Hidden Villages of Paros: Kostos, Prodromos, Marpissa and Agios Antonios Viewpoint

Even in the middle of August, you only have to drive ten minutes inland from Parikia, Naoussa or Golden Beach to step into whitewashed Parian villages where elderly locals sip morning Greek coffee under mulberry trees and not a single souvenir shop exists.

1. Kostos Village (7 km East of Parikia, Just Before Lefkes)

Most travellers driving from Parikia or Naoussa up to Lefkes drive straight past the turn-off for Kostos, missing a tiny, dazzlingly whitewashed gem perched at 160 metres elevation. Birthplace of the 18th-century scholar and saint Athanasios Parios, Kostos gathers around a peaceful marble square shaded by a giant ficus and mulberry tree right in front of the 17th-century Church of Agios Panteleimon (famous for its carved wood iconostasis and black-and-white pebble courtyard). Sit on the square at traditional To Steki taverna for slow-roasted meats and local wine at true village prices.

2. Marpissa's Medieval Kastro Hill & The 360-Degree Summit of Agios Antonios (Kefalos Hill)

At the eastern foot of the mountains above Piso Livadi sits the 15th-century labyrinth of Marpissa: Before setting out, review our paros travel guide and things to do guide so you can coordinate local transport, walking distances and seasonal daylight hours across each neighbourhood.

• The Famous Pink Door & Vaulted Tunnels of Marpissa: wander uphill from the row of four whitewashed windmills on the main square into a tight medieval maze of vaulted arches (stegadia), 17th-century churches and the famous pastel-pink wooden doorway framed by a giant fuchsia bougainvillea tree.
• Climb (or Drive) to the 16th-Century Monastery of Agios Antonios on Kefalos Hill: rising directly east of Marpissa between the village and the sea is the conical volcanic dome of Kefalos Hill (230m). At its summit stand the ruins of the 13th-to-16th-century Venetian Castle of Kefalos (which heroically resisted Barbarossa's siege in 1537 until gunpowder ran out) and the gleaming whitewashed Monastery of Agios Antonios, offering a sweeping 360-degree view of the entire eastern coast of Paros and neighbouring Naxos.