Naxos vs Paros - how to choose?
Naxos or Paros
Naxos for long sandy beaches, villages to explore, hiking, authenticity, younger families.
Paros for seaside villages, some sophistication, nightlife, shopping, watersports, teenagers
Naxos or Paros, Paros vs Naxos, Naxos ou Paros – what a choice! The 2 islands are both jewels of the Cyclades islands group and both offer a range of attractions for the traveller looking for an authentic Greek islands experience. Both islands offer many attractive beaches, good ranges of places to stay, food and drink of high quality with local variations and attractive natural features to explore.
The natural reaction if someone asks ‘Paros or Naxos’ is to say – why not both? They are not too far apart (a circa 40 minute ferry ride) and you could experience both in the one trip! But if you need to make a choice (Naxos or Paros) then below are some of the factors you might consider and some thoughts on similarities and differences.
Naxos or Paros – accessibility
Paros and Naxos are located relatively close to each other in the Aegean Sea, to the south of Mykonos and to the north of Santorini (with Ios and the Smaller Cyclades in between). The distance between them is only around 20 kms although the sailing distance between the ports is closer to 40kms.
The both have airports with plenty of flights from Athens International to the domestic airports and flying times are very similar. Dont expect the airports to be big – they’re not but Naxos might be getting an upgrade. Both Naxos and Paros are well connected by ferries with possibly Naxos having a better range of destinations to choose from.
So Naxos or Paros – there is little to choose between them in this category.
Paros or Naxos – island vibes
For the most part, both Paros and Naxos offer a relaxed laid back vibe that so many visitors find relaxing for their holidays. The only exception worth mentioning is perhaps the town of Naoussa in Paros – in recent years the cute alley way streets have seen more upmarket shops and restaurants set up operations behind the picturesque fishing port area. So that in turn has attracted visitors who are looking for a little more sophistication than the standard Greek village.
So to choose in the Naxos or Paros debate , perhaps if you are comfortable with the standard Greek vibe then Naxos will be just fine but if you like to experience a little sophistication as a change, then Naoussa and Paros might be your choice.
Paros vs Naxos – beaches and watersports
Paros and Naxos boast a wealth of stunning beaches, each with its distinct charm and allure. Paros, known for its golden sandy shores and crystal-clear waters, offers a diverse range of beaches suitable for every type of traveler. Kolymbithres Beach is renowned for its unique rock formations, creating natural swimming pools ideal for families with children – it has got a bit more developed now though. For water sports enthusiasts, New Golden Beach provides excellent conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Piso Livadi and Aliki in the south are both good beach spots but need a car to get there.
On the other hand, Naxos stands tall with its long, sandy beaches that seem to stretch endlessly along the coastline and are easily accessible from the town. Agios Prokopios Beach stands as one of the island’s finest, offering shallow waters and a variety of beachside amenities, making it perfect for families with kids. For adventurers seeking more secluded spots, Agia Anna Beach and Plaka Beach provide tranquility and untouched beauty.
Naxos or Paros beaches? A tough call, maybe just in Naxos’ favour.
Naxos vs Paros – sightseeing and exploring
Naxos or Paros – Both islands have plenty of scope for exploring, shopping, hiking – whatever you want to find to do.
On Paros, the towns of Naoussa and Parikia are both attractive and easy to wander around – you’ll find photo opportunities on almost every corner. But there are far more villages around the island that can be visited – Lefkes is a perfect example of a traditional mountain village with impressive churches and colourful bougainvillaea round every corner. A drive that takes in Lefkes, Prodomos and Marpissa and finishes in the picture perfect Piso Livadi is a great outing. Then further south Aliki is worth a visit too. If you have time you could take a trip to Antiparos (regular ferry from Pounda) for even more exploring.
But perhaps Naxos shades this category. The old section of Naxos town itself is a maze of narrow car-free paths lined with shops, cafes and restaurants up to the old Kastro. There are just so many other villages to explore, each with their own special history or features. Halki offers Byzantine churches and Venitian towers as well as the distillery producing Kitron (Halki can get a bit crowded with tourist buses). Then there’s Filoti, Melanes, Apiranthos and Vivlos inland plus the fishing village of Moutsouna on the east coast.
Naxos or Paros? Maybe just Naxos here.
Paros vs Naxos – the best beaches
Naxos or Paros for beaches is also a tough choice – they’ve both got a large number of beaches in different styles offering family friendly shallow sandy beaches and more challenging rocky coves.
On Paros close to Naoussa you’ll find plenty of sand with Piperi, Kolymbethres, Monastiri and Lageri in the bay area with Santa Maria a short distance away facing east. Further afield the top picks are Piso Livadi, Aliki, Molos and Golden Beach.
On Naxos, close to the town you’ll find the sandy beaches of Georgios (St George) and Prokopios with Plaka and Kastraki further south. Alyko and Pyrgaki are also worth a visit. There are many more smaller and more private beaches around the rest of the island worth exploring.
Naxos or Paros – the best food
They both offer an excellent standard of food and great choices from lots of traditional Greek to more international choices.
Naxos is known for the quality of its produce and this shines through in the restaurants. Naxian potatoes are the best and make great fries, the local cheeses are all fantastic (love the soft cheeses) and the honey is delicious. Plenty of good meat available too for dishes like goat with potatoes and rooster with pasta. And never forget the seafood favourites like the grilled octopus. For restaurants, Naxos perhaps does not have the places to match the classier Paros establishments but the quality food in a relaxed environment makes for a good eating experience.
In Naoussa, perhaps the expectations are higher to go with the generally higher prices. Places like Yemeni, Soso, Ydroussa, Safran and Almond offer a high standard for any discerning diner. Open Garden is another good choice and Siparos offers a seaside setting a little outside the town. And that’s without sampling the more touristy places around the port. So there is plenty to choose from.
Naxos Paros best hotels and villas
You can tell Parss is thriving by looking at the number of 5 star hotels that have been opened in the past few years – Cosme and Cove are both located to the east of Naoussa village and offer top facilities for their guests with Cosme located right on Anagyroi Beach. Parocks can be found further down the east coast and Minois to the south of Parikia. There is almost an endless supply of small villas right up to the luxury end and plenty of mid-range family style hotels on the island. Essentially accommodation to cover all preferences including the luxury end of the market.
Naxos also has a good range of hotel options for visitors but perhaps lacks the modern top end style of hotel that Paros can offer. There are plenty of nice hotel options mainly in the more traditional Greek style and also lots of beachfront possibilities, particularly on the south side of Naxos Chora. There are also more villa developments happening in the slopes behind Naxos Chora around villages like Glynado.
So overall in the Naxos Paros debate, Paros probably edges the hotel category.