Panagia Ekatontapiliani

If you arrive on Paros by ferry, the Church of a Hundred Doors is only a few minutes' walk from the quay, which makes it the natural first landmark of the island. Its Greek name, Panagia Ekatontapiliani, is usually translated as the Church of Our Lady of the Hundred Gates, and local tradition says that a hundred doors exist in the complex, with one still hidden until the day Constantinople is restored to Christendom. Whatever the number, the visit is rewarding. The church stands inside a whitewashed walled courtyard shaded by cypress and flowering trees, and what you see is not one building but three: the main church of the Panagia, a smaller chapel of Saint Nicholas and the old baptistery, all joined into a single complex. Tradition ties the foundation to Saint Helen, mother of Constantine, who is said to have stopped on Paros in the fourth century and vowed to build a church. The surviving structure is generally dated to the sixth century, in the age of Justinian, and the story goes that the architect was Ignatius, a pupil of the master builder of Hagia Sophia, who was so celebrated that his jealous teacher is supposed to have pushed him from the roof. Historians treat these tales cautiously, but they show how much the church matters to the island's identity. Inside, the basilica plan with galleries, the marble columns, the carved iconostasis and the painted icons give an immediate sense of age and continuity, because the building is still a living place of worship.

Behind the main nave you reach the baptistery, one of the most striking spaces in the complex. Its large cruciform font, sunk into the floor and ringed by columns, is a rare survival of early Christian practice and one of the reasons scholars come to Paros. The little museum and ecclesiastical collection attached to the courtyard shows icons, vestments and carved fragments, and it is worth a quiet look if you have a spare half hour. Opening hours and any small charge for the museum can change, so check locally on the day.

Dress respectfully. Shoulders and knees should be covered, and a light scarf in your bag solves most problems. Photography rules vary between spaces, so look for signs and ask before using a flash. The church is at its most atmospheric early in the morning or in the quiet hour before dinner, when the courtyard is cool and the light falls low across the whitewash.

The big pilgrimage day is the Dormition of the Virgin on 15 August, when the island fills with worshippers and the surrounding streets host a lively festival, so expect crowds and book accommodation well ahead if you plan to be here then.

The church works well as the opening move of a Parikia walk. From the courtyard it is a short stroll through the old town lanes to the Venetian kastro, the waterfront and the cafes of Livadia, so you can fit it around a ferry arrival or departure with little planning. It also pairs naturally with an island highlights tour, because guides usually include it alongside Lefkes and the beaches.

Families will find it manageable, with level paving and plenty of shade, though children should be reminded that this is a working church. Allow forty-five minutes to an hour for the courtyard, nave and baptistery, and a little longer if the museum is open.