Paros is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece and every year attracts thousands of visitors from all around the world. It has numerous natural beauties, traditional villages, lovely churches, magic sandy beaches, an excellent tourist infrastructure and an exciting nightlife.
The capital PARIKIA is the main harbor and commercial center of the island.
It extends, gleaming white, almost parallel with the coast. In the entrance of the port a superb white windmill welcomes the visitors. To the right on the road along the coast there are many restaurants, coffee shops, bars and night clubs.
The capital keeps its traditional color alive. Walking around the city you will be impressed from the traditional Cycladic architecture: narrow pebble paths and white washed cubic houses with blue painting windows and balconies.
The highest point is dominated by the Frankish castle with its fortifications. Architectural members from the temple of Demeter were incorporated into the fortress. The site of this temple is now occupied by the church of Agios Konstantinos & Agia Eleni, which has some important icons and Christian treasures.
The major interest in Parikia attaches to the church of the Panagia Ekatontapyliani which is the third most important Early Christian church in Greece. It has domed, Greek cross, three-aisled basilica, and its modern form derives from a restoration completed in 1962.
The Archaeological Museum (tel. 22840 21231) houses finds from the excavations on Paros and Antiparos dating from the Neolithic and Roman periods.
The nearby beaches are famous for their good organization and clarity. Most popular of them is beach Livadia located in the north side of the town. It is an extend beach with crystal clear waters that provides all comforts of an organized beach. The fine beaches of Krios, Marcelo, Agios Fokas and Kaminia can be reached only by boat.
The tourist infrastructure of the capital covers all needs: here you will find hotels, apartments and rooms to let, camping sites, numerous restaurants and taverns where you can taste the local recipes, coffee shops, bars and night clubs.
Very close to Parikia is the exotic sandy beach of Agia Irini, which is full of pine trees and is considered one of the most popular beaches of the island.
At a fork of the road from Parikia to Naousa is the monastery of Longovarda, built in 1638, with 17th c. wall-paintings and a superb wood-carved icon.
The road to the north – east ends at NAOUSA, a picturesque traditional settlement with a 15th c. castle. The Byzantine collection of Naousa, which contains a series of excellent icons, is housed in the church of Agios Nikolaos. During your stay at Naousa don’t forget to visit the Folklore Museum that houses an important collection of traditional costumes.
Naousa is built around a graphic and safe port with numerous fish taverns, night clubs and bars around it.
A stroll in the traditional settlement of Naousa can be a unique experience. As you walk in the narrow pebbly paths and see the structure of houses and churches, you realize the exceptionality of the beauty of Cyclades.
Naousa is a popular summer resort with numerous hotel units, apartments, rooms to let and camping sites.
Around Naousa you can find magic beaches like Piperi, Monastiri, Kolimbithres, Langeris and Santa Maria.
Piperi is the Naousa’s main in-town beach, in a small curve embraced by rocks, about 50 meters beneath the main road that leads into the town center. It is within walking distance 250 meters from Naousa’s fishing port.
Monastiri is located in the west part of the bay of Naousa and it is one of the most famous and overcrowded beaches of Paros. Near the beach you will find restaurants and bars.
Langeris is a beautiful and very quiet beach with thin sand and hills made of sand located 1,5 kilometers from Naousa.
Santa Maria beach is located 2 kilometers from Naousa. It is a long sandy beach with crystal waters and water sports facilities.
The unusual rocks at Kolimbithres in the west part of the bay of Naousa, combined with the fine golden sand and the crystal clear water give the Parian landscape a distinctive character. This organized beach is one of the most famous on Paros.
AMPELAS is a small seaside village 5 kilometers from Naousa with a fine protected beach. In the region you will find hotels, rooms to let and taverns where you will taste marvelous local recipes.
On the east side of the island is the gleaming white village of MARPISA, built around a small hill with a view over the sea and PISO LIVADI.
Marpisa has old traditional houses dated from the 16th or 17th c. which are in very good condition, Byzantine churches and windmills.
Piso Livadi is graphic seaside settlement built around a small port with many fish boats. It has a nice sandy beach, hotels, rooms to let and numerous taverns where you will taste fresh fish and local recipes.
Furhter to the south are the little bays of LOGARAS a cosmopolitan and fully organized beach ideal for water sports and CHRYSSI AKTI (Golden Beach) one of the most famous and well organized beaches of the island, also ideal for water sports.
As we proceed to the south we come to DRYOS, a graphic village with lavish vegetation and traditional colors, with the beach of ALYKI, one of the finest on the island, to the south-west, ideal for wind surfing and diving. The region has big tourist development. Options for accommodation, food and entertainment are many.
Around Alyki you will find some totally unspoilt beaches protected from the winds such as Agios Nikolas, Farangas, and Piso Alyki.
On the road to Alyki there is a place of endless and rare natural beauty: Butterflies’ Valley.
In this green valley, a lot of colorful species of butterflies find shelter.
POUNDA, on the west coast, is the departure point for the crossing to Antiparos island. It is a very popular and fully organized sandy beach with infrastructures for sports and water sports (beach volley, water ski, wind surfing, jet ski, canoe, water bike, etc.) The beach bar attracts many young people and a lot of happenings and parties are organized at this beach.
Interesting villages in the interior of the island include PRODROMOS (or Dragoulas), LEFKES, KOSTOS and MARATHI, all of which have lush vegetation, vernacular architecture and many churches. Near Marathi is the ancient marble quarry.
Lefkes is located on 250 meters height and was built in the 16th century by fugitives that came to the island from Crete and Peloponnese. It is a very picturesque village which keeps its traditional colors: white-washed pavements and white houses with small yards. It is worth to visit the temple of Trinity with important Byzantine icons. In the village you will find hotels, rooms to let and taverns serving local delicacies.
TRADITION – EVENTS
At Lenten celebrations, weddings and church festivals, people still dance the unique local dance, the Ageranos (crane), whose roots are in Minoan Crete, connected with the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur.
The most spectacular festival is that of the Panagia Ekatontapyliani (15 August) at Parikia. Also, at Naousa on 23rd August, nine days after the Assumption of the Virgin a great festival is celebrated a representation of the pirates raids is performed by the young people of the village. Also in Naousa the first Sunday of July takes place the “Fish and Wine Festival”.
LOCAL CUISINE
The most famous Parian dishes are kakavia (fish soup), gouna fish, salatouri (ray fish salad), zucchini balls called kolokithokeftedes and fava. Don’t miss to taste the local cheeses ladotyri and myzithra and the fine local wine.
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