Day 14: Paros Parkikia Sightseeing and Beach

Saturday 2nd July 2022

Not the Day We Had Planned

Yesterday’s misfortunes led us to abandon our beach-hopping plans around Naoussa. Caroline, still grappling with her injuries, had a restless night, and her knee was in worse shape, swollen and bruised.

Our timing was off again for breakfast at Symposium. Arriving just after 9:15, we found it locked and deserted. Instead of waiting around, we set off on a new quest for breakfast. Nearly back at the seafront, we stumbled upon Kakao. With its inviting balcony overlooking the sea and a reasonable menu, it was an easy choice. For €9.50, I enjoyed a delightful set breakfast with bread, butter, jam, coffee, orange juice, yoghurt, honey, and nuts. Despite the previous day’s setback, we reminisced about our week and planned to visit the local beach later.

A Morning at Parikia Beach

Caroline had to vacate her room by 11, and we returned from breakfast just before 10:30. She packed her things, and I helped move her bags to my room, sparing her the hassle of carrying them all day. Her flight back to Athens wasn’t until 18:30, with a bus to catch at 16:10, leaving us a few hours to enjoy.

Beach gear in tow, we headed north along the coastal road to Parikia Beach. It’s worth noting that Livadia Beach, the first beach you encounter, has nice sand but rocky waters and sea urchins—better for sunbathing than swimming.

Parikia Beach, the main stretch further north, boasts clearer waters and is worth the extra few minutes walk. We settled down and spent a couple of hours sunbathing. Caroline couldn’t swim due to her bandages, but I took a few dips. They have a floating lane rope for laps, but it’s not very straight or wide, so I didn’t swim for long.

A Tasty Gyros Lunch

For lunch, we headed back towards town and stopped at To Souvlaki Tou Pepe. Despite passing it several times, this was our first visit. It was busy, as usual, with a bit of a wait, but the food was worth it. I savoured a pork gyros for €3.60 and a Coke for €2.50—delicious and budget-friendly.

Last Minute Sightseeing in Parikia

With the beach behind us and lunch finished by 1:00 PM, we found ourselves with a few more hours to enjoy before Caroline’s bus to the airport. After a quick stop at the hotel to rinse off the salty sea water, we set out to explore the charming streets of Parikia.

Wandering through the town, we indulged in some window shopping and stumbled upon the Frankish Castle. This peculiar historic building, pieced together from various ancient structures, was a fascinating sight.

Our stroll led us to Dodoni, where we treated ourselves to some delicious, albeit pricey, ice cream. It was the perfect sweet ending to our impromptu afternoon adventure.

Back to Solo Travelling: Embracing the Quiet Moments

We got back to the hotel just after 3:00 PM. Caroline used my bathroom to shower and change, and then I helped her with her luggage. We walked to the bus stop, chatting until her bus arrived. After a heartfelt goodbye, I headed back to the hotel, transitioning to solo travel for the first time this trip. Having company on both the mainland and Paros was wonderful, but I was ready to enjoy some ‘me’ time.

After relaxing in my room for a bit, I decided to get active and hit the gym. I had already found a nearby fitness centre aptly named ‘The Gym’. It was a 15-minute walk, not counting a quick detour to Ragoussis bakery for a Freddo espresso energy boost.

The Gym was small and lacked air conditioning (a common trait in Greek gyms during summer), but it had a decent selection of equipment and wasn’t too crowded. I managed a solid chest and shoulder workout, feeling great to be burning calories again instead of just consuming them! I brought an almost full 1.5-litre bottle of water and kept at it until I finished both my routine and the water, leaving me thoroughly exhausted.

By the time I left the gym, it was nearly 7:00 PM. The walk back to the hotel was pleasant, with the sun’s intensity fading and a refreshing sea breeze. A cool shower back in my room was the perfect end to an active afternoon, setting a relaxing tone for the rest of the evening.

Skipping Dinner

I’d purchased a protein shake from the mini market earlier in the day and decided that it would be enough as a post-workout snack and my dinner. I’ve been going over my food budget most days since I got to Paros and wanted to start economising a little. With that in mind, I decided to pop back to the mini market to see if I could buy some breakfast ingredients and save even more money for the days ahead.

I came back with a large carton of orange juice, yoghurt, honey, nuts, another protein drink, a cold coffee and more water. As I got ready for bed, I reflected on my trip so far. It was fantastic, made better by having company, but I was equally excited to be a solo traveller again and looked forward to another week on Paros.