Paros: The Real Thing

Introduction to Paros Guide

In Lonely Planet's Greece Guide they call Paros a sort of 'poor man's Mykonos'. Its an island for people who crave style but can't afford it. I am sure the inhabitants of the island just loved reading that. It seems in the Cyclades there is an attitude of 'why them and not us' concerning Mykonos and all the wealthy people its popularity has created. The rumor is that anyone who owns property on Mykonos is a millionaire. The people of Paros take pride in their island, as do the inhabitants of every island, and many of them feel that they deserve to be the next Mykonos. They deserve to be rich, because in natural beauty Paros is at least as rich as Mykonos, and in culture maybe richer. But Paros is better off as Paros then as the next Mykonos. In Paros you have the island for every man. Rich and poor, from the most culturally aware to the most hedonistic bimbos and jocks, from hippy to computer nerd and from foreigners to Greeks, they all come to Paros in the summertime. Why? Well for one reason just about every ferry stops here. For another reason, once people stop here some people do not want to leave. There are plenty of beautiful beaches of all different sizes and shapes. There are hotels of every category, from luxury villas to simple rooms. There are great restaurants and plenty of nightlife including bars that may make you feel like you never left Daytona Beach. And there are hordes of people to interact with. Paros is 'the real thing' as they say. Not that it is the mythological 'real Greece' that sentimentalists like me come looking for but is in deep hibernation during the summer months. Paros, in my opinion is like the old fisherman in the picture, the merging of Greece and the west. Its an island that says to the tourists "You want Greece? We'll give you Greece". Paros is Greece like Cancun is Mexico. Paros is Greece in the present tense. Paros is the Greek island reality. Love it or leave it. From traditional island life to Internet cafes, Paros has it all.

It may not be the Greece you are looking for but there's a good chance you will have as much fun as you could have had in Mykonos and you will still be able to afford to buy some gifts for your family and friends without using the credit card you were saving for emergencies.

Index to Paros Pages