My husband and I visited Greece in September, 2021. For the third post in my Greece series, I’d like to share with you five great things to do in Paros.
1. Relax on the Beaches
Kolymbithres Beach was our favorite beach in Paros because of its unique rock formations on the shore and in the water. The water is so calm and clear, and you can walk out several hundred feet and still touch bottom. Kolymbithres also provides beautiful views of Naoussa across the bay.
There are at least two areas where you can rent a lounge chair and umbrella. It is a very popular beach, but we were easily able to find a spot. For those who don’t want to rent a lounge chair, there are interesting nooks where people can lounge on the rocks.
Kolymbithres Beach is west of Naoussa on the north end of Paros. Just up the road is the Environmental and Cultural Park of Paros that has hiking trails and more small beaches to explore. We walked around the Monastery of St. Johns of Deti and took in views of the park, the blue water, and two yachts that could have been owned by James Bond and his nemesis.
2. Lefkes Village
Lefkes is a steep hilltop village with a million-dollar view. As you enter the town from the north, there is a fork in the road, and both routes lead to public parking. The village is built on a hill, and on the main street near the top of the town, there is a beautiful little park that overlooks the spectacular vista of the town below, rolling olive grove hills, and the sea beyond.
You can find restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream in Lefkes if you need sustenance before you pop in and out of local shops. Lefkes is a perfect place to explore narrow cobbled pedestrian ways and see pretty flowers, bright shutters on whitewashed walls and lazy cats.
We walked to the Byzantine Aiga Triada (Holy Trinity) church, where you can enter if it is open, leave a donation, and explore the cemetery behind the church. I was touched by the grave of a young man who died defending Greece against the Nazi occupation in WWII. He was the same age as my great-uncle who also died in WWII. This cemetery tells the story of the local people.
3. Shopping in Parikia
There is a wonderful shopping area in Parikia between the Frankish (Venetian) Castle and the Church Ekatontapyliani that sits just a couple of blocks from the beach. There are boutiques, jewelry stores, and galleries, some being quite reasonably priced. You can find quality made in Greece clothing and products instead of simply the standard t-shirt and post card souvenir shops.
The main shopping path is Lochagau Kourtinou that adjoins Lochagoi Georgioi Gravari, but I don’t think I ever read a street sign. You can just migrate to the pedestrian street lined with shops that draw your attention, and you will be in the right place.
4. Panagia Ekatontapiliani and the Paros Archeological Museum
I cheated by putting two things into one category, but the church and the museum are adjacent to one another and each well worth a visit.
Panagia Ekatontapiliani is the “Church of the Hundred Doors” because, according to tradition, there are 99 doors, and the 100th will be discovered when Hagia Sophia (in Turkey) becomes Orthodox Christian again.
However, what I thought was even more interesting about this church is that it is a Byzantine church dating back to the 4th century, and in the 1950’s the white-washed stucco was removed in a restoration to reveal the original red and multi-colored stone. You can explore all throughout the beautiful church and pay a small entry fee for a museum in the former monastery and a visit to the ancient baptistry.
The Archeological Museum of Paros contains artifacts excavated in Paros and in Antiparos. Since the museum is small, it is not overwhelming. It only consists of a courtyard and a few rooms. A docent sitting in the courtyard was happy to make the visit even more interesting.
The courtyard features a beautiful mosaic that was found under the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, from its pre-Christian days. It tells the story of the labors of Hercules, and as the docent explained, the Greeks who re-discovered the mosaic knew exactly what the story was about.
The museum also has a beautiful Nike with her wings and several funerary steles. These are grave stones that depict the deceased in touching relief with sometimes a family member who mourn them.
5. Naoussa night life
A night out in Naoussa, dinner at Siparos and then exploring the town was a magical night out with my husband that will always have a rosy sunset glow in my memory. Siparos was our favorite restaurant in Paros, and possibly on the whole trip. It was the perfect place to see the sun set over a quiet bay. As it was getting dark a party arrived by boat at the restaurant’s lantern lit pier. Based on the toasts we observed, it was a rehearsal dinner.
Siparos is a short drive east of Naoussa. It is posh and sophisticated, but relaxed with outdoor seating. Jeff’s shrimp in saffron orzo and my daikon bread salad with tomato basil vinaigrette were both delicious.
After dinner we drove back to walk around Naoussa’s harbor area. It is a beautiful scene on a warm summer night. The people filling the outdoor restaurants and walking through the streets only added to the experience. It was lively but not too busy. Of course, I had to have some gelato as we walked along. For the beautiful jet set crowd, Naoussa is known for its posh clubs, but Naoussa is also perfect for those who prefer to enjoy the romance of the place. I loved the busy white washed alleys, the twinkle of the lights shining out over the water.
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