Paros: Top 5 Best Beaches to Visit
Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor.
Paros is one of the 220! Greek Cycladic Islands. Not as popular as Santorini and Mykonos, but that makes it even more attractive. The Cyclades have something in common- with the exception of Milos and Santorini (which are volcanic ones), they are peaks of a submerged mountainous terrain. The land is generally not very fertile, the climate being mild and dry.
Together with a friend of mine we started the tradition of visiting one Greek island each summer. Those of you who have been to Greece most probably know that this country is simply amazing. From its crystal clear water, endless beaches to its great hospitality, you find everything you need for the perfect vacation. With its thousand islands, all of which with its own spirit, Greece can accomodate each taste.
How to get to Paros?
I’m very happy and eager to start presenting the South-European country exactly with the beautiful island of Paros. Many friends are asking me how exactly we decided to go there. Quite simple- we just opened the map of Greece and started checking which of the islands are relatively easy to reach.
Paros is having its own airport since last year. There are flights from Athens and Thessaloniki which made it perfect for our vacation. There are also ferryboats from Athens, Mykonos and Santorini, so maybe you want to check this option as well. For us the flight was the most convenient one.
In order to set the right expectations I’m gonna tell you what you can expect below.
We were a group of 4 friends looking for a relaxed holiday and nice beaches. We spent one week on the island and I will guide you through the most beautiful beaches.
Lili’s 5 good-to-know tips when travelling to Paros:
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Transportation
The best way to explore the island is by renting a car. There are several options, but only Avis, Budget and Hertz are available at the airport.
The airport is very small (literally one hall) and there isn’t much space there. I found it very convenient to take the car from the airport and leave it just before the flight. There is also a gas station 500 m away from the airport, so it is pretty useful.
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Size
Paros island is very small- around 25 km from one end to the other which makes it easy to be explored even in one day. The roads though are tiny and the maximum speed you can drive with is 80km/h (in most areas 50 km/h and 30 km/h in towns).
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Parking
Parking can be tough in high season. We were there mid of June and this was not an issue. Our accommodation did not offer free parking, but we still managed to find where to park. There are a couple of public free parking areas and also next to each beach there is a small parking lot.
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Main towns
There are two main towns on Paros- the main town Paros and the fanciest place to stay- Naoussa in the Northern part of the island. We did not visit the “capital” and we have chosen to stay in Naoussa. There are many hotels on the whole island, but check carefully whether you will have restaurants nearby. Some of the hotels are located in deserted areas with not much to do around.
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Beaches
The eastern part of Paros offers the best beaches, so keep this in mind when you choose the place where you want to stay.
As mentioned above, we chose to stay in the town of Naoussa in order to benefit from the many dining options. Before going there we did not know what to expect. Or putting it in other words- we did not expect that it would be that cute.
We stayed in an apartment located on first line overlooking a small bay in Naoussa. There were many restaurants and bars in this bay and people were coming there to watch the sunset. We did this from our terrace. You know that I would not recommend the place where we stayed if it was not a good one. However, Little Mermaid Studios was simply amazing. We stayed in a 4-bed apartment which was spacious enough for the four of us. The hosts were very kind- basically we did not see them the whole time, but whenever we had any questions, they were very fast in responding.
The apartment was basic, it had a small kitchen and everything you need for your holiday stay. We had air-conditioning in the room, but we did not use it as it was not that hot. Mid-end of June is definitely a period I would recommend as the weather is still not very hot and plus the town is not crowded. This is also valid for many other Greek islands. We paid €400 for the 6 nights for the whole apartment and I consider this very good value for money. This would be your rate per night if you decide to go to Mykonos for example.
5 best beaches on Paros:
We checked all beaches on the island and we had two main requirements. The beach should offer sunbeds and there should be a bar/ restaurant in the vicinity. So, if you are such type of traveller, read the text below.
Unlike some of the other Greek islands, you always pay for sunbeds here. The prices vary in the different beaches depending also on the size or proximity to water, but on average you will pay between €12 and €20 for two sunbeds and an umbrella. In return you get access to a clean and well maintained WC. In many cases the waiters even come to your sunbed and you can order drinks and food.
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Monastiri beach
This one is located in the most Northwestern part of the island. The beach is hidden in a small bay and is a popular place for the yachts which put anchors there.
There is a small mountain on the left, so you can combine the beach with a short trekking. Monastiri beach has only one restaurant, but it was one of the best we experienced on the island.
Just have in mind that it opens around 10:30, so if you come very early (like we did), there will be no one there. Greek usually go to the beach quite late- around 12:00.
On the right side of the beach there is a church – St John, located on a small hill. It offers amazing view to the bay. The access is free of charge.
The beach offers different water sport activities- stand up paddling, canoeing, jet skiing, etc. It is very flat and thus suitable for kids as well.
I think this was maybe my favourite beach of all.
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Kolympithres
2-3 km south of Monastiri beach you will find one of the most picturesque beaches in Paros. Do not be surprised if you find its name written differently- even the road signs were not consistent.
Kolymbithres, Kolympithris or Kolympethres were among the ways how the beach is called. It consists of two very small beaches, both of them having sunbeds. The only disadvantage of this one is that it is really small and it easily becomes very crowded.
Like Monastiri beach, Kolympithres also offers watersports and the water is quite shallow which makes it suitable for kids.
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Santa Maria
One of the first beaches on the East coast (starting from the north), Santa Maria is known as place for surfers. This means that it is generally windier than the two previous ones. However do not expect big waves. The water is also shallow and you can easily swim by the shore.
The beach is wide and longer than the previous two and it has two bars. Just behind the bars there is a surfing camp and many people were staying there.
Santa Maria is more a party place with a lot of young people. On the weekends there are beach parties with DJ on one of the bars.
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Golden beach
Golden beach is located in the middle of the Eastern part of Paros. This is the longest beach on the island and looks very different from the others.
There are many restaurants, bars and hotels in the area, but it is not overcrowded. The water is shallow and again it is very popular for water sports like stand-up paddling and windsurfing.
We were very surprised that every bar or restaurant there is made with an attention to the tiniest detail.
We particularly chose this one because of the nice music which you hear also on the beach- The Beach Project. You will recognize it by the orange sunbeds.
The food was simply amazing- you will not expect such healthy choice for a beach bar. And also the service was very good.
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Faragas beach
Another beach located in the southern part of Paros island. When you get there, there is a parking and you pass through the restaurant (Faragas beach Bar) in order to get to the beach. It is very small, half of it has sunbeds and the other part is for free usage.
The restaurant/ bar plays nice music and offers interesting food and cocktails. It becomes quite crowded so make sure you go early enough. This was one of the posh places on Paros, so the prices were a bit higher than the rest of the island.
The beach was relatively shallow, but there were some stones at the beginning. It is also suitable for kids, but if going with kids, I would choose one of the other four.
Naoussa town
In the evenings we were walking through Naoussa town. Every street there is like a postcard. Although the town is very small, we found a new street to get lost every evening. Bars, restaurants, sweet cafes, shops- this is what you can expect to find there.
My tip is to take a walk early in the morning when the streets are empty. If you find it difficult to get up early, then go for a walk around 17:00-18:00 when there aren’t that many people.
One place you should not miss is the port of Naoussa. There is a small fort as well and the access is free of charge. It offers very nice view to the small port.
There are tens of restaurants and bars on the port and surprisingly for us they were not expensive compared to those in the other parts of the town.
Here are some of the bars and restaurants in Naoussa which I want to particularly recommend:
This is a small bar located on the port which became very famous after being featured in the IG profiles of some of the big influencers. I do not recommend going there for a drink, but the set up is nice for taking photos.
Unlike the typical blue and white architecture, Linardo has pink elements which make it stand out among the rest of the buildings. Unfortunately things are not always what they look- we figured out that the bushes in front are artificial. As the bar is very small and has mainly sitting options inside, it was closed most of the time we were there. Maybe it is making money only from the photos 🙂
This is one of the many restaurants in the Naoussa port area (it is quite difficult to distinguish between them). Two things will help you know that you are at the right place- its tables are blue and they are always fully booked.
There are 3-4 other restaurants in the same square, but they often have free tables. Tsachpinis is busy during the whole evening. The food and the service there were really great and also the prices were cheaper than the rest of the restaurants.
It is located as well in the port area offering tables both overlooking the sunset or the small square with boats. I would recommend the second option as the area is very cute. Delicious food and perfect service.
No need to mention- in all the restaurants we were served a small appetizer and a desert free of charge. This is the Greek hospitality I was mentioning.
The restaurant is in the central part of Naoussa and it is true that the atmosphere is not as romatic as it is at the port. However, here the service was amazing. The owner treated the visitors with great attention and made us feel very comfortable. He served us additional wine (although we haven’t ordered), desert and a local liquor complementary. We highly recommend the local wine.
Very close to Piatsa Estiatorio you will find a traditional Greek Tavern (right next to the church). It is very cute and romantic place, with typical local atmosphere. Delicious food and very good service is what you can expect there. The church across the street additionally makes the whole experience very special.
This is a very cute bar for cocktails located in one of the small streets of Naoussa. In case the weather is windy, it is a good option to be away from the wind.
It is located next to Agosta bar and is overlooking the small bay where our apartment was. There are multiple bars next to each other and I think I would recommend all of them. Although they are located on the shore, there is a kind of artificial shelter and it is not windy at all.
The atmosphere is so romantic, that words cannot describe it. The Greek Orthodox Church is lit until late at night and it is majestically overlooking the town. There are lanterns around and classic music is filling the air. Doesn’t this sound romantic?
What you should not miss from the Greek cuisine in Paros:
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Greek salad
This is not something typical for Paros, but they made it really good everywhere. Capersi is an ingredient which I see for the first time being added to this typical Greek dish.
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Zuccini or tomato balls
Although they are fried (and I normally do not eat fried food), they are extremely delicious.
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Cheese with honey and sesame
They prepare their local feta cheese on a pan with honey and sesame cover. If you love cheese, this would be one of your favourite dishes in Paros.
With this I will finish my short description of this beautiful island. I hope I managed to wake up your curiosity and you might consider putting Paros on your list. For more Greek adventures, visit the whole section. If you are looking for other holiday inspirations, we have some Long-Haul trip ideas for you.
