Holidays in Paros GREECE
Holidays in Paros feature one of the most attractive islands in the Cyclades, with 80 miles of outstanding coastline and charming, tranquil farmland. Paros holidays offer a delightful combination of appealing fishing harbours, colourful traditional villages, churches and monasteries and ancient sites. Paros holidays offer tremendous variety and plenty of peace and relaxation, especially away from the main beaches. Plenty of authentically Greek atmosphere and natural beauty ensure your holidays will offer plenty of interest beyond the well-known beach resorts. With most Paros holidays centred on the resorts of Parikia and Naoussa, large parts of the island remain peaceful.
Enjoy swimming and your favorite water sports, have fun in the local feasts, savour the local dishes and famed wines in restaurants, taverns and ouzeries stroll around the countryside and the lovely village streets, visit the handicraft shops, revel in the intense nightlife. Discover
Parikia, the capital, visit the famous church of Katapoliani, one of Greece's most important Byzantine monuments, impressively preserved, the Venetian castle, and the Archaeological Museum with its exhibits from the ancient history of
Paros and Antiparos. Discover
Naoussa which is north of the island with its whitewashed alleys, picturesque fishing port and beautiful nearby beaches. Lefkes and Marathi which are in the middle of the Island with the ancient quarries of the famous Parian marble. The monasteries of Longovarda, Christou tou Dassous and many others. The tranquil fishing village of
Aliki is on the south west of the Island with sandy beaches around.
Information about Paros beaches
Paros offers a wealth of different beaches to choose from - whether you're
into windsurfing, all-day partying, snorkelling or nudism you'll find
something to suit you along the island's coastline. The port of Parikia, where the majority of the island's holiday
accommodation is centred, has a fairly uninspiring town beach but there are
some excellent beaches within easy reach to the north across the bay and south
west along the coast. The local caiques (water taxis) run up and down this
stretch of coastline regularly during high season connecting the port with
nearby beaches. Livadia Beach is just five minutes walk from the town, beyond
the yacht marina and fishing harbour. Krios Beach across the bay and quieter
Kaminia are less pebbly and more attractive. Pasaporos Beach, about three kilometres south of the town, is a small,
sheltered and attractively landscaped beach near the remains of an ancient
temple. You can reach it via one of the hourly buses which run from Parikia to
Pounta. Pounta itself is about six kilometres south west of Parikia and is only
really worth visiting to catch an excursion boat over to the nearby island of
Antiparos. Aliiki, in the south west corner of the island, suffers from ongoing
construction work and noise disturbance from the nearby Paros airport. But it's
worth a visit on August 6th when the annual religious festival takes place
with fireworks, live music, fresh fish and plentiful wine for all present. The cosmopolitan seaside resort of Naoussa in the north of the island is a
picturesque fishing harbour with a unique breakwater built within the ruins of
a semi-sunken Venetian castle. The fishermen's nets line the quayside waiting
for repair while their owners while away their spare time in the local ouzeri
and chic tourists dine on some of the best fresh fish dishes to be found
anywhere in the
Cyclades. Pop along to the Naoussa Paros Sailing Centre for all day trips to the
islands of
Naxos,
Delos and Iraklia or half day tours and yacht charters. One of the island's best stretches of coastline is at Kolimithres about an
hour's walk west of Naoussa. It'll only take you 10 minutes on a moped or
catch a caique in high season.
The name Kolimithres means "basins" or "fonts"
and refers to the huge rocks which have been weathered by the wind and sea
into the shape of baptismal fonts. The rocks divide the golden sand here into
several small coves served by watersports, luxury hotels and some good
tavernas. Caiques also go to Lageri Beach, a long sandy stretch flanked by dunes, two
and a half kilometres north east of Naoussa. There's a popular nudist beach
nearny. Santa Maria at the far north eastern tip of the island, is one of the
most beautiful beaches of all and boasts some of the best windsurfing
conditions. The Santa Maria Surf Club offers equipment and lessons by the
hour.
The island's most famous beach is Chrissi Akti (Golden Beach) in the south
east corner of Paros - a one kilometre stretch of fine gold sand awash with
tavernas, holiday complexes and watersports. The beach has hosted the World
Cup Windsurfing Championships since 1983 and is home to the Fanatic Fun Club
which offers a wealth of watersports including water ski-ing, wind and kite
surfing and catamaran sailing. Nearby Pounda Beach is small in size but big on
partying - it's an all day clubbing venue with a huge swimming pool, sea and
sand games, a music bar and a host of activities designed to appeal to the
young and energetic..
Rhodes sites and attractions - Paros highlights ...
The moment you arrive in Paros Greece, you will be standing near the island's most treasured monument, the Church of Ekatontapiliani (Our Lady of the Hundred Gates) , the large place of worship which oversees the capital town, Parikia. The inside of the church contains splendid ecclesiastical artwork and is a must during your stay on Paros Island. Other sights to visit in Parikia are the Frankish Castle, the Sanctuary of Asklipios, the Delion Sanctuary, the Ancient Cemetery, the Archaeological Museum and the lovely churches and monasteries in the area.
Located close to Parikia, Paros, is the beautiful butterfly valley of Psychopiana, which is an area of rare natural beauty. In Naoussa, Paros, we suggest visiting the Venetian Castle and the Church of Agios Nikolaos, both situated in the charming fishing port of the settlement.. Also worthwhile visiting on Paros Island Greece, is the Ancient Marble Quarry in Marathi and the Mycenaean Acropolis in Kolimbithres. The Venetian ruins on Kefalos Hill in Marpissa are especially impressive. After the Church of Ekatontapiliani in Parikia, the next finest religious structure is the Church of Agia Triada in Lefkes, which is an exquisite structure made from Parian marble.
By touring Paros Island, you will be rewarded with scenes of extreme beauty, where splendid sandy and pebbly beaches meet olive grooves, vineyards and orchards that lie on rolling hills. One of Paros' main attractions are its very picturesque mountain and seaside villages, where visitors can get a genuine "taste" of the traditions and the everyday life of the inhabitants of the island. All Paros villages offer guests a variety of hotel accommodations, entertainment venues and shops.
Paros beaches are some of the finest on the Aegean Sea. Many of the beaches have been awarded the blue flag for their cleanliness, beauty and organization, and therefore provide visitors with idyllic spots for relaxation and recreation.
Paros Nightlife - Clubs, Cafes & Restaurants
Paros Greece is famous for its nightlife, coming third, in terms of entertainment, after Mykonos and Ios. Plenty of bars and night clubs can be found in the island’s capital, Parikia, and in the picturesque fishing village of Naoussa, which is the centre of Paros’ nightlife. Every kind of bar and night club can be found in Paros island, offering every kind of music, for every taste and open all night long. Most of the clubs and bars in Parikia are boarding the waterfront as is “Paros Rock”, the famous bar and club complex, considered as the top of the entertainment of the island. A great amount of beach bars are available in Paros Island, on the most famous and popular beaches which are organizing many parties and concerts, offering great fun until dawn. Punta Beach Bar on Punta Beach is one of the favorite places for dancing and drinking, where the fun starts early in the morning till late in the evening. Traditional Paros events are very popular with both locals and visitors. Naoussa hosts two of the most well-known Paros festivals: The Fishermen's Festival on the first Sunday in July, which gives participants the chance to taste fresh fish and other delicacies, and the Reenactment of the Pirate's Raid "Koursariki Nychta" on August 23. The Church of Ekatontapiliani, the trademark monument of Paros, holds a great celebration on August 15..
Climate and weather in Paros GREECE
The climate & the weather in Paros is similar to the rest of the
Cyclades islands: sunny and hot in the summer months and particularly mild in the winter months. In the evenings it can get cool and humid, and therefore a light jacket is recommended. Rain is quite uncommon, guaranteeing wonderful weather during your holidays. From January to March, temperatures on Paros island are relatively high for the season, ranging from 11°C to 13°C. April temperatures climb to the mid teens, while May temperatures reach the 20s. During June, July and August, the weather gets significantly warmer, ranging between the mid to high 20s. September and October are ideal for those that prefer cooler temperatures on their vacations as it tends to be in the mid teens to the low teens. November and December temperatures range from low to mid teens. The July and August Meltemi wind is particularly strong in Paros Greece, due to its location in the middle of the Cyclades cluster, although this has benefited the island immensely, making it one of the prime spots in the world for windsurfing. Indeed, the PWA (Professional Windsurfers Association) holds its World Cup on Nea Chyssi Beach in early August.
Getting to Paros island - Flights & Ferries - Getting arround ...
There are direct flights from
Athens Airport, linking all major international airports with Paros Island. Rates of airplane tickets depend on the season and the time of booking, so it is possible to find cheap flights to Paros, if you book well in advance. There are international airports at nearby
Mykonos and
Santorini.
Ferries offer the best way to travel in Cyclades. The islands seethe with ferry boats throughout the summer months. Many of the larger ones are luxurious with deep bucket seats, air conditioning, ever-open bars and surprisingly cheap ticket prices too. Throughout the summer there are daily sailings to the Athens port of
Piraeus by at least five boats with connections three days a week to Rafina, just Northeast of
Athens. Other regular connections include daily boats to Ios, Santorini, Paros,
Amorgos, Mykonos,
Tinos and
Andros. Sailings Syros and Silanos, Siphnos,
Crete and
Samos are less regular. Daily excursions go to island beaches and to nearby islands such as Mykonos and Delos. There are regular crossings to Antiparos from Paroikia but if you have a car or bike dive down to Pounta where you can take your vehicle across every 20 minutes or so..
There are five main bus routes from the centre of Paroikia. One goes to Drios via Lefkes, Piso Livadi and villages between. A second plies between Paroikia and Naoussa. A third goes down the west coast to Alyki while a fourth stops at Pounta to meet the ferry. The fifth goes to Naoussa then heads east to Piso Livadi and ends at Drios. Times are posted on a kiosk near the small habourside church in Paroikia. Cars and bikes are a good bet on Paros. The roads are generally good and well marked though condition deteriorates away from the main roads and a bike is the best bet for more remote stretches of coastline. Paroikia can cause problems when ferries arrive as the road runs right past the dock. Hundreds of visitors, not to say scores of cars and lorries spew from the quayside turning the already congested centre into a maelstrom of flesh and metal. The one-way system to the north of the town is another unforgettable feature, as is the centre of Naoussa at the height of the season - avoid both if you can.
Quick facts - Paros overview
Paros along with its larger neighbour
Naxos forms the hub of the main central group of
Greek islands known as the
Cyclades. The Cyclades seem the epitome of the
Greek islands, with their white cube houses, crystal clear seas and sandy beaches and Paros is arguably one of the best of them. The lack of a large airport has ensured that the island hasn't buckled to the pressing demands of cut price tour companies. Instead Paros caters for the more independent tourist and it is a long-time favourite of young campers and backpackers.
The main holiday attractions of Paros are the dozens of sandy beaches dotted all round the island and the gentle, rolling countryside that, while not memorably spectacular, is imbued with a tranquil charm. Despite the ever growing tourist traffic in the Cyclades, Paros remains essentially a low key destination with fine beaches and charming hill villages. This is a Greek island that will suit those looking for a destination with good tourist infrastructure but slightly off the beaten track. Its central location in the Cyclades also makes Paros an ideal base for island hopping.
The the capital port of
Paroikia which, despite many treasures around the old Venetian kastro and a picturesque harbour windmill, has a long, drab waterfront covered in copious amounts of scruffy concrete. Most visitors disembark at the busy port at Parikia in the high season, and stay either there or at nearby Naoussa for the best part of their holiday, leaving the rest of the island relatively peaceful. Sands here have one very un-Greek characteristic. They are clean and tidy. The island is at great pains to clear up its litter. The clear, clean sands are welcome relief from the usual flotsam of plastic wreckage that adorns many
Greek island beaches.
Paros was famous in antiquity for its fine translucent marble, used to make countless masterpieces including the Venus de Milo. The much photographed
Naousa is one of the most picturesque resorts in the Cyclades with sugar cube houses dotted around the harbour and many pleasant beaches in the bay.
