By Nicolas Bard

Lefkes, built at an altitude of 200 meters, are the most mountain village of Paros and one of the most traditional settlements in the Cyclades. Despite the great tourist development he has experienced in recent decades, he has not lost his beauty and distinctive identity.

The village is about 10 kilometers from the island’s capital, Parikia, measures about 500 permanent residents and stands out for whitewashed houses, historic churches and the last remaining windmills on the island.

The last miller of Paros, Barba Artemis, who operated his mill in Lefkes died in 1996. The village was named after the many poplars that once existed in the area. The main road of the village, leading to the center of white, is whitewashed and cobbled, and is called Ramnos, because formerly a root plant dominated in the middle of the road. Over time, the locals have removed it to have better access to the center of the village.

At the end of the 19th century the poplars were the center of the Municipality of Hyria that belonged to the Naxos province in the prefecture of Cyclades and was until 1912. The name of the municipality comes from the Hydia, one of the ancient names of Paros. At that time the village was particularly growing. In the 1970s, however, it began to desert, due to the police, and many residents of the village left for Athens, and settled mainly in Marousi and Melissia, looking for a job and a better tomorrow.
Nowadays, due to tourism development, new investments have been made in the area, and the settlement began cowardly to regain its old glamor. New stores opened, the houses were renovated, and the village entered the map with the most beautiful and traditional villages of the Cyclades. And not unjustly we would say! A ride there is enough to take you to another era. The white houses, the whitewashed courtyards with colorful flowers, the many beautiful churches create a backdrop like a true postcard.
The famous Byzantine trail, which connects them to the neighboring village of Prodromos, also begins from the Lefkes. Following this route, you will find the imposing and historical church of the Holy Trinity. The temple was built entirely with white Parisian marble in 1835 and is one of the most important religious monuments of Paros. It is a three -aisled basilica, with the roof of the middle aisle. On its west side there is propylon, which is based on four double marble Ionic columns, with arched openings on its three sides, while in the fourth, in its depths, there are the three gates of the temple, of which the middle is taller and more magnificent. The Ministry of Culture has declared the Church of the Holy Trinity as a historical and preserved monument.
Before leaving the poplar, you should definitely try traditional pumpkin pie, noodles, sun -dried tomatoes, suma and sugar, and of course get local wine on the island. Paros is highly developed tourist, with many accommodation and holiday homes, and this more picturesque, calm and historical side is unique. So if you are on the island, take a day to poplars to get a solid dose from the authentic charm of Paros.