PAROS

Paros

Paros Greece is a beautiful island in the Cyclades, located in the Aegean Sea. With an area of approximately 196 square kilometers, it is the third largest island in the Cyclades after Naxos and Andros. Paros is known for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, charming villages, and rich cultural heritage.

Paros is also home to several picturesque villages, each with its own unique character and charm. Some of the most popular settlements on Paros include:

Parikia: Parikia is the capital of Paros and one of the most popular areas to stay on the island. It is located on the west coast of the island and is known for its beautiful architecture, charming old town, and stunning waterfront.
Naoussa: Naoussa on the north coast of Paros is often described as a ‘picturesque fishing village’ (which it is) but in recent years it has been developed into one of the more sophisticated villages in the Cyclades with posh boutiques, bars and polished restaurants.
Lefkes: Lefkes is a beautiful mountain village located in the centre of Paros. It is known for its stunning views, charming streets, and spectacular churches. It’s also central to some of the best Paros hiking routes.
Piso Livadi: Piso Livadi is a small fishing village located on the east coast of Paros. It’s in a lovely bay setting lined with cafes and restaurants and there are several beaches nearby. Read more about best things to do in Piso Livadi.
Aliki: Aliki is a small village located on the south coast of Paros. It’s quiet with nice beaches and some good places to eat. Read more about Aliki Paros.

Overall, Paros is a beautiful island with a lot to offer visitors. Whether you’re interested in stunning beaches, good food, charming villages, or rich cultural heritage, there is something for everyone on this Cycladic island.

Best for: Paros is another good all round island with something for everyone. It’s one of the best Greek islands for families.

Not the best for: It’s a little more expensive and verging on pretentious than some of the other Cyclades islands if that’s a concern.

Best places to stay on Paros

Naoussa is one of the best areas to stay on Paros given all it has to offer for sightseeing, views, beaches and eating/drinking variety. Anywhere that is walking distance to the town is a good location and there is a good range of accommodation options in the peninsula just to the east of the town with long-established hotel options like Stelia Mare and newer ones like Parian Boutique but also to the west with places like Kanale’s and Yades.

If you fancy a bit of luxury (who doesn’t), you may want to check out the newish Cosme near Agioi Beach – this resort is representative of the new level of sophistication coming to Paros. There’s also Acron Villas overlooking Kolombythres Beach further to the west of Naoussa.

Parikia is the ferry arrival location and another place to stay on Paros with plenty to offer the visitor. There are plenty of hotel and suite options, particularly around the town beach to the north.

If you prefer less developed environments, there is Piso Livadi in the south east of the island. Another fishing village with a cute harbour, it has a large number of studio and apartment options.

Aliki in the south and Drios in the south east are other quieter options to consider.

Best things to do on Paros

One of the best things to do on Paros is just to wander around the streets of Naoussa. There is plenty of variety with the quaint fishing port area to look at, a maze of alley ways to wander around with plenty of shopping opportunities and lots of eating and drinking options. Perhaps late afternoon is the best time to wander when all the shops are open, mornings are a little quieter.

As a good traditional contrast, Lefkes in the centre of the island is well worth a visit too. The village is built on the slopes of a mountain, which offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside and the sea. The narrow, winding streets are lined with whitewashed houses, blue shutters, and colourful flowers, creating a postcard-perfect scene at every turn.

In Lefkes, visitors can explore the beautiful Byzantine church of Agia Triada, with its impressive frescoes and intricate carvings. The village is also home to several traditional cafes and tavernas, where visitors can sample local delicacies such as fried chickpea balls (revithokeftedes) and savoury cheese pies (tiropita). Cicada is a good spot for refreshments with a great view.

If you are staying around Naoussa and have a car, you can visit the south of the island to look at the beach area around Aliki, call into Drios and then visit Piso Livadi for some refreshment.

One of the best things to do on Paros is actually to leave the island – a trip to the equally attractive Antiparos is easy with the ferry departing regularly from Pounta. It is a good trip for the day – you can take your Paros hire car on the ferry (check with your car hire first) – but the main area is easily accessible if you are on foot.

Best beaches on Paros

The best beaches on Paros range from small calm family friendly bays to wide open windy stretches for all your sporting requirements.

Two of the best beaches on Paros are within easy reach of Naoussa. Kolymbithres (made up of a series of coves, west of Naoussa) and Santa Maria (a long sandy beach, east of Naoussa) are two of the best family friendly beaches, usually protected from the winds and shallow water for children to frolic safely. Other beaches worth visiting in the north of the island are Lageri (near Santa Maria) and Monastiri (further north from Kolymbithres).

Heading down the east coast, the grouping of Tsoukalia, Kalogeros and Piso Livadi are all worth a visit – and Piso Livadi is a great spot for lunch if you do that trip.

The best beaches on Paros to the south are Aliki for a sandy option and Tripiti is nice if you don’t mind pebbles.

Golden Beach on the southeast coast is true to its name but the wind makes it generally more a beach for the kite and windsurfers to sharpen their skills unless it’s a very calm day.

And don’t forget Antiparos – the town beach of Lividia is long and sandy but if you can travel further afield, Psaraliki is a popular sandy beach and Agios Georgios is a great spot for families.

Best restaurants and bars on Paros

If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Paros, even just in Naoussa you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s a good range from good gyros and meze places right up to top dining restaurants.

Some of the best restaurants in Naoussa to try are:

Yemeni Tavern – in the Naoussa laneways, always interesting food, you’ll see a few comments about the perceived rudeness of the owner (Nikos) but we’ve never had a problem there.

Soso – another one in the alleys offering Greek food with the odd twist and indoor/outdoor seating – book at busy times.

Nearby you’ll find:

Open Garden which is a lovely setting for some good food

Kapari has a nice patio setting, good service and excellent fava

Ydroussa – another cute and secluded garden setting with good food.

For a drink, Fotis is a good spot to sit and watch the waves roll in (it’s a very Mykonos style spot) and nearby you’ll find Kosmos, Monkey, Trickster and Medusa in a bit of a cocktail lane. Bebop is a good sunset spot.

For a casual takeaway lunch you cant go past Souvlakia Kargas washed down with a Vanilla Gelateria ice cream (right next door).

For coffee there’s Sousouro in the laneways or Almond is a really good coffee/brunch place a touch further out.

Just outside Naoussa you’ll find Rada at Cosme Paros – if you dont mind hotel restaurants, this one offers great food in a lovely beach setting.

Away from Naoussa there’s Siparos at Piso Livadi, overlooking the little bay and Thalassamou on the beach at Aliki.

Island hopping from Paros

The obvious combinations are with Naxos and Antiparos, both a short ferry ride away. – this would give you a great range of experiences for several weeks if you have that long available.

But Paros is well connected by ferries to several other islands (eg Santorini, Koufonisia) and it has an airport if thats how you’d prefer to arrive from Athens.

Paros tips

Paros photography

Paros is a great island for photographers, it has everything to capture! If you’re keen to take photos of the fishing area, early mornings are a great time. Nice light, not too many people around and working boats may have fish on board or crew doing maintenance.

Best time to visit Paros

Paros is definitely at its best outside of the peak July/August timeframes – everything gets a bit full and it’s hard to get into the most popular restaurants in those months. Try September if you prefer warmer sea for swimming although there may be some ‘end-of-season’ feel for some of the businesses by then. By October, things get quiet and the smaller businesses start to close down for the season. May and June are also good times to go before things start to really ramp up.

Do I need a car on Paros

It’s always difficult to answer this question but having a car will give you much more flexibility on where you can go and at what times. It makes it much easier to get around the whole island and driving is relatively easy with a nice road around the island.

If you want to get to places like Lefkes and Piso Livadi a car is almost imperative.

Where is Paros Port? How long does it take to get from the port to Naoussa?

The arrival point for ferries is at the port of Parikia in the north west of the island. If you’re heading towards Naoussa, you can arrange transportation for the short drive (around 15 minutes).

Does Paros have an airport?

Yes it does but only for domestic flights from Athens – so you could fly internationally into Athens and catch a flight to Paros from there.