3 Days in Paris, Oh, Sorry, that's Paros!

October 8^th. We bid farewell to the lovely little island of Paros after three lazy, relaxing days in this sunny little town of Naousa on the island of Paros, Greece.

 The population of the island is only 13,000 and the little village of Naousa a small portion of that.

It is not world famous and stunningly beautiful like Santorini. It does not attract the wealthy and the celebrities like Capri or offer the nightlife like Mykonos. But it captures your heart. With its quaint little fishing port and its winding alleys with little shops and cafes, cobblestone streets and colored doors it invites you to wander, unhurried, to take your time, wind down, relax, breath.

 

 

 

 

The beaches are beautiful and abundant. Hiking the rocky shore reveals we discovered little coves with sandy bays and crystal clear water at every turn. Only the occasion sunbather stretched out on the rocks soaking the warmth of the October sun before winter sets in. The beaches are sandy but littered with small chunks of marble and granite, pink granite, green granite, chunks of translucent marble with streaks of orange, black, grey. Paros is renowned for its unique and beautiful marble. But it is so amazing to see pieces of it amid the sand and pebbles on the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The buildings are all white cube-like structures with blue trim and colored doors. I found red, pink, blues, greens, purples, orange... but no Yellow..... not sure why!

 

 

 

 

The restaurants are excellent, seafood is the specialty since it is a fishing port. As we walk around the port there is Octopus drying in the sun, fishermen mending their nets and hauling in their catch.

Or, sample the traditional Greek dishes like souvlaki, moussaka,  saganaki, tsiziki, and meatballs with a name too long to spell.

The sunsets are spectacular, reflecting the colors on the still waters in the harbour.

 

There are no friendlier and welcoming people, whether it is the hotelier who welcomes you and carries your bags to the room (thanks Alexandros!) for you and ensures every detail is perfect. Or the shopkeepers who invite you in to their little shops. The waiter who offers you a free desert or patiently explains what the foreign offerings on the menu are and smiles at your feeble attempt to pronounce their traditional dishes. The nail salon (Vivianne) that brings a cold glass of wine while you relax for a pedicure just the weathered old man who stops to chat on the street.

Paros is simple, authentic, a step removed from the fast-paced lived we seem to create.  It is a place you could spend a week or two, a real holiday not just a trip. Where a week in a two bedroom suite steps from beaches and shops and restaurants won’t cost a lot. Where a glass of wine at dinner is only 3Euros and a litre is under 10EU.

 

But our time here is done, we bid farewell and board the ferry for Mykonos, the last leg of our journey.

 

Come With Me.