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Paros is the third largest Greek island in the Cyclades, located close to the neighboring islands of AntiParos and Naxos. The island is 190 km2 and has approx. 10,000 inhabitants.
Pariakia-The main town of Parikia has approx. 2000 inhabitants and the harbor is an extensive traffic hub for ferries to the mainland and to the area’s many islands. We joked a bit about calling it “little Piraeus” (-: Parikia is located on the west coast of Paros and is one of the island’s largest cities. The city has been inhabited since ancient times. The old town can be found around the old castle, with narrow streets and beautiful white houses and churches. The city is beautiful and nice to walk around and when the day comes to an end, you can experience a fantastically beautiful sunset here.
Aesklepieion -Approx one kilometer outside Parikia is the famous Aesklepieion, a temple dedicated to the god of medicine Asclepius. Sick, wounded and weak people gathered in great crowds outside the temple in the hope of being healed. If one slept outside the temple at night and then told the priests about their dreams, they could make a diagnosis and prescribe cures in the form of therapeutic baths, mud baths, gymnastics and sports.
Naoussa -The town of Naoussa is on the north coast of Paros. There is a beautiful little harbor with fishing boats closely moored. Here you can sit by the harbour among the fishing nets and hang out to dry. There are plenty of tavernas with delicious fish or, other lovely Greek food. Without wanting to sound critical, in our opinion there has been a bit too much tourist industry in this small and probably very cozy place. But you can still go into the narrow streets at the back of the city and experience ordinary Greek everyday life—it’s not worse (-:
Alyki The most beautiful beaches on Paros can be found on the southern part of the island. Here you will also find the small town of Alyki, approx. 15 kilometers south of Parikia. The town is located by a small bay surrounded by beautiful, golden sandy beaches and crystal clear water. Here there is a nice shelter from the prevailing northerly winds. Alyki is, as you would expect, a small Greek fishing village. Nice atmosphere, a few smaller hotels and some shops, as well as a supermarket or two. There are lovely places to eat at the harbor by the small pier.
Lefkes-If you are not into wild nightlife with loud music and partying young people in Pariakia and Naoussa, you can also skip Lefkes and Marpissa. The two authentic cities are like night and day compared to Pariakia and Naoussa. Paros is known for its beautiful white villages, crystal clear waters and brilliant sandy beaches.
Airport-There is a small national airport on Paros which is being expanded and from the end of 2023 it should become international..
We stayed on the outskirts of Parikia during our visit and experienced a great contrast to the small Cycladic islands we came from. But those were good days when we were around exploring the island on a scooter. And we experienced amazing sunsets every day. Our favorite town was probably Lefkes, with its truly original Greek charm, as well as the small one-day trip to the small neighboring island of AntiParos, which is only a very short ferry ride away from the small ferry town of Pounta on Paros to the main town on AntiParos. The worst experience was the “butterfly valley” which was far too expensive, and the only animals we saw were the single lizard and a large fly (-: (-: