The Southern Comfort Hike

8km25m3.5h

Description  Starting off at Parikia, we take the morning (or afternoon, if it’s the sunset walk!) bus to Alyki, where we arrive after 20 min. We start walking along the sandy beach of Alyki, enjoying the harbor views. We start on a sometimes rocky but generally easy trail and watch the beautiful SW coast of Paros unfold, offering great views to Alyki bay, Antiparos and the little islets in the channel. We stop for a dip at the beach of our choice around cape Makrya Myti, then continue past the golden-sanded Voutakos beach. As we get closer to Pounta port, we start on the beautiful, windswept beach and catch sight of kitesurfers’ sails flying in the sky, adorning the view to Antiparos island and the channel.

• Morning version: We reach the perfect seaside spot for for picnic with local produce: Heirloom baby tomatoes, black olives, a traditional Paros cooked dish, Paros gruyére, freshly chopped salad in ‘secret’ vinaigrette sauce with caper and oregano, freshly-boiled village eggs sprinkled with anis leaves, better washed down with a glass of home-made demi-sec liasto wine or a shot of ice-cold souma (the local grappa). After the picnic, we walk the remaining mile to Pounta, the end of our route. From there, one can go back to Alyki (just 5-km on the bus) to lounge and swim in any of the three sandy beaches there, or continue to Parikia.
• Afternoon version: We hit the road to Alyki seafront, where we can enjoy the perfect sunset right by the water, nibbling at a Paros style ‘aperitivo’ with local gruyére, ‘throumba’olives and heirloom baby tomatoes and crunchy paximadhia (barley rusks) or multi-grain bread and sipping local liasto wine or souma (the local grappa) on-the-rocks (or non alcoholic refreshments). Return to Parikia on the evening bus.

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In a nutshell  [A refreshing walk by the sea] Sea & views/countryside/snack, easy, distance 8 km, elevation 25 m, duration 3.5 – 4 h (incl. stops for sea dips!).