Paros later joined the Ottoman Empire, before falling back under Greek rule after the Greek Revolution in 1821, where it has remained ever since.Īs you can see, Paros is kinda important in the context of not only Greek, but European history. Paros then joined the Duchy of the Aegean, a feudal kingdom governed by the Venetian noble Marco Sanudo, during the Frankish era (1204–1537 CE), of which many remains still exist, including the Frankish Castle in Parikia, and the Venetian Fort in Naoussa harbour.Īs influence from elsewhere, particularly Rome grew, Paros joined the Roman, and the Byzantine empires, during which the island became the hub of Christianity in which a number of significant churches and monasteries were located, including the stunning Panagia Ekatontapiliani in Parikia.ĭuring this Roman era, Paros became a province of the Roman Empire, and its strategic location and rich resources became less important, leading to the slowing of both economic and cultural growth. Works from this time utilising the famed Parian marble include the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, a statue of Nike, the temple of Apollo in Delos, and Apteros Nike (which is now housed in the Louvre Museum). During this time, the island maintained its prosperity as a hub of trade and culture and was renowned across ancient Europe for its exquisite jewellery, textiles, and pottery. This led to them being forced to join the Delian League, a confederation of city-states founded by Athens that was established to advance trade and fight the Persian Empire. Unfortunately, the Greco-Persian wars between 490 BC and -479 BC laid waste to the island, as Paros had sided with the Persians. Paros first developed into a significant commercial hub during the Archaic period (800–480 BCE), especially for its marble (this becomes a common theme throughout its history), and the island was home to a vibrant community of artisans and merchants. The first humans arrived in the 3rd millennium BC, drawn to it by its advantageous position and wealth of resources. Paros has been always been a thriving commercial and cultural hub since antiquity, known for its advantageous position, rich resource base and marble quarries (Parian marble… the best marble, is from here!), and for its fertile plains. Much like the rest of Greece and the Cycladic islands, Paros has a long, storied history that makes merely visiting the island a wildly thrilling experience for those interested in Ancient Greece, or just simply interested in history. It’s easy to get to from Athens (more on that below), and very easy to visit as part of a Cycladic Island hopping trip! As part of the famed Cyclades islands, which include Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos and Ios, among others, it’s perfectly located to enjoy the best of Greece’s most popular islands and attractions. Want to visit Paros but aren’t exactly sure where it lies in relation to Athens and other popular Greek Islands, like Santorini or Mykonos?įortunately for travellers, Paros is located right in the heart of the Aegean sea, about 165 km from Athens. Love our photos? They were all edited using our Europe Preset Pack, which you can purchase here ! To help you have the best vacation possible, we’ve put together this practical Paros Island guide.įrom what to see and do, where to stay and eat, and the best villages to visit, to the best dining and wine experiences and essential transport options, our guide gives you all the information you need to enjoy Paros Island. The island has character and authenticity that’s hard to find elsewhere which makes exploring Paros an unbridled joy.įilled with ubiquitous Greek island elements such as historic villages, endless marmalade sunsets, sun-drenched hilltop towns, bougainvillaea-covered laneways, endless golden beaches and hidden coves, Paros is quintessential Greece, and a visit here is a must on any Greek Island-hopping adventures. Less popular than nearby Santorini and Mykonos, Paros is slowly emerging as the star of the Cyclades, and it’s not hard to understand why. Smack bang in the middle of the alluring Cyclades, the ancient, windswept, archipelago south of Athens, lies wonderful Paros Island.
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