Paros Island with Children

Looking for a place to spend the summer holidays with the kids? 

A place that combines warm weather, beautiful beaches, 

fun for the little ones and a relaxing factor for parents?

Look no more. 

There is an island that ticks all those boxes: 

Paros island in Greece is the ideal destination 

for a family-friendly relaxing holiday.

Island Facts

Paros is situated in the centre of the Aegean Sea, 

in the Cyclades complex. 

You can reach the island by ferry or high-speed boat 

from Piraeus in under 3 hours. 

Paros is a popular summer destination for families, 

especially Greeks and Italians. 

Due to its central location, 

Paros is ideal for island-hopping 

 {tip: take the ferry to Antiparos, Naxos and Schoinoussa}.

A Parian holiday

Beaches 

Paros boasts many beautiful beaches, 

perfect for families with children of all ages. 

Head to the famous Kolibithres {left photo below} 

for its shallow crystal clear waters and amazing rock formations, 

to Farangas for its golden sand and brilliant beach bar 

or to Golden Beach & Punda for some windsurfing. 

Villages 

Paros' most picturesque village is Naoussa {right photo above}: 

a former fishermen's village with a Venetian fortress.

{tip: enjoy a romantic dinner at the old harbour}. 

In Paroikia, the island's capital, 

you can visit the archaeological museum, a 6th century church 

and catch a glimpse of a traditional windmill.

Lefkes is a mountain village with a traditional square 

{left photo above}, where time seems to have stopped. 

Take a seat at the square's kafeneio and order some mezze  

{they are absolutely delicious}.

Antiparos 

Last but not least, 

Tom Hank's favourite summer destination: Antiparos. 

The tiny island with the superb beaches and unspoilt landscape, 

is just a 10 minute ferry trip from Paros. 

Plan a day trip there with the children, 

you won't regret it.

Paros Island, official page

A list of Paros best beaches (you'll be spoilt for choice)

We stayed at the Chroma Hotel in Naoussa and were very happy with our stay

See ferry timetables, connections, and prices here

Operation: Decluttering

'Raising children comes with lots of joy, effort, and clutter',
every parent can tell you this; 
the sheer amount of plastic bric-à-brac, 

outgrown clothes and toys is staggering. 

And in the space-deprived London houses 

storing all those objects can be a problem.

So, ahead of the Spring cleaning season,
there's only one way forward: decluttering.

Decluttering in 4 Simple Steps

1. Gather all the clutter in a room 

and shut the door behind you 

{you don't want little people "helping" you} 

2. Start by piling the objects into categories: 

books, toys, clothes, random objects 

{tip: separate children clothes by age ranges}

3. Make a pile for the objects you want to discard 

and the ones you want to donate/give to friends 

{tip: be ruthless and keep only what you really need/love}

4. Place the objects you want to store into sealable bags, 

stick a post it with a brief description inside 

and... voilà!

Next you just need to find storage space. 

Cue Boxman, a London self-storage company, 

that does all the hard work for you.

Unlike other self-storage facilities
where you have to drive and carry your boxes,
Boxman delivers waterproof boxes straight to your home, you pack them up,
and then they pick them up to store in their secure facilities. 

The user-friendly website allows you to create your account,
order online how many boxes you want,
add descriptions and photos to your boxes
and book time slots for delivery
{they offer same day delivery, with 2 hour slots}.

Prices start from £5 per month per box
and they can also store oversized items for the same price.

And should you urgently need something you stored away, fear not: 

they'll return your items the next day. 

In association with

Inspiring Women

Online fashion destination Atterley Road 

recently invited me to join the #ARWOMAN campaign; 

a campaign that celebrates inspiring women.

There are so many women who inspire me everyday: 

my mum, my sister, women I read about in the news, my friends.

But two are the women 

who captured my imagination when I was little: 

a Greek diva and a French "seamstress".

Via

Maria Kalogeropoulou, La Callas

Born in 1923 to Greek parents in New York, 

Maria Callas would become the 20th century's most famous soprano singer, 

earning the nickname La Divina.

''My sister was thin, beautiful and friendly,

I was the ugly duckling'', she said. 

Determined, she lost 80 pounds in one year 

and became a symbol of elegance and jet set star. 

Maria Callas was passionate and lived her life to the full: 

her tumultuous affair with Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis, 

led to her divorce from her mentor Giovanni Battista Meneghini 

who helped her establish her career.

Maria Callas died in 1977 in Paris, 

aged 54, from a heart attack. 

Her life and work still fascinates and influences today. 

Via

Gabrielle Bonheur Chasnel, Coco Chanel 

Born in 1883, Gabrielle's childhood was not easy: 

after the death of her mother, 

her father abandons her and her two sisters at an orphanage, 

where she will learn the sewing trade. 

Gabrielle will earn her nickname Coco as a cabaret singer, 

where she meets a rich officers and gets a taste of the high life. 

With her unique business flair, 

she starts selling her first quirky creations, hats, to the high society.

Hats are followed by her revolutionary, simple and practical garments.

She gets rid of corsets and introduces pants for women. 

Talented, extremely intelligent and down to earth, 

Coco Chanel revolutionised the way women dressed in the 20th century 

and taught the world that class and elegance can only be found in simplicity. 

She died in 1971, aged 87, in her Ritz suite in Paris.

Read more about inspiring women and the #ARWOMAN campaign at Atterley Road

The Museum of London: a time capsule

With half-term just around the corner 

and arctic temperatures over London, 

what's the best way to entertain the little ones?

By visiting one of London's 

brilliant & free museums, of course.

Museum of London

Οne of the capital's 

most interesting & über child-friendly museums 

is the lesser known Museum of London in Barbican. 

Situated in an odd-shaped 70s building 

in the centre of the City, 

a visit to the Museum of London

is pretty much a trip through London's history...

...from prehistoric times to the swinging Sixties, 

via the Great Fire and the Victorian era. 

History Made Easy

If you want a quick, easy, agreeable overview of London's history, 

the London Museum is the place to go.

See what prehistoric creatures once roamed near Buckingham Palace, 

catch a glimpse of the Roman Wall, 

step inside a Saxon house, 

watch the devastating effects of the Great Fire.

Stroll along Victorian shops, 

admire the Suffragettes' movement collection, 

get inspired by Swinging London 

{and the list goes on...} 

Why take the  kids?

The Museum of London 

is utterly brilliant for children.

Replicas of objects are placed 

at the children's level for them to touch and explore. 

Amazing real-sized constructions, 

like the life-size Saxon house and the Victorian walk, 

transport children back in time and nurture their imagination.

Plus, you can collect free explorer packs 

which are full of fun activities 

to help you explore the museum with the little ones!

Museum of London, admission free.

Nearest tube: Barbican, St Paul's

Read more abut the Museum's Family Events

Oscar & Olivia: Ethical & Cute

What I love about London is the range and quality of independent shops 
that strive to make a difference in the way we live and consume.

Take for example children’s fashion online store,

Oscar & Olivia.

This London based company, founded by two mums,

believes that our children deserve the best,

but in an ethical & environmental friendly way.

The designers featured on Oscar & Olivia use locally crafted,

ethically sourced materials, like 100% organic cotton;

most of the products are handcrafted with extreme attention to detail,

and all are produced in the EU to minimise the carbon footprint.

The range itself is fantastic:

browsing through Oscar & Olivia you’ll find the cutest rompers

and practical and soft sleep pods for baby,

adorable jumpers and outfits for little boys

and eye-catching designer’s dresses for girls.

What’s more, most of the products have a unisex design

and the high quality makes them perfect as hands me downs.

And in case you decide you won’t need the used clothes anymore,

Oscar & Olivia will soon be offering a discount

on your next order for the clothes you traded in {brilliant idea}.

In a nutshell: a small, ethical boutique

with the most adorable & original children’s clothes.

Coat £197, Dress £128, Onesie £30, Jumper £49, all available at Oscar & Olivia (worldwide shipping)