Destination Guide : Paros, Greece
Paros is a destination that I would immediately recommend to any long term traveler. While it might not make a two-week Greece itinerary where you’re hitting the top tourist spots, Paros provides everything that a long term travel wants in a destination. Enough restaurants and things to do to satisfy you, but not too many so that you can relax and not worry about spending an entire day at the beach or just recharging back at your accommodation.
We spent 16 days on Paros and left feeling complete. We soaked up our afternoons at the beach, explored historical sites, and filled up on delicious Greek food. Today, I’m going to share the highlights from our stay on this beautiful island.
WHERE TO STAY
We split our time in Paros between two accommodations. Our first was the Donkey Loft, an Airbnb that we scored for only $45/night! Clearly, it made the list of Our Favorite Airbnb Stays Around the World.
Our second accommodation was the Paros Bay Hotel. We loved their pool with a beautiful view of the sea and spent many of our afternoons there. They provide a wonderful breakfast as well. T would spend his bedtime routine debating what he would eat at the buffet the next morning.
GETTING AROUND
A rental car is a must on Paros. There are some bus routes but to really see the island you need a car. You can drive around the entire island in an hour. It’s relatively a small island but mountainous with winding roads.
THINGS TO KNOW
VISITING IN SEPTEMBER - We visited in mid to late-September which is the tail-end of summer in Greece. Less ferries are running and not as many flight choices are available. But the weather was still amazing, the crowds were low, and I’m sure it’s why we found a deal on our accommodation.
QUIET HOURS - Amidst the kitchen instructions and restaurant recommendations was a note that the pool was not to be used between 3 and 6 PM. We quickly found out that these hours in Greece are for a midday nap, in Greek “or-ess kee-neese hee-as” or “hours of popular quiet time”. Greek laws protect these hours and you could receive a fine for making noise during this time. Quiet time became an intentional part of our day to take in some downtime and recharge. And when 6 PM rolled around, we were ready to jump in the pool or head to a restaurant for dinner.
GREEK WAY OF LIFE - In addition to quiet hours, it took a bit for us to get used to the Greek way of life, or maybe it was simple “island life”. Posted grocery store hours were only sometimes abided by. We often showed up to stores or restaurants to find that they were closed at odd times. We learned to be flexible and not hold on too tightly to our plans.
EAT
ANEZINA RESTAURANT - We loved the traditional Greek menu at this cozy restaurant. Our kids could run around the courtyard while we enjoyed a glass of wine before the meal. They also have live music on Sundays and teach cooking classes.
SIPAROS SEASIDE RESTAURANT - We had many wonderful meals on Paros and this is a contender for the top spot. We dined on a whole fish that was presented in its entirety and our server filleted for us at the table. The restaurant also had a wonderful wine list and a beautiful setting on a cove near Naousa.
FISH TAVERN MOURAGIO - Eating at a fish tavern in Aliki is a must. This little harbor is the epitome of what you picture when I say “little Greek fishing village”. We ate at Mouragio twice. The first time was after our boat day where I did not pack enough food (more on that below!). We had been out on the boat for hours, swimming and enjoying the sun, and we were hungry. We devoured our meal and had to go back a second time to ensure that it was really that good. It was! We also enjoyed the most beautiful sunset there. Get the mussels and rice. It was hands down the best dish, amongst many wonderful dishes.
SOUVLAKIA KARGAS - This gyro restaurant in Naousa is a place that we crave often. Tucked within the winding, white plastered walls of Naousa, we stumbled on this place and we were so lucky that we did. We visited twice and loved the gyros both times.
SEE
CHURCH OF 100 DOORS - Visit Panagia Ekatontapiliani in Paroikia with more than 1,500 years of history. It’s only 250 meters from where you will arrive to the island by ferry. It’s a must-see and you have no excuse not to! This place is a beautiful example of a Byzantine-era church. It’s also called the Hagia Sophia of the Aegean. The architect was a disciple of the architect of the Hagia Sophia and the design is almost identical. It is said that the 100th door will open when the Hagia Sophia (in Istanbul) become Orthodox again. It was incredible to visit this church before heading to Istanbul to see the Hagia Sophia in person.
ANTIPAROS - Catch the ferry to Antiparos, only a 7 minute trip (tops!). Explore the little town, have lunch, spend time on the beach. If you can swing a ride down to the southern tip of the island, check out Ubini Rocks. White rocks that line the coast and almost look like coral jetting out from the water. We couldn’t stop looking and being in awe of them.
DO
BEACH DAYS - Our local beach was Lolandonis with fantastic snorkeling. This cove was perfect for the kids to play in the water. We spent almost every afternoon here. In September, the beach was quiet and it was usually just us and another family or two.
Kolympethres Beach with its huge rock formations to climb was a hit with our family. There is great snorkeling here as well and a view of Naousa’s white buildings. There are some restaurants on this small beach to grab lunch while you’re there.
Golden Beach is probably the most popular beach on Paros. We only visited once and didn’t enjoy it as much as the other beaches. The beach was packed and not as picturesque in our opinion. However, you can rent surf boards and take lessons here if that peaks your interest.
EXPLORE BY SEA - We rented a boat through Paros Rental Boat and had so much fun! The rental guy gave us a map where he drew a route of where to explore. We sailed the coast of Antiparos, swam off the boat into the blue lagoon, visited a little island with a small, white church as its only inhabitant, and spent time on the Ubini Rock beach. It was a full day (the sea air, getting ourselves in and out of the water, navigating the seas) and we were tired but it was one of the most memorable days of our travels. If you go, make sure to pack a lunch and snacks. We thought that we would be able to stop at a beach restaurant for lunch but it really wasn’t possible to bring the boat that close to the coves with restaurants and there was nowhere to leave the boat in Antiparos’ port.
HIKING - Hike up the mountain to Agios Antonios in Marpissa, a monastery and Venetian church with amazing views.
SHOPPING - There are so many great boutiques in Naousa that Liv and I wandered through. It takes a lot for me to recommend shopping because it’s never my first choice of an activity. If we were only on a short vacation, I would definitely had splurged on a purchase here!
PLAY
Playgrounds are not abundant on Paros. But are they even a necessity with so many amazing beaches to play on? The kids loved the playground in Monto Mavrogenous Square right near the ferry terminal. There was also a playground right outside of all of the restaurants and shops in Naousa but it was pretty rundown.
RUN
Paros makes for a great destination to run. There are so many small roads and hills to create your own route. One day, Trent ran 30 miles from our apartment to Naousa and back. Visiting Agios Antonios along the way. You will definitely find enough space to run here.
TREAT
VANILLA GELATERIA - Great gelato in Naousa.
RAGOUSSIS BAKERY - Located in Paroikia and Naousa, the baklava is fantastic.
HELLAS - Gelato and baked goods just across from the ferry terminal.
GELATO IN ALIKI - Almost directly across from the fish tavern we recommend and right next to the grocery store.
WATERMELON - We also loved that watermelon came at the end of most of our meals!
DRINK
WINE TASTING - Moraitis Winery, one of the biggest wineries in the Cyclades. We did a wine tasting and loved learning about wines made from historic grapes.
MAMOE - There are a few popular Greek beers but this was our favorite. A simple, but delicious lager.
Have you visited Paros? What did you love? What about other Greek islands - is there one that you dreaming of visiting one day?
