About Paros, the white marble island

In the heart of the Cyclades, Paros, with 14.000 inhabitants and 120 km coastline, is a whole world fulfilling everybody's dream of an Aegean Island.

Serene landscape with fertile valleys and rolling hills dotted with small churches and monasteries, endless sandy beaches with sparkling blue waters, famous monuments from the lands rich ancient and medieval past, picturesque white villages bathed in the unique, dazzling Aegean light. All this, along with warm hospitality, excellent tourist facilities, rich cultural life, cosmopolitan ambience, but also the possibility of seclusion, have combined to make Paros one of the most favourite spots in the Cycladic Islands. It is now your turn to discover and explore it.

Discover the secrets that make visitors of Paros return again and again …

Stroll through the traditional villages, amongst the picturesque houses, along the stone-laid roads and pathways meticulously outlined with white wash, and under the archways, boasting examples of typical Cycladic architecture.

Glide through the warm crystal waters of the Aegean Sea, at isolated or cosmopolitan beaches.
Enjoy our home-like cooking in numerous family owned taverns.

Let the 'meltemi' breeze relax and cool you in the hot August afternoons.

Be swept away by the colours and the pure magic of the Parian sunsets and sunrises.
Admire the deep blue of the sky and the sea orated with colourful fishing boats which bid us good morning, brimming with the 'treasures' of the day, as the seagulls fly around them dancing in playful delight.

Let yourself go! Be ready for intense fun as the party goes on until the morning.

And if you think that’s all, you’re wrong… Paros has many well-kept secrets which you are challenged to discover.

Composed mainly of marble, the island rises out of the central Aegean to its peak at 771 meters above sea level.
Excavated remains prove Paros to have been settled since Neolithic times but the island reached its political and cultural peak during the classic period when it boasted a population of over 60,-0. Today, the more modest populace of 14,-0 inhabit the famous Cycladic "sugar-cube" houses sprinkled liberally over the hillsides and around the natural harbours formed by the island's coastline.

For thousands of years the island's economy was driven by the delicate, white marble, famous for its translucency and carved into many of the classic Greek artifacts housed in museums around the world. Still a Mecca for artists, who come for peace, inspiration and the light, the Island stimulates creativity and encourages reflection and contentment within even the most hardened cynic.

During recent decades, tourism has developed into the main source of income and has bought with it a new generation of Parians who, proud of their Island and their culture, are balancing convenience and accessibility with tradition and environmental conservation.

Between the miles of golden and sandy beaches are rugged cliffs and dramatic rock formations, evidence of the Island's volcanic birth. The sea water is crystal clear and warm enough to tempt even the most unlikely bather.

The famed longevity of the natives on the Greek islands is attributed to their diet, consisting mainly of fresh salads, fish, and locally grown meat and vegetables. Dressed with olive oil and washed down with chilled Paros wine, the Cycladic cuisine is refreshing and delicious.

The fertile soil of the island's plains and valleys is still cultivated producing olives and grapes for export plus a large variety of fruits and vegetables for local consumption.

Antiparos, Paros's satellite island, lies towards the southwest side of Paros and is separated from Paros only by a kilometre of shallow water.

Antiparos is still a quiet island and is famous for it's large limestone grotto where amongst the stalagmites and stalactites, the graffiti of centuries ago is still evident.

Recent years have seen an improvement in the transport services between Paros and the rest of Greece. The new ferries are modern, fast and frequent. There are two to three flights every day from Athens airport in the new Dash aircraft and an air-ambulance is available for medical emergencies.

Paros map