EMMA'S GREEK DIARIES: THE CYCLADES ISLANDS VOLUME 2
Here we go again! It’s finally time to wrap up my Greek adventure into one epic post. Last time we took a trip we went to Sífnos and Mílos (click here for a refresher). This time around I’m going to cover 3 islands: Páros, Delos, and the ever-famous Mykonos. Grab your Greek sandals because it’s time to go exploring!
First stop: Páros
Páros is an island that feels like a hidden gem, but in reality it’s actually a pretty popular place. The island has all the whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches, and narrow winding streets you could ever dream of in each of its traditional villages. We docked here for 2 days, which gave us a short but sweet taste of this island's offerings. Let’s take a stroll, shall we?
See -
Parikiá - This little town was right next to our dock, so we we spent most of our time wandering its pretty streets filled with the usual trendy shops and beautiful homes. The actual main attraction of this particular town is a little church called Ekatondapylianí. This place gains the most attraction in the whole village, so expect crowds but nothing too crazy. The best place to view the gorgeous arches and candle-lined chandeliers of this pretty church is from above in the “women’s section.” Anyone else see the irony or is that just me?
Another beautiful and unique part of this church were the hammered metal prayer ornaments lining every inch of the shrines. The ornaments depicted everything from babies to wedding bells to cars. What a lovely and meaningful way to represent an an individual's personal prayers!
Náoussa - One night we took a cab up to this beautiful town, which I can say confidently was one of my favorite places we saw on our whole trip. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the phrase “love at first sight,” because that definitely describes how I felt about Náoussa. There was definitely a lot less kitsch and a lot more refined stores in this neighborhood, as well as great food.
You could get lost at night wandering through all the streets lined with twinkling lights and bustling restaurants, but it wouldn’t matter because you’d never want to leave. If you find yourself in the old port, make sure to climb up to the top of the old fort on the edge of the dock to get the best view of this part of town.
Eat -
“Super Foods” store in Parikiá - I spent a solid 25 minutes searching the web for the real name of this store, but unfortunately I couldn’t track the place down. The good thing is I took a picture of the store front just in case you ever find yourself in Parikiá. Who knows? Maybe it'll be sooner than you'd think! Anyways, this tea and spice store had an old-world charm with its dark wood shelving and ceramic jars filled with delectable treats. We bought some of the most delicious preserved goods I’ve ever tasted, including dried apples dusted with cinnamon. We took multiple trips to this store since everything we got was so good, and it was conveniently a 5 minute walk from our boat.
Fresh fish market –This technically isn’t one place, but I thought I would tell you a little bit about our quest for lunch one afternoon. Our chef on the boat sent us out on a mission to find the best fish in Parikiá for him to cook up. We walked into a few pretty smelly stores, but eventually we hit the jackpot. Giorgos worked his magic and we had a delicious meal that afternoon. :)
Sigi Ikthios - The port in Náoussa is incredibly lively, especially at night. Every table seemed to be filled at every tiny fish tavern, but we managed to pull off a table for 11 at this restaurant in the harbor. We dined on fresh shrimp and fish, Greek salad, and octopus among other excellent dishes. It was too dark to take pictures, so take my word that everything looked as good as it tasted.
Xalndoduons (my rough translation from the Greek letters on the sign) - The best surprises are unexpected surprises. We came across this bakery and ice cream parlor while wandering around before dinner. We didn’t even need a map to find our way back since the scent of the sugar coated donut cones being filled with Nutella and ice cream in the window was strong enough to guide us back there. Divine doesn’t even begin to describe how amazing this sugary, bready, Nutella-y dessert tasted.
Loukoumades "To Paradosiako” - If ice cream in a Nutella and ice cream filled donut cone wasn’t enough to make your mouth water, right next door is a place that makes mini donuts covered in rich chocolate and a generous scoop of ice cream. 'Heavenly' just about covers it.
It’s time for our next stop: Delos
Now here’s an interesting island. For starters, it’s uninhabited. Delos was once a largely important city that was the apparent birthplace of two famous deities in Greek mythology: Apollo and Artemis. Today it is a sprawling archaeological site that thousands of visitors come and see. So much of this incredible place is preserved, from intricate tile flooring of ancient homes to fully intact columns.
Since there is no official port on this island, we had to anchor the boat and take the dinghy out for a spin. We spent a few hours exploring this island, walking around the ruins of ancient marketplaces, homes of the wealthy, temples, and other structures. It really took me a minute to wrap my head around the idea that an entire society used to live, play, and work on this island. At first glance, all I saw was a bunch of rocks and debris, but after taking some time to wander, I realized that I was looking at layers upon layers of rich history. It was pretty surreal.
Delos is only a boat ride away from Mykonos, which makes for an easy day trip. If you ever head to Mykonos one day (hopefully soon), then I would definitely recommend stopping by this incredible island to see the beauty of a long gone era for yourself.
Our next and final stop: Mykonos
Mykonos is truly the island that never sleeps. We stayed here for 2 days as part of the final leg of our trip. The thing about Mykonos is that you can easily end up in the middle of party/bar central, and in other parts of town you can enjoy the quiet sweetness of empty streets. There is really quite a visible contrast between the Las Vegas meets Ibiza level nightlife and the much chiller local lifestyle of Mykonos.
Mykonos can be overwhelming with the throngs of crowds, tiny streets bursting with souvenir shops, and overall hectic vibe. The town has its moments of calm and emptiness, and that’s when you really get to see its more traditional Greek island side. Just like any other island we visited, it has its own beautiful neighborhoods, local customs, good food, and of course, its signature windmills. :)
See -
Old Town Mykonos – It may be the most jam-packed part of the island, but there’s a reason. Old Town Mykonos is one part beauty and three parts charm, which explains why everyone wants to come here. The houses are so bright white they almost look like cardboard cutouts, and the bougainvillea hanging down everywhere adds even more to the gorgeous scenery.
Eat -
Kounelas – Since we weren’t in Mykonos for very long, we only had one official meal here. Fortunately, it was delicious. Tucked away on a street corner, this seafood restaurant had great fresh fish and even better seafood pasta dishes. We ate until our stomachs hurt because we knew this would be our last delicious meal of our trip. A sweet and salty ending if you will.
Shop –
The Lipstick Diaries – It’s tough to sort through all the jewelry shops in Mykonos, but this one in particular stuck out to me. I’m a sucker for dainty gold rings and necklaces, so I was immediately drawn to the tiny table set up outside displaying exactly what I just described. The owner of the store is originally from London, but she decided to move to Mykonos and open up shop there. Sounds like a pretty sweet life to me!
I was shocked by how reasonable the prices were for these pieces, which in my opinion looked a million bucks. I ended up leaving with a pair of tiny golden plate earrings and a delicate chain ring.
Well folks, that’s all for my Greek island guides! I can’t believe it’s been a bit more than two months since I was actually there with my family, friends, and Aphrodite the inflatable pink flamingo on our beloved boat, Elvira. Coming back from the vacation of my dreams was a tough transition back to reality, but I brought back so many photos, food (I’m talking olive oil and dried goods here), and memories, that I feel like I can live it all over again whenever I want.
Greece was everything and more that I could have imagined it to be. Take it from me, the postcards do not paint a false portrait; it really is that picturesque! I feel so blessed that I got to spend ten days exploring a beautiful part of this wonderful country, and I can’t wait until my next trip, which I have already started planning in my head!
P.S.: If you want to revisit the magic of Athens and the other part of my Cyclades islands trip, the links are attached to their underlined names. :)
xoxo,
Emma
What to pack on an island-hopping adventure:
