That's Paros with an O

We visited Paros because of its location in the Cyclades between Santorini and Samos, and promptly fell in love with the place.

We were welcomed into our room at Rena Pension by Rena’s brother-in-law and his bottle of ouzo, and the hospitality flowed this way on the entire island during our time there. Rena’s is located on a quiet but convenient street in Parikia, Paros’ hub, and could not be cleaner or friendlier.

We had a huge, private room with a private bath. We also had complete access to Rena's computer, phone, kitchen, and anything else we needed. Rena made sure we were picked up at the port when we arrived, even though it was close enough to walk.

Rena Pension is easily one of my top hostels in Europe.

The Happy Green Cow restaurant in Parikia is at least as festive as it sounds. The walls are a trove of folk artwork, mostly featuring (smiling) green cows. They sell their own brand of wine, and all of the food we tried was delicious and more authentically Greek than the name suggests.

The location on a side street in the old town is a bit hidden, and the few other tables in the restaurant's alcoves were filled with locals the night we went. It took us awhile to actually reach the restaurant because all of the unique shops we passed on the way lured us in. It was worth the wait.

My favorite after-dinner stop on Paros is the Saloon D’Or on the waterfront. It’s an eclectic mix of people and music, with the best dancers around. Everyone seems happy to invite you to dance as well, and there’s something about the place that makes it seem okay to dance as happily and spastically as they are. Another great thing about the Saloon is that there is a 24-hour (or maybe it just closed and opened again while we were at the Saloon dance party) bakery en route to Rena Pension.

We met a lot of locals there, along with some Greek-Americans. When we needed a break from dancing, we sat inside, then outside, then inside again... there are comfortable couches and tables all around.

World music, other-world dancing, Greek beer, baklava as the sun rose... a perfect night out on Paros.