Paros: the two faces of the Cyclades
Paros is among the largest islands in the Cyclades, and among its gifts is certainly its versatility. It offers trendy bars, upscale restaurants, dreamy hotels and beaches with beach clubs and every comfort. But if you are not a fan of fancy atmospheres you will easily find family-friendly beaches or wild coves, isolated or spartan accommodations, villages that resonate only with the chatter of old people sitting at the bar, and unpretentious taverns.
The variety of beaches is enviable, as is their quality. Clear shallow waters, rocky coves or long stretches of fine sand. On windy days there are always alternatives for beaches with little wind.
When you are done exploring the beaches, you can always go for a sunset stroll in one of the inland hill towns, or among the trendy stores and pier docks of the two main towns.
You certainly won't be bored on this multifaceted island of the Cyclades.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Besides the domestic airport, the best way to reach Paros is by ferry, from the main islands of the Cyclades and Piraeus. It lands at Paroikia, which, although the main port, is not the main center of the island. Naoussa, in fact, a little further north is definitely the village that catalyzes more services, restaurants and visitors.
The coast is all inhabited, between small resorts exclusively for vacation, and a few fishing ports. The hinterland is hilly and offers some beautiful rural villages. A main road connects all the coastal resorts, and is dotted with services, such as supermarkets, fishmongers, and bakeries, and an inland road cuts across the island and through the hillside villages.
The small port of Pounta (Πούντα) in the south is the starting point for the boat that connects the island to Antiparos. This departs from each shore every 20` and embarks cars without reservation and in order of arrival, throughout the day.
THE BEACHES
The beaches of Paros can mostly be classified into 3 macro areas. The two headlands of Monastiri and Santa Maria in the north host the most picturesque beaches, with granite cliffs and white sand. The bays are configured in such a way that even on windy days they are sufficiently sheltered and pleasant.
The east coast hosts large, very open and often windy golden sand beaches suitable for water sports.
The south coast hosts small beaches, some little more than a narrow tongue of sand between tamarisk trees and the sea, to which one can take refuge on days when the Meltemi blows too hard from the north.
The west coast does not have many beaches, except for a few small coves around the harbor.
To get a clear idea of the best beaches, you can read this article: LINK
THE VILLAGES
Paroikia
The island's main port has a very touristy feel: the waterfront and the town's main street are overrun with bars and restaurants that entertain travelers waiting for the next ferry. As you wander through the streets of the village, you already identify the two sides of the island: you can let the trail of souvenir or jewelry stores drag you from one side of the pier to the other, among pleasant, neat little streets and white houses. Or you can detour down some alley with a steep staircase and discover the more authentic face of the town.
You can climb up to Frankish Castle and sit on the steps of an ancient temple turned church and contemplate the sea. And then continue on Loxagoi Ioanni Fokianoi, a deserted road that turns away from the center and offers picturesque glimpses of the town away from the crowds.
Naoussa
Vibrant, crowded, rowdy, without even space to pass between restaurant tables and a narrow walkway at the water's edge of the pier to parade among the people who invade it after dark. Sleepy, silent, with church flags fluttering in the wind and octopus tentacles swaying in the sun, throughout the day. Naoussa is an interesting place to visit at both of these times, to enjoy its sights during the day and good food or fashionable stores at night.
If you want to shop, especially in jewelry and clothing, this is the place to be, and an evening won’t be enough to explore all the boutiques. The culinary scene is also vast, especially the gourmet scene.
Our favorite place: Sigi Ikthios, fine seafood cuisine but with a veracious menu at moderate prices, right on the main pier, which, although overcrowded, has a really picturesque atmosphere in the evening.
Marpissa, Prodromos, Lefkes
These are the three inland villages of Paros, and they are certainly worth the trip. Arrive late in the day, before sunset, to enjoy these small clusters of whitewashed houses bathed in the golden evening light.
Marpissa is the first one you encounter on the road, and also the largest. You follow the narrow streets uphill, between a whitewashed church, a tavern in the shade of a plane tree, and a square with a cathedral, to the top of the village. The large Metamorphosis Sotiros Cathedral is worth a visit for its incredibly rich frescoed interior. A beautiful view of Marpissa, with the church towering above, can be enjoyed from the coast, or from the terrace of the exclusive Galazia Hytra restaurant, where we recommend going for an elegant, gourmet dinner.
Continuing inland, you come to Prodromos, the most beautiful of the three villages. You enter through one of the gates and walk through deserted alleys overgrown with the purple foliage of bougainvilleas. At the edge of the center is a small bakery Ο φούρνος της γειτονιάς: we recommend that you get a slice of milk cake and enjoy it in the picturesque Εκκλησία Αγία Ανάληψη church square, one of the most characteristic views of the village.
Finally Lefkes, for us the least characteristic but apparently the busiest of the three villages, has a main street to follow among small stores and a few cafes, far too crowded for its small size. A number of hiking trails start from here from which to admire the view of the island from above.
A few minutes away is a mountain tavern with a nice view of the sea, offering very good inland dishes and a pleasant outdoor setting, Santa Pacou.
Aliki
The tiny town of Aliki, south of the island, is picturesque for a stroll along the pier at sunset and a seafood dinner at one of the many fishermen's taverns that crowd the small harbor with their tables.
