Paros Island Overview

Like its larger neighbour, Naxos, Paros enjoys a deserved reputation as a top Greek holiday destination. Paros is one of the most popular islands for holidaymakers to visit, with numerous sandy beaches, vibrant coastal resorts, great restaurants, and modern, stylish hotels and apartments. Its growing reputation does mean that more visitors come to the island each year, but in 2024, we believe it’s still a solid option, with crowds and prices yet to reach the levels you’d encounter on Mykonos or Santorini.

Paros Video Guide

Check out our YouTube video guide for Paros, created after spending two weeks on the island in the summer of 2022:

If you don’t have time to watch the video, you’ll find much the same content in written form below.

Getting to Paros

By Plane

Visitors from outside Europe typically arrive in Greece via Athens International Airport. From here, the most direct route to Paros is an internal flight: these take 40 minutes and cost between £60 and £120, depending on the time of day and year.

By Ferry

A cheaper alternative is taking a ferry from the main port of Piraeus. Fast ferries take around 3 hours, while conventional vehicle ferries will get you there in a little over 4 hours at a slightly lower cost, with average ticket prices ranging from €40 to €70. You’ll need to factor in 90 minutes to get from the airport to the port (this allows for traffic and delays, the journey is about an hour), and, depending on your flight arrival time, you may even have to overnight on the mainland and catch a ferry the following morning which could wipe out the cost savings versus an internal flight.

Use the search box below to check out available ferry connections. Many Greek ferry operators confirm their routes between January and March each year, so it’s worth checking back later if you don’t see availability for your chosen dates yet.

If you plan to see Athens during your time in Greece, we recommend doing this at the end of your vacation when you’ll be less jet-lagged and more relaxed. This will also mean you’ll be back on the mainland well ahead of your flight home, avoiding any potential travel disruptions returning from the islands.

When travelling to Greece from within Europe, there are direct international flights to the nearby islands of Mykonos and Santorini – Mykonos being the closest – and from there, you can take a quick 40-minute ferry across to Paros.

Paros Resorts / Villages

Parikia

We stayed in the port town of Parikia, the island’s capital because it offers a wide selection of hotels, great tavernas, cafes, and bars, and easy access to local sandy beaches. The town also has the main bus station, and you can access most other resorts on the island without hiring your own transportation.

Bus ticket prices range from €1.80 to €4 each way, depending on your destination. Tickets should be purchased before you board, but bus drivers will often sell you a ticket if you don’t have one already. You can purchase a day bus pass for €10, but it’s worth planning your itinerary and deciding if this will save you money before buying it.

Despite visiting during the peak summer season, we didn’t find Parikia too crowded, although the port area does get busy during ferry arrivals and departures.

Walking along the narrow painted streets of Parikia, you’ll find plenty of boutique shops, cafes, and snack bars that serve delicious breakfasts, coffees, ice creams, and more. In the evenings, tavernas along the seafront offer plenty of dining options with stunning sunset views.

Opposite Parikia are the beaches of Krios and Marcello. Though accessible by a regular boat service for €8 return, it’s a pleasant 20 to 30-minute walk around the bay. Along the way, you pass the main town beach, which offers impressive views back across towards the island’s capital.

Krios Beach is accessed via a small dirt track that begins at the northernmost end of Parikia Beach and takes you up and across a small rocky headland. Marcello extends from Krios Beach’s far end, offering soft golden sand and calm, shallow water.

Logaras, Punda and Livadi

Our first trip from Parikia was to the beach resorts of Logaras, Punda and Livadi. Located on the eastern coastline of Paros, these resorts are easily accessible by local bus and take about 30 minutes from Parikia. Some buses travel around the coastline via Naousa, while others stop at the inland village of Lefkes.

We chose to disembark at Logaras, the largest of the three beaches. Plenty of sunbeds are here, with a few tavernas and cafes nearby. The sea was calm during our visit, with soft golden sand and shallow water for swimming. If you want to avoid the cost of sunbed hire or just fancy a bit more space, head towards the south end of the beach, which is wider and free of umbrellas.

Punda Beach is an easy 5-minute walk from the south end of Logaras. Here, you’ll find an even more impressive stretch of soft sand with crystal-clear water. Two beach clubs – Viva Punda and Punda Beach – occupy the entire area behind the sand, offering food and drinks with lively music and plenty of sun loungers, perfect for topping up your tan.

This is one of the nicest beaches on the island and is well worth visiting during your stay. Its proximity to Logaras and Livadi means you have access to three great resorts with many options for food and drink, all within easy walking distance.

After visiting Punda, we retraced our steps north past Logaras and continued along the coastal road to the main resort of Piso Livadi. Here, you’ll find a wider selection of cafes and tavernas and some accommodation options if you prefer a quieter base outside the more popular resorts. The beach is smaller than Logaras and Punda, but it’s still a nice sandy spot, and the sea is just as clear.

Aliki

Aliki is a popular beach resort on the southwest coast of Paros. Local buses offer regular connections from Parikia, taking between 20-30 minutes as sometimes the bus stops at Paros airport on the way.

The main beach is a small triangle of sand with plenty of cafes and tavernas, mostly along the eastern side heading south towards the small harbour area. The real treat here, however, is the much larger beach of Piso Aliki. A short walk south of the main resort, Piso Aliki is another fabulous expanse of warm sand in a wide, south-facing bay.

The lack of sunbeds may put some visitors off, but for us, the freedom to throw down a towel and make a piece of this beach your own elevates it above everything we’ve seen so far. The sea is shallow and calm, making it ideal for swimming, and there is some natural shade from a few trees, though these do get occupied quickly, so arrive early if you plan to spend the day without your umbrella.

You’ll also find a third beach, Agios Nikolaos, a short walk northwest of Aliki. Slightly stony at the eastern end, the beach improves as you walk further west, becoming yet another fine place to sunbathe and swim in the beautiful waters of the Aegean Sea. Paros has no shortage of fantastic beaches!

Naousa

No trip to Paros would be complete without a visit to the popular resort of Naousa. After Parikia, it’s the second most popular place to stay on the island, filled with boutique accommodation, fantastic restaurants and tons of great little shops down its narrow winding streets.

The bus service from Parikia runs every 20-30 minutes until late in the evening during peak season, meaning it’s easy to get to even if you aren’t staying nearby. We visited in the late afternoon and enjoyed exploring the main harbour area. There are so many tavernas to choose from; you could stay here for a fortnight and dine somewhere different every night.

We dined at Karino right on the harbourfront. The food was fantastic, with delicious Greek pasta, amazing fresh fish, and some epic sunset views to round off a fabulous day in paradise.

If you’re staying in Naousa, some great beaches are nearby, accessible via a regular boat service or, as we did, by hiring a quad bike and making your own way around. Lageri is a long sandy beach occupying most of the large bay opposite Naousa. There are no sunloungers here, and apparently, it’s a popular nudist spot, but if you like returning to nature, it could be worth checking out.

Further north of Lageri is a small beach called Dionisos. Accessible via a sandy track through some natural terrain, this secluded beach offers stunning views across the bay towards Naousa.

I spotted Siparos beach while heading back towards Naousa from Laggeri. Despite backing onto the road and being fairly small, it was such a stunning spot that I had to stop and check it out. The sea here is warm and shallow, perfect for a refreshing afternoon dip!

Monastiri is a popular beach destination. It is also located in a bay opposite Naousa, this time around the western coastline. With upbeat music, comfy sunloungers, and clear, calm water, it’s a top destination for those seeking a cool hangout with family or friends.

Our final stop of the day was a small stretch of sand just north of Kalamia Beach. The sea is a little rocky, and you’ll need to bring your own shade, but it’s a quieter option worth checking out.

Golden Beach

Golden Beach, or Chrisi Akti as it’s known in Greek, is a large sandy beach in a quiet spot on the southeast coast of Paros. About 50 minutes by bus from Parikia, it’s a longer journey than the resorts we’d visited already, but as soon as you step onto the sand, you’ll realise it was worth the effort. With so many great beaches fighting for the top spot, Golden Beach comes very close to edging them all and stealing the glory – the sheer size and quality of the sand and sea make it hard to beat.

The only criticism we could make is the lack of dining options: we only counted three beach bars/restaurants with fairly limited menus. However, the food at Rebel Beach Bar was delicious, if a little pricey. Unlike other resorts, there’s also not much around apart from the beach, so you’ll need to get back on the bus or bring your own transportation if you want to see more of the area.

Antiparos

No visit to Paros would be complete without popping across to its smaller neighbour, Antiparos. This little island is almost an extension of Paros but with a more low-key, relaxed atmosphere. The islands are so close that you can travel between them by boat in under 10 minutes! A small vehicle ferry links Antiparos to the west coast resort of Pounta. In high season, these boats depart every 20-30 minutes during the day. Foot passenger tickets cost €1.50 each way, and the bus from Parikia to Pounta costs €1.80, for a total return cost of €6.60.

There is also a direct ferry service between Parikia and Antiparos. It is passenger-only (no vehicles), costs €5 each way and takes 30 minutes. The service is less frequent, with only five crossings per day in peak season, so we’d recommend going via Pounta as it’s slightly cheaper, is more regular, and takes a similar amount of time.

From Antiparos town, you can explore the many shops, cafes and tavernas located in the main village or walk to a couple of small beaches to the north of the island.

On a second visit to Antiparos, we hired e-bikes from the main town and found them convenient and eco-friendly ways of exploring the island. It’s only twelve kilometres to the southwesternmost resort of Agios Georgios, where you’ll find a smattering of accommodation, a few small tavernas and a slightly disappointing shingle beach with quite a rocky shoreline.

On our way back north, we found a slightly better – though still coarse sand – beach at Soros and the best beach of the day at Glyfa further up the eastern coastline. None of these compare favourably with Paros’s beaches, but it’s still worth visiting the island to experience its peaceful surroundings and great restaurants.

Summary

To sum up our trip, we found Paros to be everything it promised: great food, boutique shops, a vibrant atmosphere and, best of all, an abundance of amazing beaches. Though its popularity continues to explode, pushing up prices and squeezing accommodation, this reflects its well-deserved status as one of the top Greek islands. We’re so glad we spent two weeks here trying various restaurants and revisiting our favourite beach resorts.

On that note, here are our top 3 beaches:

• Piso Aliki: for its simplicity, excellent calm water, and convenient location.
• Golden Beach: a breathtaking expanse of golden sand and crystal-clear sea.
• Siparos Beach: an unexpected gem hidden in plain sight.

We’d also recommend trying out the following restaurants in Parikia:

• Cuore Rosso: superb fresh pizza tucked away in a quiet setting.
• Filoxenia: a tasty mix of Italian and Greek food with an idyllic beachfront setting.
• Onar Café: just a stone’s throw from Parikia Beach for cheap and tasty snacks.
• Ragoussis Bakery: Fresh baked goods and delicious coffee are an easy walk from the main harbour and bus station.

Finally, we chose to stay at the Oasis Hotel for accommodation in Parikia. It’s right opposite the port, making it an ideal base for ferry travel. The rooms are well-furnished, the staff are fantastic, and its restaurant and café serve great coffee and excellent food.

Paros Blog Posts

Check out the blog posts below from our previous visits to the island:

Read more blog posts… – Paros Beaches