Medieval times in the Cyclades meant feudalism Venetian-style. After Byzantine feudal authority collapsed wtih the Crusader sack of Constantinople, early in the 1200's, most of the Cyclades were split up among Venetians, who ruled for 300 years when the Turks took nominal control. Venetian legacy is everpresent around Paros, as in much of the rest of the Cyclades. Roman Catholic missions constantly tried to convince the Orthodox natives of the error of their ways - for the most part, unsuccessfully. Here, at Lefkes, a beautiful Roman Catholic church reminds us of an earlier Paroian chapter.

Lefkes is a beautiful, quiet town in the center of Paros. It is the former capital of the island and the second largest town. All the houses are white and the reflection from their walls makes it almost impossible to go around without sunglasses during the day. The winding narrow streets are great fun to explore and the houses are beautifully decorated with flowers. The streets are too narrow for cars to pass so there are no disturbances.

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