The Island of Paros (Greece) in December

We’ve been in Greece for almost a month now (at Athens) but we haven’t been doing much sightseeing. The exact reason will be revealed soon, but let’s just enjoy this little travel journal. We did manage to find some time to visit a Greek island. The choices are endless, there are so many islands! We decide to visit the island of Paros, which is more accessible and less famous than the others, completely skipping Mykonos, Santorini…

Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Journal

Paros is a 4-hour ferry ride from Athens. We could have taken a plane, but a ferry of that duration seems quite reasonable to me, not too long, and with a morning departure (around 7 AM). You can sleep comfortably in the “lounge” section (for an extra 5 euros) which has wide, reclining seats like in Argentine buses.

Before leaving our place in Athens, I ask JB if he has his driver’s license. He says “no” and goes back upstairs to get it. Luckily, because we later find out that the bus only comes once an hour on Paros during the low season.

This time, I made an effort to take out my Osmo Pocket to take photos. For a while now, I’ve been only taking photos on my iPhone and honestly the quality isn’t great. I started using the Osmo again by chance and when I looked at the photos, I found them so beautiful that I made a note to use it more often. My Osmo is quite old (first generation) but since it’s good quality, I don’t feel the need to upgrade. When I take photos with the Osmo, I get strange looks because people don’t necessarily know what device it is. It draws more attention to me, which I don’t like, but what wouldn’t you do for beautiful memories?

Arriving in Paros, we visit the first car rental office right across from the pier, called Paros Drive. 20 euros a day for a small manual car. 50 euros for 3 days. Cash payment. Simple and efficient. For those without a vehicle, there’s a bus stop nearby and a taxi stand right across from the pier.

Naousa

We drop off our stuff at our hotel in Naousa. We must be the only guests because all the rooms are open except ours. There’s a reverse-cycle air conditioner in the room. Good thing too, because it’ll be cold in the evening.

Okay, it’s early December and a weekday, who would think to come to this island? It’s so empty of tourists that we struggle to find an open restaurant. Phew, there’s one near the port. And another after the bridge. Not great but it’ll do.

We’ll take the time to explore this town. The area near the port is older and prettier. The water is crystal clear, like in Malta, but the beach near the port has ugly sand that doesn’t make you want to swim.

We went up to the church at the top of the hill and that area is more modern and lacks charm. In short, stick to the port and the old castle.

We went to see several beaches that look dreamy (in photos) (Monastiri Beach and Kolympethres Beach) and when we got there, all we could say was “uhhh”. The water is crystal clear, pure, very beautiful, but the sand isn’t too inviting. I think we’ve been spoiled by the white, fine sand of our favorite island Koh Phangan. And when you can’t find the same sand anymore, you feel off balance hahaha 😀 Or maybe we want the same water but with some mini cliffs, like in Malta. Koh Phangan has completely ruined us, that’s it! It’s like after using too much pashmina, a 100% sheep wool scarf of impeccable quality will seem “uhhhh” in comparison.

I wonder if it’s due to this part of the island, so we head to the other side to see if the sand is prettier. And nope. Whether it’s Piso Livadi or Golden Beach, the sand is just meh. The water is GORGEOUS, transparent, clean. I think it could offer lots of snorkeling opportunities, but you’ll need water shoes because there are tons of rocks.

What I love too much is the omnipresence of cats. They’re extremely affectionate and well-fed. I regularly see piles of kibble put out for them. Sort of like in Athens.

Lefkes

We visit Lefkes and let ourselves get lost in its alleys. I absolutely love it! In high season, it must be even prettier with its little shops run by artisans. Because today, everything is closed. Dead as a doornail. I’m torn between the pleasure of strolling through these streets full of beautiful shops and being crushed by the horde of tourists. You can’t want few tourists + open shops. It’s not compatible.

To spot the houses of actual residents, it’s simple. Look for the ugliest, most rundown houses. The prettiest ones are either sold to the French, turned into Airbnbs, or turned into shops. There are little churches every 20 meters. JB tries to open one of the small churches and the lady who lives right opposite comes with her little key and opens the door for us. Inside, there are the usual icons of Orthodox churches, but the special thing here is repoussé metal (magnificent) with holes where the faces are.

Main port of Paros

We then explore the alleys of the main town, where we arrived by ferry. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Here, there’s even more to explore. We spend hours and hours there, it’s a real labyrinth. If only the shops were open, sigh!!

I think if you don’t have a vehicle and aren’t into the beach, you can just stay here and that’s enough. There’s a small beach near the port, but it’s uninteresting.

Then, I highly recommend the Orthodox church Holy Shrine of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapyliani, which I find beautiful. The walls are simple but you can see many well-carved ancient stones.

Repoussé metal seems to be a local specialty.

The main square remains busy with a few restaurants and cafés open. This is where we can find something to drink and eat while patiently waiting for our ferry back to Athens.

We also love strolling along the harbor. You can watch the sunset and observe the fishermen there.

Paralia Aliki is a cute little town but one that I particularly enjoy because it’s here that I had the good idea to feed the cats.

Since supermarkets only sell low-quality kibble, I learned from my experience with an animal welfare association that it’s better to bring wet food. Cats drink little, and low-quality kibble can harm their kidneys, so you should give them pâté. And cats love it. When I spot a cat and open the pâté, suddenly 5 or 6 cats appear. I managed to feed two groups of cats, and while some let themselves be petted, others are scared of me and I have to “fling” pâté at them because as soon as I put some pâté down, 3-4 cats dive in and the shy cats don’t stand a chance otherwise.

For those who can drive well (or are willing to walk up the steep path), there’s the church of Marmara with a magnificent 360-degree view, and you can climb up to the roof level (if the church is open) to take a great photo (even if the domes aren’t blue).

With almost all restaurants and shops closed, we found only one good restaurant on the island: Masete. It’s a butcher who sells grilled meat and gyros. It’s so good that we went twice in two days. And there’s always parking available.

What we really loved was the kindness of the people. A people who love feral cats must be kind 😀

Just after 7 PM, the ferry picks us up, and after a long journey, we arrive in Athens in the rain. A taxi tries to scam us by asking for an arbitrary amount at the end of the ride, but JB stands his ground. The driver won’t accept card payment and won’t provide a receipt (even though both are mandatory, as even posted in English on the taxi window), but at least we paid the meter price.

After Athens, we’ll be going from one visit to the next, from Cairo to Saudi Arabia to Jordan (Petra!!!), all in December, you’re in for a treat. I promise to take photos with my Osmo. See you soon!

Part 2: Practical Tips

• Ferry Athens – Paros: 2 departures per day, about 50 euros per person + 5 euros for a “comfort” seat (no need in low season)
• Car rental: 20 euros/day or 50 euros/3 days at Parosdrive, no need to book in advance in low season
• Hotel: Irini rooms