Parikia

We went to the capital and largest city in Paros, Parikia. City may be a bit of a stretch, though, more like a large town. We walked around the water front, admiring some large sailboats and catamarans and then went up the street to the Church With a Hundred Doors. It is a complex of chapels and a large church. The most impressive part was a chapel built in the 4th century with a Baptistery, a stone immersion tub in the shape of a cross. There was a Byzantine museum as well, with works of art from the 15th century onward. The large church had a women's gallery where you could look down into the main worshipping area. Like other Greek Orthodox churches we have peeked into ( they are usually locked), it had a huge brass chandelier, about 10 feet across, with candles on several levels.
Just down the street was the Archeological Museum, with statues and artifacts found all over the island.
We also visited the remains of a Venetian Fort. The Venetians ruled here from the 1300's to the 1500's. All the towns here have narrow alleys to walk through the old town, and Parikia was no different. Some shops were open, but because by this time it was after lunch, most were closed for siesta which generally goes from 1:00 til 5:30. It is also the end of the season, so some are closed until next spring. Parikia is on the opposite side of the island from Drios where we are, so we went there in one direction and returned in the other, completing a circumnavigation of the island.Read more