We had just one last dinner to enjoy before returning home. Like the previous night I won’t be able to properly express how special it was.
A quick stroll through Athens
We were graciously invited to George and Margaret Stathopoulos’ house in Athens. George and John’s father met in college and have remained friends since then. John knew George from growing up but not well. But that didn’t matter. We were again welcomed with open arms – even me who didn’t know them at all.
We arrived to their flat and immediately sat down at a table on their patio with a stunning view of the Olympic stadium lit up in the distance. We were offered wine and from that point it was on! We seemed to immediately click with this lovely and gracious couple and we found ourselves with so much to talk about. So many family stories and talks of travel and books and the seriously amazing life George has had! George is an attorney by trade but stopped practicing about 10 years ago. Now he fulfills his passion by promoting Greek artists across the globe. His stories include meeting celebrities and writing a book. Just incredible! We got to hear a lot about George’s life and even got a sneak peak at the book he just finished working on. I’m really hoping he’ll send us a copy as it won’t be for sale.
Over a homemade meal of Greek meatballs and salads and spinach pie we learned about their history and their family and their dreams. And we got a tour of the very impressive artwork displayed in their home. They even offered to host us again in their home in Athens or in one of their homes on the island – Kea.
The incredible George and Margaret Stathopoulos
I have found the last two nights with family and friends to be transformative. And that is, after all, why we travel right? To meet people and share experiences and create memories. I again felt so much gratitude for the opportunities given to me and for the people I’ve been so fortunate to meet.
I have a favorite quote that is very applicable to this last post of the trip to Greece. “We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” The quote is by Anais Nin and sums up my feeling as I return home.
A flight and two buses later – via nice navigation by my husband – we found ourselves back on the mainland in Nafplio, Greece. Nafplio is a town in the area of Argolis in the eastern Peloponnese. It is dubbed as one of the most romantic towns in Greece. But that is not why we came to this beautiful place.
John’s grandfather was born and raised here and John wanted to visit the place his grandfather called home. This is an amazing story of courage – the man left his family and all he knew – without knowing any English – to come to America in order to find work. He left this town in his 20s and moved to Chicago where he was given a job as a dishwasher. So Nafplio has a special place in John’s heart and we made it a priority to visit.
I’m so glad we did! For more reasons than one. To honor John’s grandfather and also because this place has such a wonderful, relaxing, happy vibe. It is my new favorite place in Greece! And, incidentally, we could both LIVE here!
As always, a small bit of information about Nafplio and then a link to find out more if interested. According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of the god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus Anymone. The city was the first capital of the modern Greek state from 1823 – 1834. Then the capital was moved to Athens.
After leaving our luggage at our hotel, we went to explore. Have I said how incredible this place is?! The small alleys are filled with people and shops and tavernas but with so much charm and sweetness. This place is nothing at all like Naousa or Chania or Heraklion. It simply has a different vibe. Much more relaxed and slow and homey…
Lunch was in order and since the hotel-recommended restaurant was closed on Sunday we picked a random taverna on one of the many small, quaint alleyways close to our hotel in the Old Town. One thing a blogger should never do —— take a photo of the restaurant – you know, so you can write about it – and NOT be able to translate the Greek to English. Ug! Luckily my husband took note – Taverna Byzantino. John had a Greek cabbage salad called Politiki. We hadn’t seen this before and it was of so good. See John’s face below!
Politiki salad
The first thing we wanted to do was head to Pronia – a small suburb of Nafplio. This, in particular, is where John’s grandfather called home. The area is just a short walk from Nafplio Old Town. The suburb sits in the shadow of the awe-inspiring Palamidi hill and fortress (more to come on this later) and is more of a traditional Greek area.
Palamidi fortress from town
We did not see any tourists here. A few shops and cafes and a market or two but we were pretty much on our own. Could be that it was Sunday as well. We talked about John’s grandfather and wandered around and said a prayer. It was touching….I am hoping someone remembers me in such a way…
We headed back to the Old Town to check into our hotel – Amymone and Adiandi. It was so cute! Very cool art and decor! And right in the middle of the Old Town. It was perfect for our brief stay.
More exploring…and shopping of course! The shops here are filled with more than your traditional souvenirs. There is local arts and crafts and fashion and jewelry boutiques and pottery. The window shopping is really fun! So that’s what we did – until we didn’t 😊.
A night on the town
Cute husband
We finally stumbled upon a little art shop called ??? (if you’re still reading, I’ll add this later!) The sweet older Greek couple who owned the shop were just sitting outside chatting. There were some lovely pieces of painted wood in the window. Not really our style but John wanted to take a look. And I’m glad he did! Beautiful, different types of Greek art; some of which was painted by the shop owner himself. We got some nice pieces but I’m not saying more because some of you reading this will be getting them as gifts! We also really enjoyed speaking with the couple in John’s Greeklish. Hearing about where they came from and how they found Nafplio was nice. And seeing the pictures of their grandkids. And a Greek tradition we weren’t aware of. The shop had many dried pomegranates hanging from the wood beams on the ceiling. Per the owner, on the first day of the new year, it is a Greek tradition to smash a pomegranate in the home. If it opens and spreads the seeds it’s good luck.
We both felt better about finding some nice gifts for our loved ones. It was time for a cocktail overlooking the port and the stunning island – and fortress – of Bourtzi. The castle was built in 1471. Interestingly, to protect the castle from enemies, the Turks laid the surrounding sea with a large barricade of stones that made it impossible for large ships to approach the island and the fort. The island and the castle are simply stunning! This is one of the places I wanted to check out. You can visit the castle by boat. Unfortunately it was currently closed due to construction. While telling us this, the sweet young man from our hotel “deleted” it from the map.
The view was still wonderful but being veteran tourists we’d never have dinner right next to the port. But drinks at Psarosavounas Bounos would work – Ouzo for John and Tsipouro for me. Tsipouro is another traditional alcohol made in Greece. Very similar to Raki in that it’s made from grades, but Raki is specific to Crete. Strong and delicious – two of my favorite things!
Ouzo and Tsipouro
We wanted to head back to Pronia for a more local experience for dinner and to also pay more homage to John’s grandfather. We went to O Pseiras Taverna. We had a wonderful meal served by a young man who was in Nafplio for the season and couldn’t wait to get back to Athens. Not too much for a young man to do in this town, I guess, but it was perfect for us. We simply ordered what he suggested and of course it was one of our top meals. Sitting on a small table on the sidewalk in the shadow of Palamidi hill, drinking local wine, eating delicious food with the one you love. What could be better?!
Today was a very, very long day but also an incredible one! Knossos was John’s number one of the trip and this was mine – hiking the Samaria Gorge.
The Samaria Gorge is a national park of Greece and includes a trek of 16km (that’s 10 miles – I had to look it up) starting at an altitude of 1250m (400+ feet) and ending at the shores of the Libyan Sea. The gorges in Crete, including Samaria, were formed due to the movement of tectonic plates over thousands of years.
We started from our hotel at 5:30 am to travel to the tour meetup. We’d finally decided to do a tour after a lot of thought and back and forth on pros and cons. See, it’s pretty easy to drive – or get a bus – to the gorge entrance but since the hike ends on a beach that is only accessible by foot or boat, there’s not a great way to get back to a car or an accessible bus. Just for logistics alone we decided the organized tour was the best option. You’re not hiking with anyone; they just take care of the transportation.
The entrance to Samaria GorgeLet’s do this!
The gorge starts off shaded, steep and full of switchbacks with rocks of all sizes and shapes to traverse. As you descend every view is more amazing than the next. But nothing we hadn’t seen before – just stunning mountains in the distance and a rocky trail ahead.
For real?!Fresh at the start
As you descend further however, you get into the gorge itself. THIS is not like anything you’ve seen before! Or – anything I’ve seen before! Massive boulders surround you as you navigate a dry river bed filled with smaller boulders and loose rocks. Our guide warned us not to yell or sing too loud as it could cause falling rocks!
On the river
The Samaria Gorge is absolutely stunning! But not in the stunning way of Elafonisi Beach. This is massive and harsh and a bit treacherous. Each view is more impressive than the next. I kept saying, “Oh my God”. The pictures simply do not do it justice but we did take a ton of them.
Sittin on a boulder
About halfway down you end up in the ancient village of Samaria. This village was finally abandoned, however, in 1962 – not that long ago. And the rangers who care for the park still stay in the restored houses in the village.
Entrance to Samaria village
About two thirds of the way down you come upon the Gates. This is an area of the gorge that is 3m (9 feet) across at its narrowest and soars to a height of 300m (~1000 feet). You navigate over a wood bridge and hang onto a rope as the wind rushes at you through the mountains. Just spectacular!
John passing through the Gates
When you finally get to the end of the Samaria national park you still have to walk another 3km (if you choose!) to get to the sea. You arrive at the tiny seaside village of Agia Roumeli. Now, instead of the Aegean Sea, you’re at the Libyan Sea. Completely on the other side of the island. Agia Roumeli definitely caters to the gorge walkers but is also considered a tourist destination.
We finished the trek in about 5 hours which I think is considered average. We took food and drink breaks and many, many photo breaks. It is a fairly easy trek. Just try to wear some boots with good tread as the rocks are loose and slippery.
Dusty, dirty sneakers
What’s the first thing we did?!?! A local beer of course! Big for me and small for John. And a nice relaxing meal sitting seaside and watching the other hikers bobbing in the water.
It was a very long bus trip back. Logistically the tour was the right thing to do. But tip: do it from Chania, not Heraklion if possible. It’s a much more palatable bus ride.
The day needed to start with bougatsa and coffee – like a local of course. And we needed to determine the best bougatsa in Chania. Either bougatsa Chania or Bougatsa lordanis. Apparently there is a war between the two oldest bougatsa cafes in Chania. We’d tried Bougatsa Chania jus two days ago as it was sublime! It would be tough to beat but someone has to try right? However, Bougatsa lordanis has two flavors – either the original which is Mizithra cheese fried in super thin phyllo dough, or sweet which is custard friend in super thin phyllo dough. Oh the tough decisions made on vacation!
The verdict is in – Bougatsa lordanis is awesome but just not as awesome as Bougatsa Chania. There you have it.
Today was a travel day so we made our way to the capital city of Crete – Heraklion. I’ll be honest, I did not want to spend any significant period of time in this city. I had not read great things about it – just another larger city without a lot of Greek charm. But I’ll be honest again and say that I didn’t plan very well and Heraklion was the best place to stay given the rest of the things we wanted to do.
Tip for everyone – get to know the buses when you travel. It’s such a local thing to do. And they are easy and cheap and on time. We’ve really had good luck with them.
We checked into our hotel in Heraklion – the DOM Boutique Hotel right in old town. We’d decided to spend a bit more money and go with a nicer place. It was nicer and the service was great BUT it was boring. Not a ton of charm to this place – unlike both Naousa and Chania.
Regardless right away we were off to the Palace of Knossos. This was John’s number one thing to do in Greece so we were very excited.
Knossos is a large archaeological site just outside of Heraklion. It has been called Europe’s oldest city. The Minoan civilization used this site and it’s palace for over 2000 years beginning in the Neolithic period ( the Stone Age) through 5 AD. The excavation of the site began in the late 1800s and reveals a fascinating ancient world that includes legends and myths including the myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur.
John had booked a skip the line audio tour instead of an organized tour and it really did work out. Except for the fact that part of the palace was closed off to tourists due to COVID-19. Again, eff-you covid! But it was fascinating seeing the excavation, hear how the legends and myths came to be and see the intact ruins of the Minoan world. The audio tour – although confusing to follow due to the closures – was a good look into the daily life of these people. This, like the history of Chania, is best told by someone else. If you’re interested…
The Grand Staircase at the Palace of Knossos Knossos Knossos
After Knossos we needed to just wander around the old town of Heraklion. It was much less charming than Chania! Very focused on the tourists and tons of retail. Also a lot of tavernas which was nice. We picked a nice people-watching spot and enjoyed Cretan white wine and ouzo.
Contemplating life at a taverna in Heraklion
I still wasn’t satisfied with the gyro I’d had in Paros so we asked our sweet waitress for a recommendation. She recommended Hovoli which was just a short walk away. Two things…first I finally learned the difference between a gyro in a pita and souvlaki in a pita. It’s just the way the meat is cooked! In a gyro it’s shaved right from the chicken, pig, lamb, etc. In souvlaki it’s chunks of grilled meat stuffed into the pita. You learn something new and important every day! Second, this is my new favorite meal of the trip. I was served a humongous pita stuffed to the gills with meat, a little bit of tomato, yogurt sauce and piping hot French fries! Finally, a gyro I can brag about. It was soooo yummy.
Shaving the meat from the rotisserie – this is what makes it a gyroNow that’s a gyro!
We did not even scratch the surface of Heraklion unfortunately. I’m sure there is a ton to offer but priorities right??
We woke before dawn to be at Kokou riding center for a sunrise horseback riding tour of the northeast coast of Paros. When John saw there was horseback riding in Paros he was all in. Lit up like a little boy 🙂
All of Naousa seemed to be asleep at this time of day – and rightly so – but Kokou was abuzz when we arrived. Ivan and Dani are the owners of the stables that have been in Naousa since 1990. They moved from Canada(!) to fulfill their dream. Now they own 28 horses and provide sunrise and sunset tours of the island.
After being fitted with helmets we were shown to our horses – Asteri for John and Irma for me. They were beautiful. We joined another French couple on the tour and were lead by 3 young women – Chloe from London, Emily from Manchester and Emma from Florence. Yes we went on a tour in Greece and our guides were mostly English!
We set out in the dark along a deserted road as the sun rose around us. It was lovely! At this point we were surrounded by land which as I’ve said before is very arid – so brown. And then of course the stark white of the houses that we passed. The views coupled with the sounds of roosters crowing, people chatting and the clomp clomp of the horses hooves was so peaceful.
We made our way to the coast, all the while chatting with our guides – interning for Ivan and Dani for 2 months at a time. Sweet girls seeing the world while they figured out what to do with their lives. To be so young with your whole life in front of you. I hope Gaby does something like this…
I digress. Part of the sunrise tour is riding the horses through the sea. Once on the beach Emma led the horses to the water. They were not afraid at all! And per our guides they really loved swimming! In order to get the horses moving the guides yelled “Alli” and splashed them. You could not be part of this and NOT have a grin slapped all over your face! Soaking wet, riding in the Aegean Sea on a horse, getting splashed by a feisty Italian and getting hit by a squirt gun by Ivan. I can’t make this shit up!
We made our way out of the water and toward the Filizi coast. I have researched this name and (I think) all permutations of it Filizi I can’t find anything on Google about this area of Paros. I’m going to proceed regardless. John and I had not been to this area of Paros – the northeast coast of the island. It is absolutely breathtaking! Instead of the bleaches and marinas we’d seen, this side had steep cliffs and waves crashing on the rocks jutting out from the sea. A harsher look on this side and oh so beautiful. The horses took it all in stride – no pun intended. We were literally on the edge of the cliff and – although we were hesitant – the horses were not.
One area I was able to find in my research that we passed was Ambelas beach which is a small, unorganized beach sitting between two tall cliffs. Gorgeous!
This was a ride I wished would not end. We walked for the most part but a few times the guides let us cantor with the horses. What fun! So much fun I’m sure I’ll feel it later 🙂
Back at the stables we said goodbye to Asteri and Irma and put yet another wonderful experience in our memory jar…
Balcony selfie!
We really didn’t have anything else planned for the day so decided to get in the Little Spark and go explore. Paros is a relatively small island – 22 km north to south and 13 km east to west. It takes just an hour to drive around the island. So why not?
Our host as well as a friend had recommended stopping at the small southern port of Alyki. It is a cute fishing village with a population of just 280 (as of the 2011 census). There are multiple beaches here – as anywhere in Paros! – and you get a lovely view of Antiparos from the end of the port.
The port town of Alyki
We had a nice Greek salad at a seaside cafe called Manolis Cafe but, honestly, this was not my favorite place. It was SO hot. And although the port was pretty, it didn’t seem to have the charm of Naousa. A lot of the shops and tavernas were closed – I’m not sure for the day or for the season. I’m sure I missed something but it just wasn’t my favorite.
Since it’s so small we decided to take the scenic route back to Naousa. Honestly the views here just cannot compare. It seemed like every time the Little Spark rounded another bend we said “ooohhhh”.
Dinner tonight was a direct recommendation from Ivan of Kokou. Called Christiana, it is part of a hotel and sits on a cliff outside Naousa. He said it’s the best mousaka on the island. We decided to try it for sunset even though it would mean John driving Little Spark in the dark.
First, the view from Christiana is incredible. It is in the little village of Ambelas – which we had ridden through this morning – on the northeast coast of Paros. It looks out onto a very tiny port and the island of Naxos which is a large island to the east of Paros.
Ambelas
We were shown to our table and greeted by a local who did not speak much English. No problem – we don’t speak any Greek! I ordered Souma – of course – and John got a white wine. The menu was extensive. All traditional dishes with fresh caught seafood from the brother of the owner. I went for the fresh mussels in olive oil with tomatoes and feta. John – he’d been looking forward to trying the pasticcio which is similar to lasagne or mousaka but without the tomatoes. Well, per our waitress the pasticcio did have tomatoes in it – as did the mousaka. So she recommended a similar dish cooked in lemon. John was disappointed but ordered that along with a split pea appetizer.
White wine and SoumaGetting good at the selfies!
The language barrier is a hard thing 🙂 The waitress returned to tell us the “fava was finished”. We thought that meant his main dish could not be ordered. Hmmmm, there was a little bit of animosity on both of their parts as well as mine. A case of really not understanding each other! Unfortunately it affected our impression of Christiana. I say unfortunately because the food was beautiful. My mussels were so delicious and so fresh and so flavorful. And John’s dish was also very very good. We made the best of it and as said, the view was over the top. At the end of our meal the moon made a spectacular appearance just over the mountains. It was huge (maybe just in my mind). But again – I am not the same having seen the HUGE moon shine on the other side of the world…
Look at that moon!
I needed another glass of Souma and John was on the hunt for Greek pastry. We stopped at a local supermarket where John asked if they had Souma. They – of course – did but it was in a clear plastic (former?) water bottle with no label 🙂 As I said in a previous post, the Souma is made locally so there would be no label. Silly me!
We also managed to find a local bakery – Pastry Shop Antonis – with really really nice Greek desserts. Of course we bought a bunch of them for take away.
Souma, Greek dessert, our apartment’s veranda and me writing this blog – what a perfect way to spend our last night in Paros.
Pastry Shop Antonis and Souma in a plastic water bottle
Sunrise in Paros – you have to see it right??? John and I woke early, made my coffee and quickly booked it down to the port of Naousa to catch the sunrise behind the port. The traditional whitewashed houses/hotels/shops sit in front of where the sun rises so it slowly makes itself shown behind the stark white of the architecture. We stood on the wall to the old fort and watched Mother Nature say hello to the day. Most of the town was asleep of course, so we got amazing photos and got to hear the sounds of the town waking up – the peace of a soft “kalimera” from a stranger walking by, the swish of a restauranteur sweeping their floors, the CRASH of workers recycling all of the bottles from the Saturday night party the night before! 🙂 It was a wonderful start to the day!
Sunrise in Naousa
John and I were both very excited about the rest of our day – a full day sailing tour around the small Cyclades. This was literally one of the first tours I had booked when we decided to go to Greece. And coincidentally, Claire and Mike (love you guys!) had done the same tour which I found out just hours after I booked. And they had simply loved it! Great minds….
The best laid plans….or so they say. The company confirmed out trip just last night. We arrived at the port 15 minutes early but there was no sign of our boat or any tour. We texted, we called, we asked random strangers – no one could get ahold of the tour operator. Finally someone was able to get us the name of the boat – the Lady K. It was there – staring at us in the face – but no one was aboard. And apparently no one could get ahold of the captain. We waited – texting and calling – for a good 45 minutes before the tour operator finally got ahold of the captain who had an “urgent” issue to attend to and wouldn’t make it. Happily the service of the tour operator was exceptional. They were very attentive and refunded our money almost immediately. But I was so sad. That’s not true – John would say I was ANGRY! This was a tour that I was really, really looking forward to.
Thank God for my husband. We both immediately got on our phones to see if there were any other options. I mean, it’s COVID times and shoulder season right? I had no luck but John was able to get ahold of Pantasoulas Daily Cruises – an outfit that operated 6 hour cruises from the port of Naousa – which we were no longer close to! But Ilias Pantasoula – the tour operator himself – texted John back immediately. It was 10:30 am. He had a tour leaving at 10:30 am and they would wait for us. Seriously?!?!?! So cool!
John navigated the Little Spark like a race car driver back to Naousa and we arrived at 10:55 to the welcoming smiles of Ilias and his gorgeous younger sister Dimitra. There was another couple onboard from Poland – Joanna and “who”Cash – who also had no problem waiting on the crazy American couple who ran into bad luck. These four people had totally changed our day around!
Off we went! I honestly think the best way to see an island is from the water. The perspective you get is just so different. This case was no exception. Even leaving the port of Naousa was stunning. To see the white, white, white of the buildings contrasting with the deep blue of the sea was just incredible.
Ready to go!John looking like a gangster Naousa from the boat
Our first stop was North Santa Maria beach – one of two Santa Maria beaches – this one much smaller, not organized and to the north. It is still on Paros. Ilias had flippers and masks for us and let us loose. We could snorkel or head to the beach or just hang out.
No fear issues here
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m pretty scared (understatement) of open water. So it was a bit of an effort and a “you can do it” to myself to get me in. But I did! And it was lovely – but still frightening. After hyperventilating a bit into the snorkel, I made my way to the beach. Here the four of us took the gray rocks and clay, added water, and gave ourselves a mud bath. Supposed to be amazing for your skin. We literally had the entire beach to ourselves! The girls stood there to let it dry and just chatted. What a lovely couple they are. Part of the experience of traveling is getting to know folks from other parts of the world. And I really enjoyed getting to know Joanna.
Really? It looks so nice from the boat…
When we all got back to the boat, Ilias and Dimitra had cheese pie – made by their mother(!) – waiting for us. Delicious! It was then that we got to learn about the Pantasoulas family. Ilias and Dimitra’s father is a fisherman and was the man who helped untie our boat when we arrived, Ilias’ mother made some of the food. How cool is it that a family is that close and keeps the family business alive and…still likes each other? 🙂
Our next snorkeling spot was called Gouva according go Ilias. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t know about Gouva but it was another very secluded area with a reef to snorkel to. Needless to say, I didn’t make it that far. But at least I got in and doggie-paddled around for a bit, right?!
That water – you could see clear to the bottom
This time when we returned to the boat there was homemade wine from Pantasoulas family vineyard. Are you kidding?! I am not – I couldn’t make this up! It was simply wonderful! This man and his sister were so sweet and seemed so proud of their family and their business. It was rare and beautiful to see. And the wine was pretty good too!
Wine from the Pantasoulas vineyard
Next up was Platia ammos, yet another very secluded beach on the Southern side of the island. Google does know about this one. We saw just one house on the entire peninsula. Apparently it’s protected land and the house was built before the rule was in place. Per Ilias it is a very tough place to get to by road so most approach by water.
Proof I got in the water
Are you wondering what food was awaiting us this time?! This time it was a full lunch spread – Greek salad, multiple kinds of seafood, pasta with fresh tomato sauce and shrimp, fresh bread, homemade tzaziki. And all of it prepared by both Ilias and Dimitra! In fact as we were snorkeling, Ilias was grilling the fish on the boat. His father had caught it, he had marinated it in olive oil and vinegar and left it in the sun to dry and then he’d grilled it. Simply awesome! And for John, Greek salad with no tomatoes 🙂
Our last stop was Agia Kali which is the island John and I were able to see from Kolimbithres beach yesterday. The one with the small traditional church on it. We stopped here and were able to snorkel and play in the water. We were also able to hop on the island and see the church which is open all year. It was simply lovely. This island was where the Russians set up their headquarters in 1770 when Naousa was a Russian naval base. Apparently now they celebrate a religious festival here as well as many weddings. I can see the appeal!
Again you’re wondering what treat awaited us back on the boat? This time it was dessert – halva – made by Ilias and Dimitra’s mom. Made with semolina, sugar, egg and cinnamon, it was Devine – not to sweet with a lovely texture.
Halva made by Ilias and Dimitra’s mom
And then we had to return to real life. If you call vacation in Paros real life! I honestly have no words for the trip we were on today. It was wonderful! From the sweet Polish couple to Ilias and Dimitra to the views to the food and drink – it could not have been better! It’s days like where I know – truly and deeply – how blessed I am…
Ilias and Dimitra Pantasoulas
John and I had been waiting and searching for the right place and time to get a traditional gyro. I remember my first 🙂 In Mykonos with a hot, fresh French fry right in the middle of it. Delicious! Tonight was our night. I researched it! We went to Allos in Naousa based on their stellar reviews and the drooling we’d done walking by for the last two nights. Luckily on Sunday we were able to snag a table. A carafe of house white – lovely – and two chicken gyros – awful! We couldn’t believe it but, as Americans do, we weren’t going to eat something that wasn’t what we wanted. I knew what I wanted and this was cold and the pita was bad. Just yuck… we paid and went onto another place with stellar reviews. Take two right?
Souvlaki Kargas finally did us right! Fresh, hot, filled with meat, chicken and tzatziki and tomato – it was delicious! And right in a corner in the buzzy town so very very good people watching!
What a seriously fantastic day! It’s the ones that aren’t what you’re prepared for that turn out to be so great. And for that I’ll go to sleep with gratitude and a silly grin on my face!
You simply cannot go to Paros without checking out the world-renowned beaches. Even if you are a mountain girl at heart. I don’t love being in a bathing suit, or sweating, or getting sand on me, or baking in the sun. Sounds terrible right?! But I do love nature and I am awed by a stunning view. I got both today! I also got the sweating, sand………but I digress.
We chose Kolimbithres beach because based on my research it is one of the most unique beaches in the Greek islands due to it’s location within the Cyclades and on Paros. It is located in Plastira Bay and although it is called one beach it is really a series of “hidden” beaches sandwiched between enormous rocks that have been sculpted into otherworldly shapes by the wind and waves over centuries.
Kolymbithres beachCurrent situation
You can rent a sunchair and umbrella – recommended because the sun gets SO hot – and every once in a while glance up to see these unique rocks on either side of you and jutting out into the ocean with the backdrop of Naousa in the distance. And don’t forget the sailboats and yachts docked in the bay for your viewing pleasure. Although not a beach girl, I was in the shade next to the man I love surrounded by beauty. There is something about a beach…just the sounds of it. The soft lap of the waves, slow wandering of folks into the surf, the sound of a multitude of languages being spoken all around you. It was lovely and highly recommended – even from this mountain girl.
A view of a small island between Naousa and Kolymbithres
We were fully crispy and HOT even under the umbrella so decided to just drive around in the Little Spark for a bit. We wandered around a bit and eventually made our way to Parikia which is the capital and main port of Paros. This is the other city that most tourists choose to stay in. I avoided it, however, due to Naousa being termed a “sleepy fishing village”. That quote is so wrong! In a good way!
Pretty Parikia in the backgroundAnother lovely arch
I will say more about Parikia when we spend some more time there. We had a nice stroll and FINALLY some loukoumades. Although Pralina Paros served them differently. Loukoumades are the Greek version of donuts. Those of you who know me know that donuts are very near and dear to my heart! But these are small bite-sided donuts. Call them donut-holes if you will.
They are traditionally deep fried in oil but these were “baked” without oil and served smothered with choices of toppings – from dark chocolate to the Bueno praline. We didn’t even hesitate! And as the photo will show below, phenomenal!
Loukoumades!
After being turned away two nights ago we finally had a reservation at To Takimi. As said, this restaurant had been recommended by many and without reservations you were turned away. I was really looking forward to it! And it did not disappoint.
To Takimi, Naousa
To Takimi is a traditional Greek restaurant that sits right in the middle of the Naousa hype. The menu is full of Cycladic and Parian dishes and John and I wanted to get out of our comfort zone. I started with Souma – my new favorite drink? – and asked the sweet waitress what her favorite items on the menu were. Well her face just lit up! And, probably needless to say, we tried almost all of them.
Grandmas cod roe dip with bread to start, baked chickpeas and sun dried mackerel for John and calamari for me. But this wasn’t your American bar-food calamari. This was not fried but was baked in a sauce of tomatoes, raisins and grapes. It was incredible! The best meal here in Greece yet. Just goes to show you that you really should ask the sweet waitress about her favorites and then order them!
The meal finished with a small shot of a drink they make in house. White wine with orange and spices. Yum, yum!
To top of the night, here’s a picture for you…walking back to the apartment on the way out of the town. There’s a scooter – nothing new there – scooters are everywhere. But this time it’s passengers included a chihuahua. Not being held; not being leashed – just hanging out on it’s own seat right below the handlebars. THIS I have not seen before in my long life. That little puppy needed to make the blog! See below…
The trip to Paros was…easy. On-time flights, no lost luggage, crankiness at a minimum…until we actually got to Paros. That’s when the adventure begins 🙂
We decided to rent a car – as everyone (including Google) told me to do – and the rental agent was waiting right outside the tiny Paros airport with a large sign “COUTURIER”. I love seeing my name on a sign in a foreign country. Is that weird? Purchased the medium insurance, checked out the baby white Spark and off we went. I rented a manual on purpose – cheaper and John and I are very used to driving one. Yeah – used to driving one in the USA! John called the clutch smooshy. Nothing we could do – we were off.
I got to check out the amazing, late-evening scenery as John navigated the roads in the little Spark that doesn’t seem to have much oomph to it! We arrived in Naousa – purported to be “one of the prettiest villages in the Cyclades” – in under 30 minutes and tried to find out apartment. According to Christos – our Airbnb host – there are no addresses on the island – so he gave us a google pin. Seems easy right? Let’s just say that sometimes google ain’t so great. John is great though! I think I made him turn the Spark around 3 times before we finally found the right street. And I say street – it’s really a 45-degree hill that’s not in the best of shape.
As an elderly Greek woman sneered/laughed(?) at us, John navigated the hill. He left a bit of rubber as we went and squealed those tires but we finally located Francesca who told us where the hell the apartment was. I’m not sure we would have made it without her. And she was very kind – “yes that hill is tough, but it’s all ok”.
She showed us to the lovely little apartment as Christos and his wife are off visiting Athens and couldn’t meet us. She also gifted us with a stream-of-consciousness on where to eat and go in Paros. I caught about every 3rd word…
Perfect little apartment in Naousa
This place is absolutely adorable! Thank you to Claire and Mike – our neighbors – for hooking us up! It is a tiny studio with a little kitchen area and a balcony that looks out onto the town of Naousa and the Aegean Sea beyond. This place will be perfect for us. And goodness knows we’ll get our workout going up and down that hill!
The stunning view from our apartment in Naousa
Who needs a shower? We were HUNGRY! Off we went to explore the town and get some yummy Greek food.
As anyone who knows me knows, I have been doing research on this place for months and have gotten restaurant recommendations from many. Even Francesca recommended To Takimi – that would make 4 recommendations for the restaurant. It became our destination…but not for long.
By this point the sun had set and we headed to the small, walkable main area of Naousa which is considered a fishing village and sits right on a lovely marina.
The lovely marina in Naousa – I cannot take credit for this photo!
Well this town was packed! I cannot even imagine it during high season! We couldn’t get a table at To Takimi so we wandered around trying to find a place. Let me just say – make reservations! I’d read that and actually tried but I’ll take it to heart next time. It was fun to walk around and see all of the traditional Greek architecture and the little tavernas filled to the brim with tourists. Small shops seemed to be open all night long and were also doing a very good business. You could get very lost in the sweet little alleyways – and we did.
After exhausting all of the recommendations I’d been given – they were all packed – we ended up at Calypso and had a pretty good meal. Mediterranean salad for John and grilled meatballs with yogurt sauce for me. And of course the local wine! There is a local winery in Paros that I’d been reading about – Moraitis Winery – and I had to give it a try. It was similar to the love of my life – Chardonnay – and was so yummy! And just what I needed after a long day of travel and the “hill adventure”. John tried a traditional Greek wine Biblia Chora. Mine was better!
We wandered the town for a bit longer and promised to come back when there were hopefully less tourists.
The bed was a very welcome sight upon our return to our apartment especially after navigating the hill. There was a local tour guide at the top of the hill who asked how it was. My response – because I was huffing and puffing – was “you can hear how it was”. His response, “you can smell how it was!” Made me giggle! But oh so true.
It has been 697 days since I last wrote a blog post – thank you COVID-19. And even this one is premature as I am still sitting in the Charlotte airport waiting to board a flight to Munich and then to Athens. This is such a long time coming so fingers – and toes – crossed that we arrive and are let into the country.
We are scheduled to be in Greece for 14 glorious days – from Athens to Paros to Crete to Napflio and back to Athens to see John’s family. I am nervous and excited! And frankly very, very nervous to write again…and be vulnerable again. But from what I remember, I loved it so I’m hoping the love affair still exists two years later.
It’s been a rough year for everyone. John and I are blessed that our family is safe and healthy at this time. We have weathered the COVID storm and have come out on the other side. And in the interim, even given the significant stress on all of us, we have grown more resilient and more grateful for the incredible people in our lives. We have made – and lost – friends and strengthened the beautiful relationships that we are lucky to have in our lives.
A genius at work? Keyboard, coffee, wine in a plastic cup
And with that attitude I am beyond thrilled to be able to see the moon shine from the other side of the world. I will eat luscious foods without shame (I hope!), try new things with a big smile on my face and be happy to be uncomfortable in order to learn more about myself. Come with me! It will be amazing – I promise!
Stories from a newly married, adventure seeking woman looking to see the world.
