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| Map of Paros |
Paros
is one of the top travel destinations of the Greeks, and not only. It's the 3rd
bigger islands of the Cyclades with 196km2
and 13.715 population. With a gentle landscape arranged around the
central peak of Profitis
Ilias, Paros has everything
one expects from a Greek island: old
villages, fishing harbors, monasteries and churches, nice beaches and top
nightlife. However, Parikia, the capital, is expensive and it is very difficult
finding rooms and space in beaches, especially in August, when the other
settlements, the port of Naousa and the satellite island Antiparos, handle most
of the overflow. Carousing and drinking is idea of many people of a holiday on Paros, so it's not surprising that both Parikia and
Naousa have a wealth of pubs and bars.
Bustling
Parikia, the capital, sets the tone architecturally for the rest of Paros,
its ranks of typically Cycladic white houses punctuated by the occasional
Venetian-style building and church domes. The real attraction of Parikia is
simply to wander the town itself, especially the meandering old market
street(Agora) and adjoining Gravari.
On the
other hand, Naousa is a more fashionable alternative to Parikia. It's a major
resort town, with modern concrete hotels and attendant trappings. It has
developed around a charming little port whose layout has not been adversely
affected. The local festivals are still celebrated especially the re-enactment
on August 23 of a naval victory over the pirates.
