The heart of the resort of Paralia during the summer season is located by the coast. A famous meeting point is composed by the coastal fountain square and the bridge which are located next to the church of Agia Paraskevi (Saint Paraskevi).
The village of Paralia is located on the coast of the county, on a spot that is considered the west starting point of the Gulf of Thermaikos. Its distance from the city of Katerini is 8 kilometers and there are approximately 1.500 inhabitants who live here.
The village was founded by fishermen in 1922 and more inhabitants arrived from Kios, a town in the bay of Marmara in Asia Minor, after the population exchange of 1923 with Turkey. Those residents had first gone to Thessaloniki but settled permanently in the area because it reminded them of their homeland. The maps of postwar Greece referred to the village as Skala Vromeris (: stinking port). It was renamed to Paralia (= beach/coast) during the official foundation of 1957, while the official recognition from the state came in 1966.
Due to its privileged position, Paralia had become a tourist destination that especially during the summer attracts thousands of visitors coming from Greece or abroad. It is a favorite destination for tourists from the Balkans who reach Paralia mostly by car via the highway that starts from the northern borders and crosses Greece towards the south. Having the infrastructure to support tourist services is an ideal place to enjoy the beach and the sea during the summer and taste the special Greek dishes.