrakikos and the fertile valleys of the Arahthos river.

Built on the edge of the Peranthi hill and the banks of the Arahthos river (which provided irrigation for ancient Amvrakia), Arta is undeniably known for its internationally known bridge. According to the myth, the foreman's wife lays in its foundation. In 168 B.C., after the city was pillaged by the Romans, its residents fled to Nikopolis.

In antiquity, Arta or Amvrakia as it was called, was capital of Pyrrhus’ kingdom, the king of Molossians. In 1204, it became the capital of the Despotate or Principality of Epirus, where it flourished.