My Top Highlights From Exploring the Beautiful Island of Paros

There are 6,000 Greek islands and islets. They all have many things in common, but each one has its own unique attributes and characteristics across the Ionian and Aegean Sea. With that said, I was very excited to finally travel to Paros this past weekend 😊.

So how do you get to Paros, Greece?

We traveled from Santorini to Paros in the wee morning hours via Blue Star Ferries. Blue Star Ferries offers an array of seating arrangements from outside, inside, business class, general, and even cabins. Due to the timing of our departure, we were able to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

The ferry made stops at Ios and Naxos before we arrived at Paros, which totaled our whole trip to four hours. For the first two hours, the ferry ride started out very desolate and there was plenty of space for me to enjoy a quiet snooze out on the deck with a beautiful view of the sea.

Once we arrived at Naxos, I awakened to sea salt crystals entrusted on the side of my face and tons of tourists invading my little piece of solace. Soon backpackers were sleeping on the deck floors and people were filling up chairs and enjoying the views.

When we finally arrived in Paros, the end of summer crowds we in full effect. I usually opt for off season travel, but really wanted to visit the Butterfly Valley in Paros before the season was over.

The Butterfly Valley in Paros is a very quaint and lush outdoor area where many Jersey Tiger Moths call home. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any actual butterflies at the valley, but in certain areas there were lots of concentrated amounts of the beautiful moths resting.

The valley itself has many narrow twists and turns and there are also places to stop and read some information regarding the location as you journey throughout. Overall, I thought it was a cute experience but would recommend going in July for the chance to see more of an abundance of butterflies moths.

Another beautiful gem worth seeing was tucked away in the hilly town of Leftkes. In Leftkes, we encountered the Byzantine Route, which means that the town was built during the Byzantine period (330 to 1453 CE).

The Byzantine Route boosted the traditional appeal of small Greek homes and winding trails. However there was a certain je ne sais quoi in the air that only fully can be described and felt when you are in the presence of something so dated and historical.

Speaking of ancient times, visiting the Venetian castle was the best thing to do in Naoussa, Paros. The landmark is commonly classified as a castle throughout the island but it also resembles that of an ancient fort.

In order to access the location one must walk on a very narrow stony wall that has a still harbor on one side and crashing waves on the other. I was very nervous walking across and definitely got splashed a few good times, but the warm Aegean sun dried me up in no time.

After walking across, I was able to enter the fort and noticed that there was a circle in the interior with some windows or doorways to the outside.

This discovery was fun and definitely got my adrenaline going a bit.

The last highlight on this trip technically was not in Paros, but a 10-15 minute boat trip to Antiparos.

The most popular thing to do in Antiparos was to explore a world-renowned cave.

There are tons of caves all throughout Europe, but this cave is infamous for a few different reasons. Firstly, it is known as the only vertical cave in all of Europe and it is recorded as 85 meters (279 ft) deep. Second, its also known as the oldest cave in Europe.

Throughout the cave there are many stalactites and stalagmites that are very visible. A stalactite forms when water drops from the top of a cave and combines with mineral formation creating these icicle like structures that hang from above. Stalagmites form when water drops to the ground and mixes with minerals to create mounds that are flattened at the top. This cave in particular is rumored to have a 45 million year old stalactite!

Many visitors and renowned folks such as Alexander the Great, King Otto, and Queen Amalia have left their graffiti markings of the walls of the cave.

This queen, was in a little over head when taking this challenge on. I went down about half way when the voice of reason told me that going up from the bottom might not be so enticing or worth the asthma attack. Venturing up at that point was still easier said then done and I found myself having to stop and even sit on the stairs in the moldy and creepy underworld, but I made it out!

In all, I definitely recommend a visit to the cave of Antiparos, but caution those with mobility and respiratory issues; know your limits. There’s a large area to sit near the gate that does not require the crazy amount of stairs and the views from outside of the caves entrance are spectacular.

Basically, I’m happy for my life and for this adventurous trip that has given me so many unique experiences that only a city gyal could dream of!

P.S.- Where has adventure taken you?