Paros is a very beautiful and small island located in Cyclades at the Aegean Sea in Greece. Historically known for its fine marble, which gave rise to the term “Parian†to describe marble or china of similar qualities. Today, it is one of the most popular Greek islands worldwide and many visitors from all over the world visit it every year especially in the summer period.
Photos HERE
How to go to Paros
You can go to Paros either by a ferry or with a plane.
Paros International Airport connects Paros with both Athens and Thessaloniki in Greece and with other European destinations as well.
There are ferry connections between Paros and Athens from either Rafina (Closer to the International Airport of Athens) or from Piraeus (Closer to the city center) and from other islands of the Aegean Sea as well. You can book online your ferry tickets to Paros HERE.
Villages in Paros
Parikia – Old Town of Paros – Directions HERE
The capital and the main port of Paros is in village Parikia. It is called Paros Town or Chora as well and is on the same site where the ancient city used to stand. Within a walking distance from the main port of Parikia there are a lot of retail shops, some famous restaurants and cafes and nice walking paths.
Parikia is built amphitheatrically around the port and has the typical Cycladic architecture with the whitewashed houses. At the entrance of the port, is located the whitewashed windmill that used to be the tourist information center and now is the taxi and bus station.
Photos HERE
The Frankish Castle – Directions HERE
The Frankish Castle of Paros was built arox in 1200 by the Venetian Sanoudos. The castle is conspicuous by its intricate stonework and the hundred-footer Hekatompedon that is fabricated into its walls. The tower of the castle was built during the Frankish era.
Part of the circular edifice is used as apse of the castle’s in-house chapel. Today in the castle you can find the ruins of a temple that dated back in 530 B.C. along with scattered remnants of ancient residences.
Photos HERE
Archaic Temple of Athena – Directions HERE
Next to the Frankish Castle in Parikia is located the Archaic Teple of Athena that is an Ionic temple dating in 530-520 B.C. and was dedicated to the goddess Athena, patroness of the city of Paros. The temple was 32,86m long and 16,70m wide. It is an amphiprostyle type with six columns on the east and west sides.
The front of the temple, the prodromos, was destroyed along with the biggest part of the main temple when the west slope of the hill collapsed into the sea. A prehistoric settlement of the 2nd millennium B.C. was excavated next to the temple.
Photos HERE
Sanctuary of Asklipios – Directions HERE
The Sanctuary of Asklipios in Paros is a temple dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius. In the ancient times it is believes that people who were sick would sleep within the precincts of the temple and God would appear in their dreams and would explain them what is the cure for their disease.
The next day they would meet with priest and would explain him what God told them at their dream, and the priest would describe a cure based on their dreams. Most of the times the cure involved a dip in the therapeutic baths, mud cures or practicing sports.
Photos HERE
Ancient Cemetery – Directions HERE
One of the most important Ancient cemeteries of Cyclades is located in Parikia town. The cemetery was in use from the 8th century B.C. till the 3rd century A.D. and had walls that were divining it from the ancient town. The largest number of graves belongs to the 7th century B.C. and in the ancient times the morality rate of children was very high.
In the cemetery there were many amphorae and a 3m high mass grave with a headstone from the archaic times. At the western part of the cemetery there were found several marble sarcophagi that dated from the post-Roman period and were placed over some marble abutments and today they are displayed at the Archeological Museum of Paros.
Photos HERE
Ancient Pottery Workshop – Directions HERE
In Parikia you can find the Ancient Pottery Workshop belongs to the 3rd century B.C. and is conspicuous by two cisterns, a number of supplementary rooms, two large kilns with a diameter of 2m and four comparatively minor kilns.
Also on the site are a Geometric grave and the fortification of a huge Archaic edifice.
Photos HERE
Archeological Musuem of Paros – Directions HERE
The Archeological Museum of Paros id located in Parikia. Opening hours and days are Tuesday to Sunday 8:00am-3:00pm all year round. The museum consists of two halls and a courtyard.
At the first hall there are findings from the Archaic and Classica periods while at the second hall there are findings from the Neolithic, Early Cycladic, Mycenaean, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods and consist mainly from miniature pottery and sculpture. At the courtyard there are architectural parts, urns and Roman mosaic floor.
Photos HERE
Panagia Ekatontapyliani – Directions HERE
Panagia Ekatontapilliani is a historic Byzantine church (dated in 326) in Paros located by the sea in the lower part of the town of Parikia. The church complex contains mainly a chapel surrounded by two more chapels and a baptistery with a cruciform font.
It founded by the Saint Helen the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, during her pilgrimage of the Holy Land when she stopped to worship at a chapel on the island.
Photos HERE
Naoussa – Directions HERE
The most popular area in Paros is the village Naoussa, located in a huge bay in the northern part of the island. Naoussa is an authentic Cycladic village with stone paved streets, whitewashed little houses and an amazing and very popular old port with the little colorful fishing boats and the restaurants and cafes at the paths around it.
Directions to the old port HERE.
The Venetian Castle – Directions HERE
The Venetian Castle in Naoussa is located right at the old port. The castle originally constructed in the 15th century by the Venetians right in the entrance of the port. The castle was used as a watchtower for pirate and enemy attacks and as a front line in times of war. Due to its location it made very difficult for the enemy ships to approach and it had protected the commercial ships that used to moor at the port. The only part of the castle that remains alive today is a half-submerged watchtower that is connected to the mainland with a short path. Just behind the castle today are located a lot of bars and taverns that used to be the Venetian storehouses.
Photos HERE
Moraitis Winery – Directions HERE
In Naoussa is located the Moraitis Winery that was founded in 1910 by Manolis Moraitis. He used to cultivate his own vineyards, while he gathered and vivificated grapes from selected vineyards of the island. Today the winery is operated by the 4th generation of the family and the long tradition with the modern technology produce high quality wines that reveal the unique characteristics of Paros terroir. You can book a wine tour at their website HERE.
Photos HERE
Mycenaean Acropolis – Directions HERE
At the village Kolymbithres next to Naoussa is located the Mycenaean Acropolis in Paros. The acropolis was founded from the 13th century B.C. Paros played an important role in the Greek history while the quality and magnitude of the Mycenaean architecture and he size fort with walls over 3m strengthen this assumption. It is believed that the settlement was abandoned after a fire from enemy attack took place. Later on the 1th century B.C. a Geometric settlement was erected in the same place.
Photos HERE
Lefkes Village – Directions HERE
Lefkes, the first capital of Paros, is the most mountainous village in Paros. It is located under the pinewood on the hill.
The village has old washhouses with an amazing view to the sea and the Naxos island in the background. The central street of the village, Ramnos is located among neoclassic buildings, the school, the former community building an the House of Literature.
The Folklore Museum – Directions HERE
The Folklore Museum is managed by the Cultural Association “Yria†and has exhibits from the old way of living such as embroideries, textiles and tools that all were donated by the locals.
Photos HERE
The Valley of Butterflies – Directions HERE
The Valley of the Butterflies is a biotope with a small source, which is covered by dense vegetation with cypresses, plane-trees, oleanders, carob trees and orchards. The area is ideal for the Tiger moth butterfly. It is a brown and yellow butterfly with a bit of black and white spots and two orange-red back wings, which appear when it flies.
The Valley of the Butterflies attracts a lot of butterflies in June and they “disappear†in August. This happens because in September the female butterflies search for bushy areas to lay their eggs and then, they die. The caterpillars come out of the eggs in October and they turn into butterflies in May.
Photos HERE
Aqua Paros Water Park – Directions HERE
For those who will visit the island with their families, they might find interesting to visit the Water Park in Paros with the 13 water slides with their own pool, which all end to the sea.
Beaches in Paros
Kolymbythres Beach – Highly Recommended – Directions HERE
Piperi Beach – Directions HERE
Xifara Beach – Directions HERE
Santa Anna Beach – Directions HERE
Santa Maria Beach – Directions HERE
Glifades Beach – Directions HERE
Tsoukalia Beach – Directions HERE
Molos Beach – Directions HERE
Logaras Beach – Directions HERE
Pounta Beach – Directions HERE
Golden Beach – Highly Recommended – Directions HERE
Faragas Beach – Directions HERE
Stone Coast Beach – Directions HERE
Piso Aliki Beach – Directions HERE
Paros Kite Beach – Directions HERE
Delfini Beach – Directions HERE
Marcelo Beach – Highly Recommended – Directions HERE
Monastiri Beach – Directions HERE
Restaurants in Paros
Mylos Traditional Grill – Mediterranean Barbeque – Directions HERE
Markakis Restaurants – Seafood – Directions HERE
Hellas Restaurant – International Cuisine – Directions HERE
Safran Restaurant – Greek Seafood – Directions HERE
Anna & Giorgos Restaurant – Steakhouse – Directions HERE
Ydroussa Restaurant – Italian Cuisine – Directions HERE
Soso Restaurant – Mediterranean Cuisine – Directions HERE
Les Amis Restaurant & Wine Bar – Mediterranean Cuisine – Directions HERE
The Little Green Rocket – Asian Mediterranean Cuisine – Directions HERE
Buon Vento – Italian Cuisine – Directions HERE
Magaya – Asian Seafood – Directions HERE
Le Sud – French Cuisine – Directions HERE
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