A HISTORY CARVED OUT OF PRECIOUS MARBLE

Craving an adventure off the beaten path during your stay at Summer Senses Luxury Resort? We’ve got just the proposal for you: a trip to the island’s ancient marble quarries for a unique glimpse into the past of Paros! It will reveal to you the secrets of some of the world’s most awe-inspiring artefacts and let you in on the inspiration behind our resort’s island aesthetics. 

Next to the picturesque settlement of Marathi, just a few kilometres from Parikia and roughly 20 minutes by car from Summer Senses Luxury Resort, guests will happen upon the island’s ancient marble quarries, the source of the renowned Parian Marble. The quarries date back to the Porto-Cycladic era with the famous Parian “lychnites”, as it was called, borrowing its name from quarrying practices where the use of lamps or lychnοs, was indispensable within the poorly lit galleries. The precious material enjoyed incredible success, being prized by artists for its translucency, and fine, soft texture which they chiselled, moulded and polished to perfection. Just a few examples to perfectly illustrate this point? There’s the winged Nike of Samothrace, currently in the Louvre, Praxiteles’ Hermes and the enigmatic Venus of Milos, just to name a few.

So prevalent is the presence of marble on Paros and beyond, that Summer Senses Luxury Resort could not forgo honouring it. With marble revered as a material that is at once delicate and powerful, the Resort is inspired by the island itself and designed to capture its allure. One of the earthly raw materials, the Parian marble within the resort plays a pivotal role and is used in to compose peaceful, relaxing sanctuaries that instil in guests the essence of a Cycladic getaway.

Nowadays there might not be any marble left to revel at within the quarries but the experience is truly transcendental. Exploring the deep caverns is irresistible, especially when taking into consideration their depth and the time when they operated while they offer an impressive snapshot of the past. Just imagine that at one time there were up to 150000 workers chipping away at the marble under the flickering lights of thousands of oil lamps.

Ready to discover Paros’ quarries? Get in touch with Summer Senses Luxury Resort’s Concierge team and we’ll plan your excursion to perfection. Make sure you bring a flashlight, wear appropriate clothing, and off you go!