Paros

Parikia, Naoussa, Lefkes and Antiparos over four days

Four days give Paros a fair hearing. Spend the first in Parikia at the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, the church of a hundred doors, and the old-town lanes, the second in Naoussa's fishing harbour, the third walking from the hill village of Lefkes, and the fourth on Antiparos by the boat from Pounta.

Day one: Parikia. Arrive and drop your bags, then give the afternoon to the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, whose name means a hundred doors, and the lanes of the old town behind the waterfront, with their small shops and whitewashed corners. End the day at a seafront taverna as the ferries come and go.

Day two: Naoussa. Take the bus north in the morning and look at the half-submerged Venetian castle at the mouth of the harbour. Spend the afternoon swimming among the granite boulders of Kolymbithres across the bay, then stay for gouna and ouzo on the quay as the lights come on.

Day three: the interior and the east. Ride to Lefkes early, wander its lanes, then walk the old Byzantine path downhill to Prodromos while it is still cool. In the afternoon head to the east coast to swim or watch the windsurfers at Golden Beach and New Golden Beach near Drios.

Day four: Antiparos. Take the bus to Pounta and the short boat across to Antiparos. Its small harbour village and quiet beaches make an easy day, and boats back run into the evening in season. If you have a car, stop at the ancient marble quarries near Marathi on the way.

Ouzo, gouna and harbour tavernas on Paros

The classic Paros meal is eaten on the quay at Naoussa, where ouzeries set tables among the fishing boats. Order gouna, sun-dried grilled mackerel, octopus in vinegar served cold with oil and oregano, grilled fish of the day and small plates to share, with a carafe of ouzo setting the pace.

Add grilled fish of the day and small plates to share; this is food for a long evening.

In Parikia, the tavernas along the seafront are reliable for fish and Greek staples, with the advantage of watching the harbour while you eat. Behind them, the old town lanes have smaller places and bakeries for breakfast pastries and snacks for the beach.

For a slower meal, go up to Lefkes, where tavernas on the hillside look out over olive terraces towards the sea, and the cooking leans more to meat and vegetables than to seafood. It is a good lunch stop before or after the Byzantine path.

Eat late, as islanders do. In summer most kitchens are busiest after 21:00, and Naoussa's quay stays full well past midnight. Out of season, many places close entirely, so check what is open before you set off.

Meltemi winds, Paros seasons and the August feast

Visit Paros in June or September for warm sea and calmer winds. In July and August the meltemi can blow hard for days, cooling the heat and delighting windsurfers at Golden Beach and New Golden Beach near Drios, and the island fills for the 15 August feast at the Panagia Ekatontapiliani.

The weather on Paros is shaped by the meltemi, the strong north wind that blows across the Aegean in high summer. That is great news for the windsurfers and kitesurfers on the east coast, where Golden Beach and New Golden Beach near Drios have hosted international championships in 2000, 2003 and 2010. It is less welcome on small ferries, which can be delayed or cancelled, so leave a spare day at the end of any island-hopping plan.

Late May, June and September are the best balance. The sea has warmed, the wind is usually gentler, buses and boats run to full timetables and Naoussa is pleasantly busy, not packed. October is quieter still and often warm enough to swim. From November to April Paros goes very quiet, with many hotels and tavernas closed.

The biggest date in the island calendar is 15 August, the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin. The Panagia Ekatontapiliani in Parikia is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in the Cyclades, and the feast draws large crowds, services and celebrations. Ferries and rooms around that date sell out well ahead, so book early or avoid it.