Guide to Paros, a pristine Greek island
A new day starts and it’s time for you to open your eyes. You get up and open the windows to be greeted by the sun. First thing you see are whitewashed houses and all you hear are the cigales singing. You are surrounded by bougainvillea and you can feel the fresh breeze of the sea on your skin. You smile to yourself, knowing that it will be a good day. That’s exactly how mornings in Paros look like.
Paros, a Greek island that is part of the Cyclades. It is one of the largest islands within the archipelago, yet it preserved that authentic Greek vibe. An island with lots to see and do but not overrun by tourists. From all the islands I’ve seen in Cyclades, Paros might be the one that has the best balance between fun for tourists while preserving its authenticity. And just like that, Paros now tops my list of favorite Cyclades islands.
To help you not miss any of the dreamy spots in Paros, I wrote this guide based on a three or four-day itinerary, combining pretty towns with stunning nearby beaches. I recommend visiting the towns in the morning (because less heat and better light for photos) and then relax at the beach in the afternoon. Or you could do it the other way around and go out for a nice sunset walk in these towns. Either way, I loved the following places in Paros, and I bet you will so too!
Day 1
Naousa
Naousa is located by a bay in the north of Paros. It is one of, if not THE, postcard town of Paros, with a Venetian fortress and an old port surrounded by cute white houses. The port area is the center of Naousa and it’s a very lively place both during day and night. You’ll find bars and restaurants for all tastes and budgets and shops are open until late at night (during high season at least). Naousa also has a small beach called Piperi.
Allas Souvlaki & More and Ragoussis are two places that I recommend for food in Naousa. Allas serves salads, pitas and they also have some options for vegans. I tried their pita with fries and mushrooms and I totally loved it! As for Ragoussis, that’s a bakery with lot of delicious sweet and savory options for breakfast and lunch. Pastries, salads, smoothies, coffee, they have it all. I went for the vegan brunch plate with avocado toast, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, rocket salad, nuts and raisins.
Kolymbithres Beach
You will find Kolymbithres Beach on the other side of the bay. You can actually see Naousa from across the water! Kolymbithres consist of several small beaches and it’s one of the most popular ones of Paros. I could totally see why, I mean, look at that clear blue water?! And the grey rocks reminded me of that famous beach in the Seychelles. Definitely a dream destination of mine, so I like to think that with Kolymbithres I’ve already visited a Greek version of Seychelles haha.
There’s chairs and umbrella’s for rent and you can grab a bite at a few restaurants. Kolymbithres can be reached by bus, own means of transport or by boat from Naousa.
Day 2
Parikia
Parikia is the capital of Paros and it’s also the town where the large ferries arrive. Being a port city, I must admit that I didn’t expect Parikia to be as pretty as it is! But it has everything you would expect from a town in the Cyclades: whitewashed streets with authentic shops, cute cafés and bougainvillea everywhere. Prices for shopping are also a bit cheaper compared to Naousa, so I definitely recommend buying your souvenirs in Parikia.
Martselo Beach
When I travel to a destination with several beaches, I always try to find the one that has the most turquoise water. And after seeing a photo of it on Instagram, I knew that Martselo Beach was just what I’m looking for. My host also recommended this beach and I loved it just like I thought I would!
Martselo Beach is a long sandy beach located in the bay of Parikia and features a beach bar called Paradise. They have beach chairs and umbrella’s for rent. Martselo Beach can be reached by bus, own means of transport or by boat from Parikia.
Day 3
Marpissa
We’re heading to the east side of Paros for day three. Here you’ll find some quiet and authentic villages, which will offer you plenty of photo opps. Many locals recommend going to Lefkes, the former capital of Paros. But I really wanted to see the one and only ‘pink door of Paros’, so I went to Marpissa instead. Yes, I totally did it for the ‘gram! You’ll have the pretty streets of Marpissa pretty much all to yourself, meaning that you can take your dear time for photos. But other than that, there isn’t that much to do there. So maybe you can combine Marpissa with Lefkes.
Punda Beach Club
Or you can go straight to Punda Beach Club to dance and lounge the day away! Punda Beach Club gave me total Mykonos vibes. DJ blasting house and poptunes all day long, several bars to keep them drinks coming and a restaurant with great food. My friend and I stayed over for dinner and loved our dishes! I ordered an orzo with shrimp and she had a chicken caprese.
Entrance to Punda Beach Club is free, and you can rent a cabana or a beach chair if you want. We decided to share a cabana, which costed €10 per person. Not the cheapest, but we didn’t mind splurging for this one. Now, the most important question: are you going to lay down by the sea or at the pool?! Your choice!
Day 4
Antiparos
You can’t go to Paros without visiting sister island Antiparos as well! Don’t worry if you’re not staying four full days, as the ferry between Paros to Antiparos runs until late at night. We arrived in Antiparos around 5.30 PM and it was enough to get a taste of the island. A full day would have been even better of course, so now I have a reason to go back to Antiparos!
The most common way to get to Antiparos is by ferry from a town called Pounta. The ferry takes you to Antiparos in less than ten minutes and it costs a few euros. There is also a ferry from Parikia but that one is more expensive, takes longer to arrive in Antiparos, departs less frequently and carries only passengers while the Pounta ferry also carries vehicles.
The port town of Antiparos is the liveliest area of the island. Here you’ll find a long street full of shops, restaurants and bars. Keep walking towards the end of this street, and then you’ll end up by this beach called Sifneiko Gialos. Now it’s time to relax, sit down and enjoy the sunset!
The basics
How to get to Paros
If you're traveling internationally, then the easiest way to get to Paros is by flying into Athens. Once you're there, you either continue to Paros with a domestic flight or you take the ferry from the port of Piraeus. My original plan was to do the latter. That would have costed me €65 for a return trip back to Athens and the time that it takes to arrive in Paros is 4 to 5 hours. But then I saw a €78 return flight with Sky Express, including a 23 kilo suitcase! So I took that deal.
The airport of Paros is located on the southwestern side of the island, which is far from the towns where most people stay. So if you also decide to fly to Paros, then PLEASE, take out cash before flying. I forgot to do that and the ATM at the airport wasn't working. I had absolutely no coins with me for the bus, so I was forced to take a taxi to Naousa, which costed me €30. In comparison, the bus costs about €6.
Speaking about the bus, it is also good to know that there's only three buses per day departing from the airport to Parikia. So make sure to not miss it, otherwise you'll have to wait hours to catch the next one. As of 2020, these are the bus hours: 11.30 AM, 2.50 PM and 4.45 PM.
How to get around in Paros
Most towns are connected by bus through Parikia, and major beaches can also be reached by bus. So that's a great way to get around the island if you're staying in Parikia. Naousa, where I stayed, also has some good bus connections. But in my opinion, there's no better way to explore an island than by scooter. I rented one for three days with Ride Moto Rental in Naousa, which costed €20 per day (and an optional €5 per day if you want to be insured against all risks). Filling up the scooter once was enough to last me three days with some spare gas in the tank. Of course, you could also rent a car. This could be done at the airport, saving you the hassle of having to wait for the bus (or ending up paying €30 for a taxi like I did). Either way, you can take both scooter and car with you on the ferry to Antiparos as well.
Where to stay in Paros
I stayed at Augusta Studios and Appartments in Naousa and I definitely recommend it. The owner, George, is a very friendly and attentive person. He gave us lots of helpful information about Paros before and after arriving at the studio, and he even helped my friend and I carry our luggages to the bus when we left.
Augusta Studios and Appartments is located right by Piperi Beach, and there's a supermarket right around the corner. The walk to the center of Naousa takes about ten minutes. I absolutely loved Naousa and I'm happy that I chose it as my base in Paros! Click here to book Augusta Studios and Apartments for yourself.
Parikia is also a very pretty and lively town and I can imagine that it must also be nice to stay there. Especially if you're traveling to Paros by ferry or want to see the island without renting a car or a scooter.
I hope this guide gave a good impression of what to expect from Paros and that it will inspire you to plan your own trip! If you still have questions, then don't hesitate to leave a comment or to message me on Instagram and Facebook 🙂
Ayo! AR
