Paros / Sightseeing

Kefalos Hill is located in the traditional village of Marpissa. Upon the hill are the remains of a 15th century castle, which was built during Venetian Rule and was destroyed by the pirate Barbarosa. On the top of the hill is the Monastery of Agios Antonios. Built in the 17th century, it contains a gilded, wood carved screen and many valuable icons. If you journey up the hill, you will also be rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view.

The Ancient Cemetery is located near the port of Parikia and is dated from the 8th to the 3rd century BC. The cemetery includes a variety of graves of many different in types and from different eras. The main attraction of the cemetery is a mass grave that dates back to the Geometric Period and is the only one of its kind in the Aegean Sea region.

Marathi, a small village in the center of Paros Island, has a very special legacy; its ancient marble quarry dating back to the 3rd millennia BC.

From this marble quarry, ancient sculpted masterpieces were created, such as the statues of the Aphrodite of Milo, the Maidens of the Acopolis, the Niki of Delos and the Hermes of Praxiteles, as well as the Sifnian Treasure and the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, the Temple of Zeus in Olympia and Temple of Apollo in Delos. In the quarry, visitors can see the corridors, the stoas and various inscriptions.

The Archaeological Museum in Parikia displays a variety of objects from the Neolithic Era, the Archaic Period, the Classical Period and the Roman Era, such as pottery, marble idols, grave stones, inscriptions, marbles etc.

The Butterfly Valley in Psychopiana, approximately 6 kilometers from Parikia, is the finest natural site on Paros Island. It is an area of lush vegetation and running waters. Visitors are amazed by this fairy tale land, where thousands of butterflies flutter all around, creating a breathtaking image. You should visit the butterflies during summer.

The Church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani (otherwise known as Katapoliani) is the jewel of Paros Island and one of the most significant monuments of Christianity in Greece. It is situated near Parikia Port. Its history begins in the 4th century AD.

During her search for the Holy Cross, Saint Helen stopped in Paros and prayed in a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, promising that if she found the Holy Cross, then she would built a grand church in the Holy Mother’s name. This promise was kept by her son Emperor Constantine the Great.

In the Justinian Era, it was reconstructed to include domes and vaults. During the Frankish and Turkish rule, the church was damaged and looted, while in 1773 was almost destroyed by an earthquake. Gradually, the church was reconstructed and once again took on the shape it had during the Justinian Era: a cross-shaped basilica with vaults and domes. It is comprised of the main Temple of Our Lady, the Shrine of Agios Nikolaos on the north side and the Baptismal Font on the south side.

The Church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani also houses the Ecclesiastical Museum, which displays rare ecclesiastical artwork, wood carvings and heirlooms from the Byzantine Era.

Approximately 1 kilometer from Parikia, up on a hill, is the Delion Sanctuary. The temple was the place of worship of the god Apollo of Delios. The original structure was built in the 9th – 8th century BC. Later on, in the 5th century BC, a new temple dedicated to Artemis was also built.

The Frankish Castle in Parikia was built in the 13th century, by the Duke of Naxos Marco Sanudo, during the Venetian Rule of the island. It had incorporated parts of Archaic and Classical Temples, of which only a section of the Archaic Temple of Athena still exists. Inside the castle there are small chapels that are built into castle walls.

On Agia Anna Hill, located a short distance from Parikia, is the Sanctuary of the god of medicine, Asklipios. The sanctuary was built in the 4th century BC, around a spring. Remains of the Temple of Pythios Apollo also exist in the area.

The Venetian Castle can be found at the northern edge of the port of Naoussa. It was built in the 15th century by the Venetian Dynasty Sommaripa. Today, it is half-sunken beneath the surface of the sea. The port of Naoussa was once a safe haven for the pirates that pillaged the island.