The back story
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The back story
Paros: marble, windsurfers and two harbour towns
Easy-going, central and beautiful, with the lively capital Parikia and stylish Naoussa.
Island guide · Paros, the Cyclades
Paros island guide
Paros is the island many people fall for first: big enough for variety, small enough to feel relaxed, and right in the middle of the Cyclades ferry network.
Plan your trip:Ferry timetables Arriving in Athens The Athens Riviera
Towns & villages
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Lively capital, real island town
Parikia
The main port and capital: a busy waterfront, a Venetian kastro built from ancient marble and a great Byzantine church.
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Stylish harbour, best nightlife on Paros
Naoussa
A fishing harbour turned the island’s most stylish town, with a ruined Venetian fort, chic restaurants and buzzing bars.
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The most beautiful village on Paros
Lefkes
A car-free marble village in the hills, built out of sight of pirates among olive groves.
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Quiet east-coast base
Piso Livadi
A small fishing harbour on the east coast with waterside tavernas and its own beach.
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The little island next door
Antiparos
A small island minutes away by car ferry from Pounta or by boat from Parikia, with a lively main street and a great cave.
Sights & museums
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The church of a hundred doors
Panagia Ekatontapiliani
One of the oldest and most important churches in Greece, by the harbour of Parikia.
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The best walk on Paros
The Byzantine path
A stone-paved mule track from Lefkes down to Prodromos, past chapels and dry-stone walls.
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Trails, coves and a lighthouse
Paros Park
A protected headland near Naoussa with marked trails, rocky coves and a lighthouse.
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Into the earth
Antiparos Cave
A vast cave of stalactites and stalagmites in the hills of Antiparos, visited for centuries.
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The golden hour by the fort
Sunset at Naoussa harbour
An evening stroll around the old port as the light turns gold on the Venetian fort and the boats.
Beaches & beach clubs
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Coves among granite giants
Kolymbithres
Small sandy coves between huge, wave-smoothed granite boulders, across the bay from Naoussa.
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Sheltered bay in Paros Park
Monastiri
A calm bay inside Paros Park, sheltered from the summer wind, with a beach club.
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Music and watersports
Santa Maria
A sandy east-of-Naoussa beach with watersports and beach bars that get livelier through the afternoon.
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Windsurf capital
Golden Beach
A long east-coast beach where the meltemi draws windsurfers and kitesurfers from around the world.
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Shelter on windy days
Faragas
A south-coast bay protected from the north wind, with fine sand and turquoise water.
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Easy day from Parikia
Parasporos Beach Club
A sheltered bay just south of Parikia with a beach club at friendlier prices.
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Party with a pool
Punda Coast
The island’s best-known party beach club, with DJs and a pool on the east coast.
Restaurants & tavernas
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A garden table in Parikia
Stou Fred
A charming garden restaurant where French technique meets Parian produce.
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Parikia across the bay
Crios
A stylish restaurant facing Parikia across the bay, made for sunset drinks and dinner.
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Ouzo among the caiques
Barbarossa
A harbourside ouzeri on Naoussa’s old port, serving fish and meze since the 1960s.
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Nobu Matsuhisa in the Cyclades
Matsuhisa Paros
Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese fusion cooking with Aegean ingredients, near Naoussa.
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The fish lovers’ choice
Halaris
A family ouzeri on the quay of Piso Livadi, known for perfectly grilled fish and seafood.
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Modern cooking in Parikia
Yucca
A restaurant in Parikia with modern Greek and Mediterranean cooking based on fresh ingredients.
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Fish by the little harbour
Aliki Restaurant
A family restaurant by the sea in the fishing village of Aliki, with traditional dishes and fresh fish.
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Seafood in Piso Livadi
Markakis
A fish taverna in the harbour village of Piso Livadi on the east coast.
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Sunset at Agios Georgios
Captain Pipinos
A family-run seafood taverna on the water at Agios Georgios, Antiparos, with sunset views towards Despotiko.
Bars & nightlife
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Old-town institution
Pirate Bar
A cosy bar in the lanes of Parikia’s old town, part of local nightlife for decades.
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Jazz on the waterfront
BeBop
A waterfront bar in Parikia for coffee by day and cocktails to jazz at night.
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Under the eucalyptus
Sante
A Naoussa favourite for carefully made cocktails in a little square shaded by a big tree.
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Feet almost in the sea
Fotis
A relaxed waterside bar behind Naoussa’s old port with expert cocktails and Greek wines.
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Where Naoussa nights end
Linardo
A whitewashed club by the water where the island’s nights finish with dancing.
Where to stay: luxury, boutique & value
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Family-run in the heart of Parikia
Argonauta Hotel
A warm, family-run hotel near the harbour and old town, with a rooftop pool.
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Bay views and a spa
Paros Agnanti Resort & Spa
A resort above the bay of Parikia, with pools, a spa and easy access to town.
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Five-star Naoussa
Cosme, a Luxury Collection Resort
Marriott’s Luxury Collection resort near Naoussa, with Cycladic suites, a spa and a stargazing deck.
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Serene contemporary design
Parilio
A design hotel with pools and gardens, a short drive from Naoussa harbour.
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Plunge pools for two
Lilly Residence
An adults-only boutique hotel above Naoussa with suites that have private plunge pools.
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Five-star by Naoussa
Avant Mar
A five-star hotel moments from Naoussa, home to the Matsuhisa Paros restaurant.
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A pool for every suite
Ovea Paros
A private five-star estate on the outskirts of Naoussa: 21 suites and villas, each with its own pool.
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Resort by Kolymbithres
Astir of Paros
A five-star resort near the sculpted rocks of Kolymbithres, a short way from Naoussa.
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Village life on the east coast
Aloni Hotel
A hotel in the traditional east-coast village of Piso Livadi.
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Near the beach at Naoussa
Parian Boutique Hotel
A three-star hotel about 40 m from the beach of Agioi Anargyri, near Naoussa.
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For windsurfers
Golden Beach Hotel
A three-star beachfront hotel on Golden Beach, famous for windsurfing.
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Budget base in Parikia
Hotel Helliniko
A simple two-star hotel in Parikia, handy for the port and the buses.
Shopping, markets & jewellers
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Paros wine at the source
Moraitis Winery
A family winery in Naoussa where you can taste and buy Paros wines.
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The old town’s main lane
Market Street, Parikia
The main lane of Parikia’s old town, lined with boutiques, jewellers, galleries and cafés.
Car & scooter hire, getting around
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Explore the villages
Car & scooter hire on Paros
Local firms in Parikia, Naoussa and at the airport rent cars, scooters and quads.
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Ten minutes across
Boats to Antiparos
Small car ferries cross from Pounta to Antiparos in a few minutes, and passenger boats run from Parikia in summer.
Getting there
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Hub of the central Cyclades
Port of Parikia
The main port, with connections to Piraeus, Naxos, Mykonos, Santorini, Ios and many more.
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Short hops from Athens
Paros National Airport
The island airport near Aliki, about 20 minutes from Parikia, with flights from Athens.
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From the port to everywhere
KTEL Paros buses
Buses from Parikia to Naoussa, Lefkes, the east coast, the airport and the main beaches.
Share your Paros experience
Been to Paros? Share your tips with other travellers.
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