The sheltered bay on the northern side of Paros gives Náousa a clear geographical setting. The town developed around its harbor during the Byzantine period; surviving sections of the fortifications, bright alleyways and festival traditions add further character. When looking for accommodation on Paros, you can choose where to stay based on whether Náousa’s harbor and festival history should shape your visit, or whether you would also like to explore cultural and natural attractions elsewhere on the island.
Harbor, fortifications and townscape
A wall fortified Náousa and ended at a Venetian bastion called Kastelli; parts of the fortifications have survived. Another period has left its mark on the town’s history: during the Russian occupation of the Cyclades, the Russians led by the Orlov family set up their headquarters in the harbor.
A network of narrow, bright alleyways in the traditional Cycladic style runs through the center. Former fishermen’s storage rooms have been converted into tavernas, cafés and ouzeries. The alleyways and repurposed storage rooms thus offer two different ways to experience the townscape: through its Cycladic style and through the former function of the spaces. The archaeological record reaches further back, too: idols and graves found in the Early Cycladic cemetery of Plastira have been assigned to the Early Cycladic period based on their characteristics. These finds highlight a different period from the town’s Byzantine development around the harbor.
Carnival and Fish Festival
The festival traditions have different focuses. Traditionally, the carnival season begins on the feast day of Agios Antonios, January 17. The carnival parades start in the narrow alleyways and make their way to the harbor, where the groups join in a Gaitanaki carnival dance. At the recurring Fish Festival, musicians and local bands perform, alongside traditional dances and songs. While the carnival follows the route from the alleyways to the harbor, the Fish Festival centers on music, dance and singing. If you are traveling for a festival, check the arrangements for your travel year in advance.
Cultural Sites on Paros
Elsewhere on Paros, Parikia and Lefkes offer further points of historical and cultural interest. Panagia Ekatontapiliani is one of Greece’s most important early Christian monuments and lies in northeastern Parikia, near the harbor. The southern part of the church contains a baptistery dating to the 4th century, considered the oldest and best-preserved baptistery in the Orthodox East. The church also houses the Byzantine Museum of Parikia, with rare icons, wood carvings and other religious relics from the Byzantine era and the period of Ottoman rule.
The Kastro of Parikia preserves the ruins of a Venetian castle built from columns from ancient temples and other architectural elements. Parikia therefore tells a different story of construction from Náousa: there, Kastelli is the Venetian bastion of the town’s fortifications; here, reused ancient building materials shape the castle ruins. In Lefkes, Agia Triada is a listed church building made of Parian marble, constructed in 1835. The three-aisled basilica has a raised central nave and two bell towers.
The Island’s Natural and Cultural Attractions
Paros also has its own places to enjoy nature. The Paros Environmental and Cultural Park features a 7-kilometer network of hiking trails, organized and unspoiled beaches, and a 700-seat amphitheater for concerts and performances. Since 2009, the park has hosted the Festival at the Park, a summer program of cultural, sporting and environmental events. Check the latest dates before your trip.
The Butterfly Valley is a rare habitat for Jersey tiger moths, which can be seen there in large numbers on tree trunks. In Aliki, the island’s most important wetland, hiking tours, nature walks and cycling tours are organized for international visitors. These island attractions complement Náousa’s harbor and town history with cultural and natural sites elsewhere on Paros.
Discover more destinations: Páros, Santa Maria, Parasporos, Kolimpithres, Piso Livadi, Molos, Marpissa, Drios.
Return to the main travel guide: Paros.
