Dreaming of picture-perfect Cyclades with dazzling white houses and blue shutters — but dreading the idea of paying a hundred euros for a sunlounger while fighting through cruise ship crowds in every alleyway? Then Paros, Greece is exactly what you’re looking for. This island has earned the nickname “little Mykonos without the Mykonos prices” for good reason, and it’s one of the most elegant yet genuinely accessible destinations in the whole of Greece.
Paros strikes the perfect golden balance. You’ll find narrow lanes bursting with bougainvillea, stylish boutiques and cafés, fishing harbours straight out of a film set, and stunning beaches with water the colour of the Seychelles — all without breaking the bank. The island draws couples, food lovers, and anyone looking for that sweet spot between laid-back and sophisticated.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through 15 top things to see and do on Paros, from the magical harbour of Naoussa to the granite-sculpted beaches, and a day trip to the bohemian island of Antiparos. Let’s dive in. ☺️
TL;DR
- Paros is elegant and affordable. Classic Cycladic beauty at a fraction of the prices you’d pay on Mykonos or Santorini.
- Two sides to the island: the lively port town of Parikia with its ancient monuments, and the magical fishing village of Naoussa in the north.
- Best beaches: Kolymbithres with its Seychelles-like granite boulders, and Golden Beach — a world-class windsurfing spot.
- Don’t skip the interior — especially the mountain village of Lefkes, with its traditional kafenia and blissful quiet.
- A day trip to Antiparos is a must. This bohemian little island is just a 10-minute ferry ride away and hides one of the world’s oldest accessible stalactite caves.
- Best time to visit: May, June, or September. Summer brings the meltemi wind, which keeps the heat bearable but can whip up waves.
15 Best Things to See and Do in Paros, Greece
Parikia: The Island’s Gateway with an Ancient Soul
Parikia is the island’s main port and capital, where ferries arrive and deposit streams of visitors. Don’t be put off by the busy waterfront, though — just a few steps inland, a charming old town opens up, full of winding lanes, whitewashed houses, and tavernas tucked around every corner.
The highlights here include the Venetian Kastro, a fortress built largely from ancient marble columns, and the spectacular Byzantine church of Ekatontapiliani — the Church of 100 Doors — one of the oldest and most significant in the whole of Greece. An evening stroll through Parikia once the day-trippers have headed back to their ships and the lights come on is a genuinely lovely experience.
Naoussa: The Most Enchanting Harbour in the Cyclades
If Parikia is the island’s gateway, Naoussa is its heart. This former sleepy fishing village on the northern coast has gradually become the epicentre of Cycladic charm — and yet, somehow, it has never lost its soul.
The old harbour is lined with tavernas where tables hang literally centimetres above the water, tiny whitewashed chapels, and flower-filled alleyways. In the evenings, people come here for cocktails, fresh seafood, and above all to soak up an atmosphere that is genuinely magical. It’s the kind of place where it’s very easy to lose track of time and find yourself still sitting there long after midnight.
The Best Beaches on Paros
Paros offers beaches you’d struggle to find elsewhere in Greece, and each one is completely different. Here are the ones you absolutely cannot miss.
Kolymbithres
This beach looks more like the Seychelles than Greece. Nestled among smooth granite boulders worn into rounded shapes by wind and water, it shelters pockets of turquoise water in natural rock pools. It’s brilliant for photography, for hiding from the sun in the shade of the rocks, and it’s close enough to Naoussa that you can easily reach it by a short boat ride across the bay.
Golden Beach (Chrissi Akti)
A long sweep of golden sand on the island’s south-east coast, Golden Beach is famous as an internationally renowned windsurfing and kitesurfing destination, thanks to its reliable winds. World Cup competitions have been held here, so whether you want to grab a board or simply watch colourful sails skim across the waves, this is the place. Even without the water sports, it’s a beautiful, spacious beach with good facilities.
Marble, Wind, and the Island Interior
Even in antiquity, Paros was famous for its marble — so pure and translucent that master sculptors used it for their most celebrated works. The Venus de Milo, now admired by millions in the Louvre in Paris, was carved from Parian marble. Traces of the ancient quarries can still be found in the island’s interior today.
That interior is well worth exploring. Hidden among the hills is the village of Lefkes, the island’s former capital, perched in the mountains and surrounded by pine trees and olive groves. It’s supremely peaceful — white lanes wind uphill, and the best traditional kafenia (Greek coffee houses) for miles around are here. Sitting with a Greek coffee on a shaded terrace, far from the beach crowds, is genuinely restorative.
Day Trip to Antiparos
Being on Paros and not popping over to neighbouring Antiparos would be a real missed opportunity. The ferry from Pounta port takes about ten minutes and drops you into a completely different world.
Antiparos is smaller, quieter, and has a distinctly bohemian atmosphere — it’s no coincidence that actor Tom Hanks has a home here. The island’s star attraction is a spectacular stalactite cave in its centre, reached by descending 411 steps, and considered one of the oldest continuously visited caves in the world. Add a coffee in the pretty harbour village, and you’ll understand why people say time seems to stand still here.
Where to Eat and What to Try
Paros is a food lover’s paradise, with countless tavernas — particularly in Naoussa and Parikia. Vegetarians are well catered for too, with fresh Cycladic salads, fried cheese, local fava bean dip, tomato fritters, and all manner of sweet treats.
The island is also well known for its wine and cheese — the local xinomyzithra cheese and Parian wines are both worth seeking out. Sitting at a waterfront taverna in Naoussa, where the tables are practically over the sea, is a gastronomic experience in itself, even if all you order is a salad and a carafe of local wine.
Best Time to Visit Paros, Greece
As with the rest of the Cyclades, July and August are the hottest and busiest months on Paros. The meltemi wind also blows strongest during this period — it keeps the scorching heat more bearable, but it does whip up the sea and can occasionally disrupt ferry services. Windsurfers, naturally, love it.
The sweet spot is May, June, and September. In spring, the island is fresh and in bloom, the sea is warm enough to swim, and the crowds haven’t yet arrived. September offers warm water and a more relaxed pace. If you’re after romance and tranquillity, September is hard to beat.
Where to Stay on Paros
Most accommodation is concentrated in Parikia (the most practical base if you’re arriving by ferry) and in the fashionable Naoussa to the north, which is pricier but unrivalled for atmosphere. If beaches and peace and quiet are your priority, the area around Golden Beach on the south-east coast or the resort of Drios are both excellent choices.
💡 Accommodation tip: We always search on Booking.com — it usually has the most flexible cancellation policies. In Naoussa and Parikia, places fill up quickly in season, so book well in advance.
While Paros is a touch pricier than its neighbour Naxos, it’s still significantly cheaper than Mykonos or Santorini for a comparable slice of Cycladic beauty. The money you save is money well spent on a long dinner at one of Naoussa’s stylish waterfront tavernas.
More Greece Inspiration
Before you go, check out our other Greece guides:
- Naxos Holiday: 15 Things to See and Do
- Milos: 15 Things to See and Do
- Best Beaches in Greece: TOP 20 + Practical Tips
- Where to Go on Holiday in Greece: Islands, Mainland & Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Co vidět na Parosu?
Na Parosu nesmíte minout magický rybářský přístav Naoussa, staré město a byzantský kostel Ekatontapiliani v Parikii a pláže Kolymbithres se žulovými skalami a Golden Beach pro windsurfing. Za výlet stojí horská vesnička Lefkes ve vnitrozemí a hlavně sousední ostrov Antiparos s obří krápníkovou jeskyní. Ostrov je ideální pro páry a milovníky dobrého jídla.
Kde leží ostrov Paros?
Paros leží v srdci Kyklad v Egejském moři, hned vedle ostrova Naxos a nedaleko Mykonosu a Santorini. Patří mezi nejdostupnější kykladské ostrovy, je výborně napojený trajekty na Athény (přístav Pireus i Rafina) i na okolní ostrovy, takže se skvěle hodí jako součást island hoppingu.
Je Paros drahý?
Paros je dražší než třeba sousední Naxos, ale výrazně levnější než Mykonos nebo Santorini, kde bývají ceny o 40 až 60 % vyšší. Nabízí proto skvělý poměr ceny a kvality, kykladskou krásu a eleganci za rozumné peníze. Nejdražší je módní Naoussa, levněji se ubytujete v Parikii nebo u jižních pláží.
Který je nejhezčí ostrov, Paros, nebo Naxos?
Záleží na tom, co hledáte. Naxos je rodinnější, rustikálnější a má nejlepší písečné pláže pro děti, zatímco Paros je elegantnější, kosmopolitnější a stylovější, ideální pro páry. Oba ostrovy spolu sousedí a dají se snadno zkombinovat během jedné dovolené krátkou plavbou trajektem.
Kdy jet na Paros?
Nejlepší jsou květen, červen a září. V květnu a červnu je ostrov svěží, kvetoucí a moře už se dá koupat, zatímco září nabízí teplou vodu a klidnější atmosféru po hlavní sezóně. Červenec a srpen jsou nejteplejší a nejrušnější a nejsilněji v nich fouká vítr meltemi, který windsurfaři milují.
Jak se dostat na Paros?
Na Paros se nejčastěji dostanete trajektem z athénských přístavů Pireus nebo Rafina, plavba trvá zhruba 3 až 4 hodiny (rychlolodí méně). Ostrov má i malé letiště s vnitrostátními lety z Atén. Díky poloze v centru Kyklad je Paros výborně propojený i s okolními ostrovy, takže se snadno zařadí do island hoppingu.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
