Paros News

The Aegean island of Paros is famous as a popular tourist hotspot of Europe, for its beautiful white marble and for its tasty wines. Now Paros has another feather in its cap: a Writers’ Retreat. A couple of weeks ago, the European Translation Center (EKEMEL) and the Municipality of Paros opened the Home of Literature in the former Xenia Hotel, in the mountainous village of Lefkes.

Immediately after the inauguration, the place began to fill up with writers and translators from around the globe coming to this island to find peace and inspiration. The residents of Lefkes welcomed the writers offering them homemade delicacies and local beverages, like ouzo and wine.

They seem to be very proud of their Home of Literature, as they understand that Greece should no longer rely on easy tourism but attract visitors of other tourist categories, such as writers, athletes or participants in a conference. They are hoping that in the future Paros will mean to writers and intellectuals what Cuba meant to Earnest Hemingway and what Mexico City means to Gabriel Garcia Marquez.