Walking on Paros. Plenty of opportunities, just do it!
Paros is a walkers paradise. There is a special season for doing so: the last two weeks in April and the first two weeks in May. In this period there is an abundance of flowers in the fields, on the hills and everywhere. All the secondary roads and paths are quiet. Temperatures are moderate. The vistas are stunning! All reasons to put on your walking boots and go!
A map of Paros which can support you in your adventures can be bought in the local bookshop; it is Terrain Cart nr. 310 (Paros).
Suggestions for walks.
- Start from the Kontaratos home. Make a Parikia city walk. Go first to the Panagia Ekatonpyliani. Follow the shopping streets but do not forget to see some of the small streets. Walk all the way to the Asklepion at the other side of the city. Go back along the coast line; enter the old part of the city and look for the Frankish castle. Go to the bus station to get a schedule so that you can plan other walking trips. Amazing!
- Start again from the Kontaratos home. Follow the walking path to Marathi and Lefkes, signposted with red and white sign with a 1 on it; this path from Parikia comes closest across the big car rental area. This walk follows to a large extent an old Byzantine road- follow the signs carefully in order not to get lost. Go back by bus from Lefkes (or by walking back if you have the stamina). Special!
- This walk also start from the Kontaratos home. Just go to the coast, go right and walk over beaches and small paths all the way to Agios Fokas. Discover nice places to swim while on the way; at night this walk is very romantic.
- Take the bus to Lefkes, admire this mountain village and proceed to Prodomos over the Byzantine way. Go back by bus to Parikia or walk back to Lefkes and go back from there. Enjoy the landscapes!
- Again go by bus to Lefkes, walk through the back roads to Naoussa (not indicated as such, but easily found on the map) and end there to taste wine at the local winery. After that go back by bus to Parikia. Nice experience!
- A tough one, starting at Lefkes again. Go all the way to Alyki on the south coast of Paros, via Agios Ionnis Kaparos, Agios Georgios, Aneretza and Kamari. Stunning views! Go back by bus from Alyki. Wow!
- Go by bus to Pounta, take the ferry to Antiparos. Rent a bicycle and cycle to the caves (you may have to walk uphill the last part). Use the bycicle too to get to the starting point of a coastal walk at the nothern tip of Antiparos (start near Sifneiko beach).
- Again go by bus to Pounta, but walk close along the coast through Voutakos all the way to Alyki. Prepare for swimming of surf gliding. Follow narrow paths as close to the coast as possible. Paros at its best!
- Go by bus to Naoussa. Walk to the capes Korakas and Almynos and back. Enjoy these rocks with their special geology!
Albert from the Netherlands