It’s truely not overexaggerated to saythat Paros is one of the hidden pearls under all of the beautiful Cyclades islands you can get to explore.

As you might know the Cyclades islands are perfect for island hopping. As the islands are quite small and overlooking, you can easily combine them together and see different landscapes. By ferry you have access in about 2-3 hours ride from Santorini, or one of the neighbor islands.

Cause Santorini can get pretty busy douring high season, Paros is the perfect choice if you want a more relaxed vibe. It’s still less touristiy, more beachy and with the authenticity of the fisherman’s village it once was. Better hurry up and book your tickets there, before everyone else does 😉

And because pictures speak louder than a hundred words, here is some evidence to show you how beautiful Paros is:

Parikia

Parikia is the cute little port town which you will enter first after your ferry ride. Just by the moment you get there you will instantly feel how life is taking place by a different ticking clock, how life goes on in a slower pace. The many boats just next to the pier showcase the simplicity and grounded nature of the island life and its inhabitants. They still have their origin roots kept with being a rural fishing village.

If you are wondering where to stay at Paros, here is the hotel I have stayed at and that I fully can recommend to you. It’s called Cyclades Sudio and is a sweet little boutique hotel left side of the city center and close to the beach in Parikia. The owner is very friendly and always up for a chitchat, the rooms and interior is in shabby chic style held, many rooms come with a balcony and and the breakfast is delicious.

Getting there

So let’s start exploring the other villages and towns of Paros. There are about 4-5 different buses driving all of Paros little towns. You can get a day pass for as much as 9 Euros and can hop in and off the bus as many times you want to. A single ride is between 2 – 3 Euros. You can also rent any kind of vehicles, even a quad and start exploring on your own terms.

Lefkes

Lefkes was one of my favorite places next to Parikia. The village is nestled into a hill and has on top of it an old church with a wonderful view on the surroundings. Many little shops flank the way there, most of them selling artworks and handmade souvenirs.

Make sure to have a freshly made lemonade at the little cafe next to the church. The owner will give you some own grown apricots from his garden, bigger than the sice of your fist and the most tasty, refreshing ones you ever had 😉

Antiparos

Just a 15 minutes boat ride from Paros there is the even more remote Antiparos. With its tranquility and natural beaches, this place is were Madonna and Bruce Willis search for peace and relaxation in their private villas. Even though we never made sight of the rich and famous – this little island is already rich on its own.

Europes oldest Stalagmite cave, estimated to be 45 million years old, can be explored here. But also the small city itself is very charming. The beaches are rural and have mostly little to no beach club or restaurants surrounding them.

Beaches

So back in Paros, some recommendations for all the beach lovers out there. Paros has some really nice ones and one of them is the Aliki beach down below. It’s a black sand beach with small pebbles, located alongside a cliff and next to it many nice bars and restaurants. Another good one is named Chrissi Akti beach. This place is famous for all kind of surfing, especially windsurfing. Even if you are not into water sports, it’s also interesting to only watch them 😉

There are some restaurants and beach bars close by but less than in Aliki. –The sand at this place is golden and softer with no pebbles.

Naoussa

Up in the northern part of Paros, this is another idyllic fisherman’s village with whitewashed houses. It’s mostly famous for the many taverns all alongside the port, offering various options of fish and other seafood dishes.

Pisso Livadi and Logaras

This two towns are just next to each other, both having small bays with a stretch of sand and some restaurants for having lunch by the ocean.

As you might guess there are a lot more places to see and discover in Paros. But not even pictures can withhold all the colors, flavors and feelings which create the atmosphere of a place.

So I hope you got inspired to go there by yourself and get captivated by the scenic natural beauty of this little island paradise.