Have you ever been to a cave? They are so different and each one of them is more beautiful than the other. Each cave holds untold stories about its origins, visitors, lovers and peace seekers. Therefore, when we visit them, all we have to do is listen in silence to hear what it has to say. It will speak to each of us differently, nourishing our souls with what it truly needs.
The Cave of Archilochus is one of the most beautiful cave I have ever seen. It is close to Agios Fokas Beach on Naxos Island. Although the cave is only a 10-minute drive from Parikia, it takes a bit longer to reach it. Me and my great friend went there in the noon, when the sun is still up, but if you want to enjoy the sunset then plan your hike a bit later. But more important - if you are going there on a hot day, be sure to bring a bottle of water to quench your thirst.
It all starts with an unforgettable view from the top of the cliff. From there it is quite difficult to understand where to go down because the cliff looks quite steep wherever you look. But once you look on the right, there is a noticeable path to use to start going downhill. The hike is not easy - you need to climb rocks of different sizes, hoping that they will not move while you are on them. This hike is definitely not for families with young children, but the view from above is for everyone.
After going down to the coast line, it was necessary to move to the left, cause cave is located right in the middle of the cliff. Time to time we stopped to enjoy the view from a different angle. In total it took us around 40 minutes to reach the cave. We were so used to looking down, and the moment we raised our heads we became speechless. At that time, the sun was still hiding behind the cliff, giving an even better view of the cave.
We climbed up to see what's hidden inside of the cave. It wasn't too deep and it looked like a cozy little home for pigeons and seabirds. The scenery from it was mind-boggling and believe me, all that crawling and sweating were definitely worth it.
This place makes you feel magic. It is said that even the great lyric poet Archilochus was inspired in this cave - he would withdraw here and write for hours. Like Archilochus, we were inspired to do something artistic so we captured the place in beautiful pictures. I bet you all would do the same. But don't forget to put the camera aside and take a moment to enjoy the white-blue waves that disappear where the sea meets the sky.
The way back was harder because we had to go upstairs, but it was not an obstacle for strong young people like us. We even found a beautifully cut rock edge that served as a bench.
After about 1 hour we had already reached our scooter and we went to Agios Fokas Beach for a well-deserved swim.
If you are ever going to Paros then I definitely recommend you to visit this place. You will not regret it. Just make sure the weather is good, cause strong winds can cause waves that may prevent you from reaching the cave itself.
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