I must be honest: at the beginning I wanted to keep this site as a little secret, I loved the idea of having a secret place hidden in my heart, a paradise mostly free of to tourists (compared to Mykonos or Santorini). But then, pushed by this “vocation” of wanting to share our experiences with others, I changed my mind and decided to write about Paros, because I’m sure you also could spend some wonderful holidays there with your children (and you will for sure immediately “fall in love” as well).
Paros is one of the largest islands in the Cyclades archipelago, located in the Aegean Sea. It is large approx. 200 square kilometers, and can be reached by plane from Athens or by ferry from Mykonos (about 45 minutes of fast navigation). This year, direct flights from Milan to Aegean have been introduced (so Paros will definitely become a bit more touristy).
We had the pleasure of discovering it last summer when my twins were 6 years old.
We left at the end of June, just after the end of the school, with grandparents and cousins (8 and 11 years), in total 8 person. We took an Easyjet Milan-Mykonos flight and then we toke the ferry.
Arriving on the island we rented two cars directly at he port, and we went, map with us, looking for the rented cottage that my dad found on Airbnb (www.airbnb.it) on the internet.
The pictures were gorgeous, white with dark blue shades, large terrace, large rooms and equipped kitchen; we dreamed about it for months…. Finally we found it, we are all curious when we come in and …… surprise … Better than we expected, even with the sea view, just gorgeous.
The house is located in Krios, a collection of houses near the capital of Parikia.
From here we have arranged to spend our best 2 weeks: every morning at breakfast time we decided which beach to visit, we put all in the car, backpacks, towels, games, beach umbrella and there we were, ready for the island’s discovery.
For lunch we returned home to prepare salads or alternatively, we dined at some beachfront restaurant.
Restaurants are still very affordable compared to our habits, meaning that in 8 you can eat fish menu with wine for 80 euros (final bill!).
One of the peculiarities of the island, which was very curious for the kids, was that the locals left the octopus they fish on wires to dry in the sun.
Not only fascinating to see, they are also delicious! Like all Greek cuisine in general.
Do we want to talk about the beaches then? Okay, let’s talk: In Paros it is difficult to choose, all the beaches have fine sand, crystalline sea, hot and low water, ideal for children. I’ve never seen my fox stay so many hours in the water as in Paros. You can choose both the wild beaches (those that I love so much), and the beaches equipped with deckchairs and sun loungers. In Paros you will find everything.
For details on all the beaches of Paros I found this interesting site
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The island turns it quietly in one day, but there are so many beaches that you can visit every day a different one. Our favorites are: Krios Beach and Marchello Beach, Aliki beach after the country ? continuing on the road to the left and the equipped Golden Beach, east of the island.
Parikia: It is a typical seaside town with its harbor, the ferries, a nice promenade, it’s a small square and the old town are touring??. Many restaurants and many cute little shops with local handcrafts (definitely not to be missed).
Naoussa:
Another typical seaside town is located on the north of the island. Famous for its restaurants and bars directly on the sea. Naoussa also has many local shops that are located in the streets of the old town. Very suggestive, ideal for shopping.
Aliki:
Small harbor village on the sea, few shops and taverns. Here you will find the boats for excursions of a half-day or a whole day. We relied on Rofos Boat Tours which I highly recommend. They hire masks and fins, prepare snacks; take you to 3 beautiful coves. Do not miss the excursion to the blue lagoon, near Faraggas, paradise!
Lefkes: It is one of the most picturesque towns on the island of Paros, built on an amphitheater on a hillside of the island. Do not miss the artisan ice cream made with Greek yogurt.
Antiparos: It is another island very close to Paros (2 km away), they call it “sister”. To get there, you can take the ferry from Pounda (10 min.) Or Parikia (30 min.). It is famous for its caves.
A bit of Greek cuisine:
You will find many typical dishes, here is what you must taste ….
- tzatziki: salsa based on Greek yogurt, cucumbers and garlic, to spread on bread
-Talay: Fish-based sauce mixed with lemon juice, onions, garlic and served with croutons. – saganaki: typical Greek cheese, which is pasteurized and fried, often served with sesame seeds and / or honey.
- dolmades: rice rolls and vine leaves.
- Greek salad: typical salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, capers, olives, red onions and feta.
- moussaka: aubergines cooked with potatoes, meat sauce and béchamel.
- pastizia: pasta with meat sauce and béchamel. Gyros and gyros gypsum is a kind of kebab, available with various type of meat. It is called “gyros” or “gyros plate” when the meat is served in a dish with various contours and “gyros gypsum” when served wrapped in pita (typical Greek bread) together with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki.
Souvlaki: chicken skewers, pork, lamb, or fish, usually served with fries. Grilled octopus: very typical dish, the octopus is dryed in the sun and then grilled.
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