What to see in Paros?
Paros is perhaps the Cyclades island that best embodies all the main features of this archipelago: it has beautiful beaches, clear sea, lovely cliffs, is fertile, has charming villages, a vibrant nightlife for those who love social entertainment, and many quiet corners. Here are the main attractions.
Parikia (Paros)
The capital is a picturesque town of white houses scattered among the hills. Parikia is not large, and its houses are simple, with arches and flowered balconies. Along the seafront, dozens of bars and restaurants come to life and fill with tourists at sunset. To admire the sunset, I recommend Aghios Anargyrous on a small hill behind Parikia.
Church of Panaghia Ekatompyliani
A beautiful Byzantine church with “a hundred doors” in the center of the capital, featuring a baptistery and museum. It is decorated with beautiful frescoes, icons, and carved wood. Inside, it also houses one of the oldest proto-Christian churches in the entire Aegean.
Archaeological Museum
A small museum that contains a very important artifact: a chronological table that summarizes 1300 years of Greek history and provides us with the apocryphal date of Homer’s birth.
Naoussa
A beautiful fishing village with a large cylindrical tower. Boats sway on the water in the harbor, fishing nets are spread out on the pier, and octopuses dry in the sun. In the evening, it becomes lively and vibrant.
Lefkes
A picturesque village among the cool hills, renowned for its ceramics. The marble church of Aghia Triada is a must-see.
Marpissa
A hillside village with the beautiful monastery of Aghios Antonios, considered the best place to watch the sunset.
Pisso Livadi
A fishing village with a small pier and a particularly peaceful atmosphere.
Monastery of Langovarda
A beautiful frescoed monastery where monks dedicate themselves to icon painting.
Ancient Marble Quarries
Located halfway between the capital and the village of Marpissa.
Butterfly Garden
In September, in the small and tranquil valley of Petaloudes near the village of Psichopiano, the trees are filled with the same migrating butterflies visible in Rhodes.
Festival of the Virgin Katapoliani
An important pilgrimage on August 15th to the church of Panaghia Ekatompyliani, attracting pilgrims from all over Greece and featuring a beautiful historical reenactment and fireworks in the evening.
Venetian Evening
On August 23rd in Naoussa, the harbor’s caiques are illuminated all night, and the village celebrates to remember the islanders' fight against the pirate Barbarossa.
