My opinion is that ATVs and scooters are a quick way to tempt the Greek gods and goddesses.īactine comes from the Greek word bakteria. Trucks, cars, scooters, and people weave in and out on the waterfront. Barkers will be there to try and sell the hostels, motels, hotels, resorts, scooters, ATVs, rental cars, etc. Arrival to Parikia on Paros.ĭue to its proximity to the port, Parikia has the highest number of hostels on the island. They seem to think that standing between the people disembarking and the port exit will somehow speed up the process.įrom the top deck of a boat, it looks like Sparta going against Athens. The front street is touristy and typical of many islands.Ĭars, trucks, and people inch closer and closer to the arriving ferries. The sun is setting behind an ancient windmill. Sunsets on Paros are just as pretty as Mykonos or Santorini. Just multiply the temperature, cost, and crowds during this period.
A stroll through Parakia will unveil pockets of color against a white background.įor those requiring some sun and late nightlife, consider the early summer, (May – June) or September. There is a sizeable year-round community, so there are people for talking. There’s not “too much” history.įor the travelers not requiring beach time and nightlife into the wee hours, come during the off-season.ĭue to year-round daily ferry service from Piraeus (Athens), the island is open all 12 months.Ĭafes and shops are open, albeit shorter hours. In 1821 there is the Greek War of Independence to rid Greece of the Ottomans. They leave the Venetians in charge to run the islands and collect the taxes for the Ottomans. Suliman, the Ottoman sultan, declares war on Venice (and all of its holdings).īy 1566, they take the Cycladic islands but have very little interest in them. He will later receive a promotion to admiral of the Ottoman Navy. He and his three brothers will become pirates, attacking the Christian ports of the Mediterranian. the Ottoman Hayreddin Barbarossa is born. Temple of Panaya of Ekatontapiliani dating from the 17th century.ġ478 A.D. Venetian Marco Sanudo swoops in, conquers the Cycladic islands and makes himself the duke. The Franks split up all of Greece, including the islands, as war prizes.
The modern-day word for “pirate” comes from… yes, the Greek word Prospathó, meaning “to attempt.” Kastelli Castle protects Naousa harbor.ĭuring the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the Byzantines lose. With no one guarding the hen-coop, pirates set up house. Less Ancientīy the 7th century A.D., the Greeks have left the island. Hermes and the Infant Dionysus, also known as the Hermes of Praxiteles. There’s the Venus of Milos, (on loan to the French and overdue.)Īt Olympia, you can see the statue of Hermes (Praxiteles) and Dionysos at the Archaeological Museum. Paros marble is all over Greece including the ruins of Apollo’s Temple on Delos. The island made a fortune off of its famous marble. There are the ancient quarries near Kostos. A rugged hike/climb will take you to the top. By the 4th-century B.C., most of it goes for recycled building material. They rebuild a new one in the 10th-century B.C. Destroy it in the 7th-century B.C. Invaders destroy it in the 12th-century B.C. They believe it dates back to the 13th-century B.C. Near Naousa, above the village of Koukounaries, there was a major Mycenaean settlement. There is an airport with flights to the mainland. The year-round ferry is undoubtedly a part of that. Paros seems to have more year-round inhabitants than some of the neighboring islands. In the summer, connections increase and include Mykonos as well as smaller islands nearby. There’s even a winery you can visit for tastings.įerries arrive year-round from Piraeus on their way to Naxos or Santorini. The island has a few small ancient sites to see, lovely beaches, and excellent cuisine. Naousa is on Paros’s northeastern coast.īut Naousa is excellent for people like me who are in bed before the young people go out. And this is undoubtedly true in Naousa (Naoussa) town at night and the Santa Maria beach area in the day. It’s where the young Greeks like to go in summer to party. While on the other side are 20-somethings who look like they were out until 6:00 AM. At breakfast, it is not unusual to sit next to a family with kids. Paros is a little bit country, and it’s a little bit rock-n-roll.