Every summer, a wooded valley in the southwest of Paros fills with moths. The Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes) is a cool, shaded gorge where a stream runs down through fig trees, oleanders, and storax — a resin-producing tree found in few places outside the eastern Mediterranean. From July to late August, tens of thousands of Jersey tiger moths cluster on the rocks and tree trunks, turning the valley walls into a living mosaic.
The path through the valley is about a kilometre long, with steps and wooden bridges. In the heat of summer it offers welcome shade even if the moths are not your main interest. Outside the moth season the valley is still pleasant — the stream flows, the vegetation is lush, and it is noticeably cooler than the coast.
The valley is in the Psychopiana area, roughly twelve kilometres south of Parikia. It is accessible by car or scooter.