Paros Entertainment

This island is a family destination and it certainly doesnt have the lively party atmosphere of Mykonos or Ios. In fact, after the height of the season (July and August), youll wonder where everyone is. Parakia is fairly small and the other villages are even smaller, with leisure opportunities being mainly confined to beach lounging and water sports, while evening entertainment revolves around home-made moussaka, ouzo and late-night shopping.

Eating out

Restaurants on the island are very affordable, and there are dozens of tavernas in the main tourist streets of Parikia and Noussa, with eating options available in every small village. They mostly cater specifically to tourists, with the standard menu of European favourites for all nationalities, along with local dishes. Mostly, they are simple affairs, with tables and chairs set out al fresco on the pavements and in the squares.

The island does have some top-notch restaurants, though, with fine views, and offering eateries specialising in international cuisine, particularly Italian. Hotels and remote resorts also have decent restaurants that are very casual and informal. In the smaller villages, these eating venues might not stay open late. Locals are quite fussy, so its worth asking their advice, and they might even give you an inside tip on enquiring after chefs specials that arent on the menu. Some of them habitually wander into the kitchen to supervise their own choice of meal!

Local cuisine

Greek food is known and loved all over Europe, although you often have to come to Greece to really find a good selection. Olives, goats and feta cheese, aubergine, zucchini, pitta bread, sesame dips (such as humus), lamb and minced meats all feature strongly in Aegean food, as you would expect from the Eastern Mediterranean. Seafood is another obvious choice, with fresh catches from local fisherman, but they are usually the priciest dishes on the menu.

On Paros, youll encounter all sorts of tasty local specialities. Starters include; kolokithokioftedes (mashed zucchini and feta), spanakopita (spinach pie), choriatiki (Greek salad) and giemista (various vegetables baked and stuffed with rice and minced meat). Perennial main course favourites include; moussaka (baked mince and aubergine), souvlaki (a Greek shwarma), kalamari (squid deep fried), youvetsi (beef stew) and paidakia (grilled lamb chops). Of course, you should always end a meal with homemade baklavas and wash it all down with Retsina (local white wine).

Nightlife

Parakia is perhaps the best place to be for a lively evening and during the height of the season, youll find discos put on at some of the resorts or in certain bars, but its not a main feature of the island. Pounda, south of Parakia, has a reputation as a party beach. There are, however, plenty of bars in Parakia and the resort villages that stay open late in the season. Here the ouzo flows freely and the local band plays Zorba the Greek for the amusement of tourists (and the bemusement of locals).

Shopping

Although a busy market dominates the centre of Parakia, it is well blended into the lanes. The town has mostly souvenir shops, with locals making the most of the high season, selling their wares in small boutiques as well as local jewellery among the tourist items. In the smaller villages, you might find local handicrafts and Cyclades souvenirs. Several local wares are worth seeking out, such as locally made blankets among other items.