The Island
Marble, Light & the Aegean
Paros has been prized since antiquity for its translucent white marble — used in the Venus de Milo and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Today the island is prized for something equally rare: a genuine Cycladic character that has survived the pressures of mass tourism.
Parikia, the island's capital, is a classic whitewashed Cycladic town with a Venetian castle, a 6th-century Byzantine church, and a harbour that fills with fishing boats and ferries. Naoussa, in the north, is more cosmopolitan — a fishing village turned sophisticated resort with excellent restaurants and a beautiful harbour.
Experiences
Beaches, Villages & Watersports
Paros has some of the finest beaches in the Cyclades — Kolymbithres, with its extraordinary granite rock formations; Golden Beach, one of the best windsurfing spots in Europe; and the quiet coves of the island's western coast.
The interior of the island rewards exploration: the marble quarries of Marathi, the Byzantine road connecting Parikia to Naoussa, and the hilltop village of Lefkes — one of the most beautiful villages in the Cyclades.