Page 94 - EMPIRIA 2025

JOYFUL EXPLORATION I PAROS
The tranquil curves
of Laggeri Beach,
where shallow
waters, golden
sand, and untamed
beauty create one
of Paros’ most
peaceful escapes.
Paros,
in the Whisper of Light
A place where Cycladic charm meets timeless rhythm—
Paros embraces the energy of the sea and allows one to
appreciate life’s slow and subtle poetry.
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SOME ISLANDS announce themselves with fireworks.
Others merely open the door and wait. Paros belongs
to the latter. Tucked into the heart of the Cyclades, it
does not beg to be admired—yet admiration arrives
all the same. It is an island of nuance: whitewashed,
sea-bathed, wind-swept, and quietly extraordinary.
There are countless ways to experience Paros. The
island bends with each visitor’s desires—offering
calm or exhilaration, silence or revelry. Between
ancient marble and crystalline shores, Paros offers
something even rarer than beauty: stillness.
THE JOYFUL PULSE OF TRADITIONAL VILLAGES
The cosmopolitan Naoussa has emerged as the
magnetic heart of Paros. Labyrinthine alleys lead to
bustling piazzas where chic boutiques and tavernas
hum with life. The old Venetian port remains a stage
for both tradition and trend, with fishing boats sharing
space with luxury yachts. Though vibrant, Naoussa
preserves its soul. Morning brings fishermen selling
their fresh catch; evening invites the world to toast
the sunset with local wine in hand.
Parikia, the island's capital, balances energy with
elegance. Its cafes and boutique shops wrap around
cobbled streets and hidden courtyards, while historic
treasures wait quietly to be discovered. The Frankish
Castle, built from the ruins of ancient temples,
towers above, its walls whispering of past empires.
Nearby, the Church of Ekatontapyliani—the "Church
of a Hundred Doors"—offers solace and mystery.
Legend speaks of a hidden doorway, destined to
reveal itself when Hagia Sophia in Constantinople
returns to Orthodox hands. The Archaeological
Museum just steps away houses relics of poetry
and power: Cycladic figurines, mosaics, and the
famed Parian Chronicle.
High above the coast, in a bowl of olive groves and
pine, lies Lefkes. Once the island’s capital, it retains
a timeless elegance. Marble alleys curve between
traditional homes, flower-filled courtyards, and
domed churches like Agia Triada—built from the same
luminous white marble that gave life to the Venus de
Milo. Ceramics remain a proud tradition here, with
workshops like Yria Ceramics continuing the legacy
of functional artistry inspired by the landscape.
Not far, Marpissa dazzles with its Cycladic harmony
of whitewashed homes, vivid blue shutters, and
sun-drenched chapels. Its painted footpaths wind
through squares where time seems paused. At the
Nikos Perantinos Sculpture Museum, the life’s work of
one of Greece’s most honored sculptors quietly tells
stories in stone, blending myth, form, and simplicity.
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