Voted the Best Island in Europe 2018 by Travel & Leisure magazine, beautiful Paros sits nestled in the heart of the famed Cyclades island chain.
The island is often described both as Greece's best-kept secret and most up-and-coming destination, and is renowned for its crystal clear waters, cosmopolitan nightlife, and dreamy, whitewashed alleys.
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Greece
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With spectacular beaches and majestic scenery, the relics of four millennia of ancient culture and some of Europe’s best party spots, those who travel to Greece are certain to experience a once in a lifetime vacation.
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Simply put: The Greek isles set the bar for epic summer holidays incredibly high.
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Paros is at the center of the Cyclades: an archipelago of 220 islands, 24 of which are inhabited. The Cycladic islands are all picture perfect, and what most travelers think of when they think of Greece: white churches with blue domes and pink bougainvillea vines twining along them. This island chain includes Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, and Naxos. But each island has its own vibe, and Paros is no different.
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Athens
Mykonos
Paros
Santorini
Beaches
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While staying on Paros with Truman Capote, photographer Cecil Beaton wrote,
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"Life is nothing but sleep, swim, eat, and read."​
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Greece is a beach lovers dream, and Paros is blessed with some of the best beaches in the Aegean. There are well over 30, in fact, and several of them consistently rank in the top 10 beaches of Greece year after year. No matter what you're looking for, Paros has it.
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Expansive golden sand coastline with glittering turquoise water? Check out Santa Maria.
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Parties that last all day long? Dont worry - Mykonos isn't the only island that likes to turn up. Check out Pounda for some of the best known beach bars in the Cyclades.
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On the hunt for watersports and windsurfing? Head to Chrisi Akti.
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Looking for Insta-worthy emerald water and cream colored granite cliffs, shaped over the centuries by the wind and sea? If so, don't miss Kolymbithres.
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No car? No worries. Buses run regularly to almost every beach on the island. Check out the time table here.
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Barbarossa Pirate Festival
Paros has been inhabited since 3200 BC. Its location and rich natural resources quickly turned it into one of the foremost shipping ports and maritime powers in all of Greece.
In 1537, Paros was captured by Hayreddin Barbarossa, a pirate born on the island of Lesvos, and battles raged for years. One night Barbarossa's men stormed the village of Naousa, burning buildings and taking young dozens of women hostage. Unwilling to surrender to the pirates, the locals boarded their fishing boats in the night and set fire to Barbarossa's fort. Although casualties numbered over 600, the people of Naousa were victorious and drove the pirates out.
To this day, the locals of Naousa celebrate this victory the best way they know how: throwing a massive festival in the heart of Naousa every August 23rd -- the evening before our wedding! Traditional dishes, with ingredients from both the sea and land, take a starring role. Local wine flows freely, fireworks light up the sky, and the music plays until the early hours of the morning.
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When directly translated from Greek to English, the word kefi means "fun" -- but that doesn't even come close to what it really represents. To the Greeks, kefi is a way of life. To be joyful, spirited, passionate, and happy.
You have not experienced a real Greek summer until you have stayed up all night to welcome the dawn. Life on many Greek islands begins after 8 pm when the quiet towns and villages come alive. Paros is no exception.
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The heart of Paros’ nightlife beats in Naousa. Countless bars, originally built as storehouses for the island's fishermen, line the paved white alleys and port.
One half nautical mile off the coast of Paros is it's little sister, Antiparos, a tiny little gem of pristine beauty where jetsetters go to unwind. The island has long been frequented by aristocracy and celebrity; Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, and Madonna all own homes there.
If you get bored of the 30+ beaches on Paros, take a short 30 min ferry ride over to Antiparos and enjoy the untouched beauty of the smallest, but most beautiful gem in the Cyclades.