MOVE OVER MYKONOS!
Paros is far more laid-back than its noisy neighbour — but is becoming the new Greek hotspot
YOU have to make a bit of an effort to reach the small, Cycladic island of Paros.
But it’s worth it if you’re keen on fine beaches, blue- domed churches and ports where waterfront tavernas serve charcoalgrilled fish and spanakopita (spinach pie).
My Greek friend Theo and I arrived after a three-hour voyage by high- speed ferry from Piraeus. You can also get there flying via Athens or go to big sister Mykonos and take a 45-minute ferry ride.
While that larger island is well-known for its hedonism, sunsets and cruise ship hordes, Paros is just 13 miles long and a favourite with Greek holidaymakers.
We stayed in Naoussa, once a quiet fishermen’s village but now the island’s tourist hub. Our room at the reasonably priced Iris Boutique Hotel came with a balcony overlooking the whitewashed town.
Jewellery shops and clothes boutiques line the winding streets while the ruins of a 15th-century Venetian castle stretch into the bewitching Aegean. In the 1970s, Paros was a party destination — until officials briefly closed the island to foreign tourists. Now it is trending again after being a location in the Netflix miniseries One Day. Airbnb saw a 32 per cent spike in searches by UK travellers.
New villas are ‘ popping up like mushrooms’, as one islander put it, along with smartly designed luxury hotels such as the 38-room Avant Mar on Piperi Beach.
WITH its private plunge pools, thermal baths-themed spa and a restaurant overseen by star chef Nobu Matsuhisa, it’s unashamedly aimed at wealthy sun-seekers.
So, is Paros the new Mykonos? Not yet, but with an international airport due to open next year, it clearly will be.
We rented a car to explore. In Parikia, the small but satisfying Archaeology Museum offered enchanting artworks created over 2,000 years ago. We learned how in classical times Parian marble was prized for its translucence, being used in sculptures such as the Venus de Milo. It also adorns Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb in Paris.
Another engaging stop was the Valley Of Butterflies, a forested nature reserve where in summer thousands of Jersey tiger moths flock with vivid red underwings that are only revealed when in flight.
One morning, we took the seven-minute, €1.50 ferry west to Antiparos, which is smaller and more traditional than its go-ahead neighbour. Paying a visit to its Historical And Folklore Museum, we were offered olives and a glass of local Tsipouro, a potent ouzo-like spirit. Yet even here, there was a feeling that things were on the move. ‘You know Tom Hanks has a house on Antiparos?’ said a waiter. Then, a little later, a shop owner couldn’t help boasting how ‘the Obamas were here last week’.
Back on Paros, Theo and I drove up into the mountains to Lefkes. As the sun set, we sat in the Taverna Agnadio savouring its panoramic view of white churches and windmills as luscious plates of tzatziki and honey- coated fried feta landed on the table.
It’s fair to say that Paros is making its presence felt. It’s been conquered by the Byzantines and Ottomans — and may just be a new target for the TikTok brigade. All the more reason to go now.