My Greek summer - Paros island

Another summer, another trip back to homeland. Every year we joke with my husband that we finally have to travel somewhere else, it is enough with Greece. But we never manage to tick all the boxes of our list when we look somewhere else. The safe sea, the food, the sunny days with some so needed breeze on August, with family and friends, with bright blue colors, with trees next to the sea to keep you cool. Greece has places for every taste, every budget and with an energy that will make you want to go back year, after year. Greece might be home for us, but it is also the best place to create beautiful summer memories.

Naousa, Paros

 This year for the first time we chose to go for family holidays to Paros island in Cyclades. A wonderful small island, very typical Greek with only white or made from stone houses, with white and blue little churches, with a lot of wind that makes the heat bearable, with fantastic Mediterranean food and plenty of fresh fish.

Paros is great for families, for couples, for young crowd who likes the nightlife, and also for those who love surfing and playing with wavy seas. There are many great sandy beaches that even with waves are still safe for kids because of the shallow waters.

The famous Santa Maria beach, with the ideal wind for days full with surfing.

Mikri Santa Maria looks heavenly

Some of the most known beaches are Santa Maria a big, busy, and organized beach with a restaurant and water games, and mikri Santa Maria for more relax times.  Kolimbithres is ideal for families and the sea is calm when there is wind in Santa Maria. Pounta beach for partying, and from there you can also visit Antiparos island. These are only a few, but you can enjoy the sea and the sand almost everywhere around the island. Do ask the locals depending where you are staying. The positive thing is that you can go everywhere in the island in about 20 minutes.

Local arts and crafts from wood, stone or porcelain

Discover all the little shops by walking though the narrow streets in Parikia or in Naousa,  the two main big markets. You will find from local sweets made from almond paste and flower water to handmade leather Greek sandals that are made to fit exactly at your feet in less than an hour! Shop until you drop most of the time until 3 o' clock in the night! Do try the sweet cheese pies and the local ice cream.

One of the many churches you will come across in Naousa's narrow streets

In Paros, like in most of the islands at the Cyclades region you will find a lot of small churches dedicated to a different saint. They are worth a visit because of the age of the pictures they have.

The very impressive Temple of Panaya of Ekatontapiliani a historic Byzantine church at Parikia

Here are some more of my memories from Paros

The windmill welcomes you at the port

The perfect Greek fruit, sweet watermelon, together with fresh figs that you will find on the trees

The view from Kolimbithres beach

Until next time! 

xoxo