Mario, in Nassoua, turns the town’s main square into its dining room. Turquoise chairs and tables sprawl out onto the stones, and at sunset, there’s not an empty seat in sight as patrons drink local wines and dine on ceviche or the grilled fresh fish of the day. “It’s really magical,” Missoni says of Mario. Her must-order dish? “The marinated zucchini salad – it was incredible.”
Tsachpinis, a restaurant owned by Mario’s brother that focuses on traditional Greek dishes, sits right next door. (You can distinguish the two by their chair colours – Tsachpinis’s are royal blue.)
Where to Visit: Panagia Katapoliani
Missoni in the baptistery of Panagia Katapoliani, a Byzantine church that dates back to 326 AC.
Courtesy of Margherita Missoni
While yes, the beach is the main attraction in Paros, Missoni has an additional suggestion: Panagia Katapoliani. The Byzantine church, which dates back to 326 AC, was built even before Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. “It’s one of the most miraculous churches in Greece,” says Missoni.
The interior is a work of art: paintings of religious icons, done in the Byzantine’s signature gold colour palette with flat figures, adorn the walls. Many are covered in a riza (or, a metal sheet meant to protect the work). Two gilded chandeliers descend from the ceiling. Votive offerings hang delicately in front of icons including silver fishes, emblematic of the Aegean Island’s hardworking fishing communities.
Where to Shop
Missoni shopping in Paros.
Courtesy of Margherita Missoni
Charming shops abound in both Parikia and Nassoua. The best advice? Just wander around the twisted, flower-lined and sun-drenched streets and see where you find yourself walking in. Missoni stopped by Retro Greco, a vintage shop in Parikia, to pick up some old-school Paros souvenir T-shirts, as well as the antique shop Moods. At Anthologist – the second outpost of Andria Mitsakos’s impeccably curated furniture, homeware, clothing and jewellery store – she picked up swim trunks for her children and vintage matchboxes for her friends. “They’re a cool holiday memory,” she says of the souvenir.