Paros

About Paros

With two lively and picturesque Cycladic Choras, lots of golden beaches for every style, a beautiful inland rich in amazing traditional villages, special local cuisine and hot nightlife, Paros is one of the more multi-faced Cycladic islands for all ages and lifestyles. Ideal for family holidays, it combines easily accessed sandy beaches with lots of activities and facilities, which will keep busy kids of all ages. The island is also a water sports paradise, attracting surfers and kite surfers from all over the world. Teenagers will also be happy to find lots of hotspots in the little pedestrianized alleys of Naoussa and Parikia, while their parents enjoy a cocktail in a more sophisticated bar nearby not having to bother about transportation during night. Families and large group of friends can find some beautiful luxury villas combing traditional elements with sleek modern architecture, easy access to the beach and panoramic views to the archetypal Cycladic landscape. Being a large island with many different faces it assures you can find a peaceful beach or inland spot even in mid August, while enjoy cosmopolitan life when you feel like it. Parikia the main port has a beautiful traditional settlement with a special castle, important Byzantine and archaeological monuments and a lively market with local products and arty concept stores. Naoussa, the second biggest village, is also very picturesque and cosmopolitan, with lots of all day hangouts for handmade Italian ice cream, Greek yogurt and loukoumades (traditional fried sweet), gourmet restaurants with fresh fish and seafood and cocktail bars next to the traditional fishermen boats.

Chrissi Akti (golden shore) and Santa Maria are two of the most famous and best beaches, ideal for water sports, with beach bars and service on the beach, while Kolimbithres is a special beach with sleek rocks, like natural sculptures. But remember, in Paros you can find a different beach for everyday of your holidays ranging from the youthful and funky Punta Beach, a real all day club, to more secret spots like Kalogeros beach, which is notable because the stones around it contain argil (clay), ideal for natural peeling. Lefkes is the more well known village of the island with great views, authentic tavernas serving the traditional revithada (chickpeas) and beautiful ages old houses. Worth a visit are also the amphitheatrical village of Marpissa with whitewashed cubic houses, standing among narrow streets, churches and windmills, and the nearby village of Prodromos, where you enter through an arcade that connects the churches of Agios Nikolas and Agios Spyridon. The three villages are connected through the the old Byzantine path. In the ecological park of Agios Ioannis Deris, a peninsula just after the popular Monastiri beach, you can find beautiful paths for trekking as well as an open air theatre with a lively program of musical and theatrical performances. The nearby small island of Antiparos, easily acceded by boat in 10 minutes from the little port of Pounta, until late at night, is a popular idea for both daily and evening excursions. With many islands in close distance, Paros is also ideal for yachting and sailing.