Unmatched natural beauty, beaches with crystal clear waters, Byzantine footpaths connecting traditional villages and breathtaking landscapes make Paros, located in the heart of the Cyclades, one of the best incredible holiday destinations in Greece. Paros will dazzle you at first only until the island reveals its inner most secrets; charming white-washed villages, legendary nightlife, amazing beaches, startling history and a stunning amount of water sports. If you are thinking about visiting Paros for next summer, we have all the information you will need in order to plan an unforgettable experience.
The Villages
Wander through beautiful traditional villages like Naoussa, a colorful village, where the ruins of a Venetian fortress stand at the entrance to its small harbor. There, you will find many restaurants, bars, taverns as well as local shops to explore! You can start the day with a wonderful brunch by the water, walk around the shops and find local goods, and end the day watching the sun go down while enjoying a refreshing cocktail.
Lefkes is located at the highest point of Paros and offers stunning views of the entire island. The village is set up in the mountains and is surrounded by a rich, beautiful green landscape. It has very well preserved Cycladic and neoclassical buildings, beautiful squares and narrow marble alleys. The Museum of Aegean Folk Culture at Lefkes offers a tour of the culture of the Archipelago, where you will see exhibits related to the architecture, traditional trades and geology of the Aegean islands.
Marpissa, is another traditional village with a distinctive medieval character. You can also visit the impressive Monastery of Agios Antonios, where the ruins of a 15th century Venetian castle stand, and enjoy a wonderful view of the sea. Petaloudes is another area of stunning beauty. The habitat is rich in vegetation and running water, with tall plane trees, laurels, wild olive trees, and carob trees covered in ivy that play host to the butterfly species Panaxia quadripunstaria.
The Beaches
Sun-drenched beaches, like Chrissí Aktí, Santa Maria and Poúnda, welcome visitors who want to enjoy the crystal clear sea, the sun or even water sports! Every year Chrissí Aktí is the venue for the Windsurfing World
Championship. On the sea bed at Alykí beach, to the southwest, you can explore the ruins of an ancient town. Enjoy the unusual natural landscape with impressive white rock formations on Kolymbithres beach. The beach of
Kalogeros, surrounded by red and green clay rocks offers a really effective spa for free.
The Adventures
Discover the island’s stunning beauty by hiking! Walk along the trails created by farmers to help them cross the island and transport their goods. You may want to try The Byzantine Lefkes-Prodromos trail, paved with marble
paving stones most of the way, takes an hour to walk. It starts from the verdant village of Lefkes and crosses slopes with cultivated terraces and a small Byzantine bridge. The final destination is to the beautiful village of
Prodromos with its impressive maze-like alleys.
You can also discover the island on horseback! There are two horse-riding centres, one by the sea, at Ambelas, and one at Ysterni. Ride around the coast, along the sandy beaches or take a detour inland – a great way to see
for yourself some of the most beautiful spots on the island!
The Traditions
Religious festivals are the perfect occasion for many types of festivities! If you find yourself in such an event, don’t forget to taste the sweet smelling wines produced in the island’s vineyards. Paros is in fact one of the oldest
Mediterranean wine-making areas, with its own protected designation of origin wines. Another perfect occasion to visit the island is during the celebrations on August 15th, when cultural events are organized around the church of Panayia Ekatontapyliani in Parikia.
