Mediterranean Memories - Paros

Well, I’m back from the beautiful Aegean Sea…bronzed, relaxed and filled to the brim with enough fresh seafood to last me until next summer! There are so many experiences from my trip that I want to post about. However, I must begin my Greek postings with the beautiful island of Paros, the second island I visited on my trip. Paros is a forty-five minute ferry ride away from Mykonos, and although it is quite popular among Greek and European tourists it somehow manages to stay just out of the American Tourist/Cruise Shipper radar, and just off of the beaten paths of Mykonos, Santorini and Naxos. This, along with its beautiful landscapes, crystal clear waters and hip, welcoming locals makes Paros one of the most charming and unique of the Clyclades Islands. I first discovered this island paradise on a family trip about three years ago, my first time to Greece. Out of all the islands we visited I, along with my family, fell head over heals in love with Paros. My father so much so that just last year he purchased a beautiful little traditional Greek house on the island; a whitewashed, cubical abode covered in pink bougainvillea and a about a kilometer away from my favorite beach on the island, Kolymbithres. Kolymbitheres Beach with its super cool rock formations and water so shallow you can practically walk out into the sea for miles (or kilometers :)) offers a collection of little sand coves where you can park your towel and beach bag as you bath the day away in the bath-like waters of the Mediterranean. It is one of the most relaxing and beautiful places on the island and the perfect place to lazily watch the sunset. Staying at an actual residence was such a different type of travel experience for me. I felt like I was truly able to experience island life free from the touristy distractions of a resort. Don’t get me wrong, I love resorts and I will get to the beautiful resort I stayed at in Mykonos in a later post. However, staying in an actual home, away from the “attractions” and touristy type of offerings, I truly got to experience first hand what it feels like to be a local. I was able to wakeup to the sun shinning through the wooden shutters of my bedroom; roll out of my (very tiny) bed and into the large and inviting family kitchen. Pour myself a cup of coffee mixed with a few drops of Noynoy, the most delicious condensed Greek milk I have ever tasted, and lounge on the front porch watching the neighborhood cats as they hunted for their morning breakfast…so quite, so serine and so relaxing. But its not all relaxing…there is also a thriving night life scene, amazing shops and great restaurants in both the capital and main port town of Parikia and the beautiful fishing port, and my favorite town on the island, Naoussa. Not to mention the medieval mountain town of Lefkes with its winding roads and beautiful jewelry. This little island is so packed full of surprises, there seems to be unexpected discoveries at every corner.

However, my very favorite part of Paros, and, in my humble opinion, the best part of Paros is its tiny little island sister, Antiparos (‘anti’ meaning ‘across’ Paros). Less than one nautical mile across the sea from Paros, Antiparos is a gorgeous little gem of an island and is host to many celebrity homes (Tom Hanks has a vacation home here among many others). It is also a very big windsurfing destination as the calm waters and wind-filled air of the Aegean make for perfect surfing conditions. I’m not sure if it’s because of the celebrity vibe, the surf culture or just the magic of the Greek islands in general but Antiparos gives off such a current, hip and just plain cool vibe while still maintaining its old-world island charm. I think the island’s magic has to do with the low-key vibe of is residents and the beautiful surroundings in which they are lucky enough to lead their daily lives. There are of course beautiful beaches, a quaint little port and even a cave that’s more that 100 meters deep, but it’s the people that give Antiparos its vibe!

Paros and Antiparos are truly two of the most unique and beautiful of all the Cyclades Islands and I can’t wait to go back to discover more of the many hidden treasures on offer on these two jewels of the Aegean Sea!