Things to Do in Paros, Greece

You can find Greek islands with more frenetic nightlife, more secluded getaways, resorts where the needle on the chi-chi-meter reaches further into the red. But few are as well-connected as Paros while offering such a great value for money and enough variety–beaches, churches, bars, classical ruins, restaurants–to satisfy everyone. Throw in plucky little neighbor Antiparos and you have two islands for the price of one. And who doesn’t like getting something for free?
Every day numerous ferries take travelers and locals to and from Piraeus (the port of Athens) and neighboring islands like Mykonos, Naxos and Santorini, or as far afield as Crete. Even if it’s not your final destination, it’s worth spending a few days on Paros, the Greek islands’ great all-rounder. Here are five attractions in Paros for your list:

Parikia

Parikia is the main town and port of Paros. Everything you could want from a Greek island town is here: whitewashed houses, winding lanes, a wide selection of restaurants and–equally important–bars with an uninterrupted view of the Aegean where you can watch the sun slip over the horizon. There’s a huge range of accommodation and the beach of Livadia is just a few minutes’ walk from the center of town.

Wander through Parikia

The Venetian-built Frankish Castle is the highest point of the town; it was constructed from broken pieces of ancient columns and architectural elements, put together like building blocks. The Venetians made a habit of this building style in their trading empire of which Paros was a part, and you have to admit, for a gross act of vandalism it looks pretty cool. There are still some undisturbed ancient ruins around the edge of the town but Parikia’s stand-out attraction is the “Church of 100 Doors”. The stone walls and perfect dome exude strength, solidity and continuity. Look out for tombs set in the floor featuring the Byzantine double-headed eagle, or in some cases skulls (which if you ask me look like Mexican wrestling masks).

North Coast

If you’re not driving your own car, it’s worth acquainting yourself with the bus timetable. The bus station is right next to the port in Parikia; buses are cheap and reliable yet can run infrequently to some destinations.
About 20 minutes away by either car or bus is the north coast town of Naoussa. The stand-out in a town not wanting for postcard-perfect sights is an exquisite little Venetian port, surrounded on three sides by restaurants with the fourth side open to the sea. Dine on the catch-of-the-day right next to the fishing boats which brought it in.
Around the bay from Naoussa is the beach of Kolimbithres. As an alternative to catching the boat to the beach (which in any event won’t run if the sea is too choppy), consider hiring a bicycle – the journey is an achievable 20 minutes or so along the coast. Facilities at Kolimbithres are low-key yet perfectly adequate, and this may well be the pick of the island’s beaches. The water is dazzlingly clear, rocky outcrops dot the varied coastline and hills provide a powerful backdrop.
Tempting though it is, don’t just spend the whole day at Kolimbithres: head on to the wild and surly landscape of Paros’s northern tip. For a minimum of physical effort, the signposted walks lead you around the headland to breathtaking vistas of untouched coastline, otherworldly rock formations and crashing waves where you expect to see an Argonaut dashed to his death at any moment.

East Coast

Sheltered by hinterland peaks with the odd perfect cone like a child’s painting of a mountain, the east coast is for those whose inflexible agenda of sandcastle building allows for no distraction from cultural attractions. One of the most popular resorts, Piso Livadi, stands at the top of a string of towns. All of them offer a view of Naxos across the way, its hills looming through an Aegean haze.

Hinterland

Visit the Hinterland

Catch a bus on the winding mountain roads which traverse the island’s interior and you may be thankful you left their navigation to a seasoned professional. And as you don’t have to keep your eyes on the road you’re free to admire the terrain which has a parched, beautiful drama all its own. Above Parikia the mountains rise precipitously and are often topped by perilously perched monasteries.
You’re unlikely to get to the wind-whipped peaks (I am going out on a limb here and presuming you are not a Greek Orthodox monk), but be sure not to miss the town of Lefkes. Here you find a hillside version of the domestic architecture you will have seen on the coast: whitewashed houses with blue shutters (though light gray does seem to be an acceptable shutter shading variant for the modern homemaker). Walls send out distress flares of bougainvillea and every turn of the narrow, rising, falling, twisting laneways offers a new vista more picturesque than the last. It’s almost too much, but thankfully there’s a sun-beaten, time-ruffled shabbiness to parts of Lefkes which stops it becoming too unbearably attractive.

Antiparos

If there were a rat race on Paros, Antiparos would be the place to escape it. The ferry from the “mainland” takes a few minutes and visitors are drawn above all by the impressive cave in the island’s south, but don’t ignore the charming town of Antiparos with its Venetian castro, a quadrangle of buildings surrounding a fort. Naturally there are numerous beaches, with some scenic protected coves and a clothes-optional offering.

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