7 Must Visit places on Paros, Greece
Paros is the Greek island you have never heard of, but should definitely consider on your next Greek excursion! The other more famous islands around the Cyclades (Santorini, Mykonos, Milos etc.) are impressive, but there’s a certain charm about Paros that you can’t get on any other island. The towns are some of the most picturesque we’ve seen full of iconic white buildings and bougainvillea flowers. It’s also a bit larger of an island which provides even more to explore.
We stayed on the north side of Paros island. Most of our time was spent exploring this northern coast line and some its main towns. We spent about 3 days here but easily could have spent a week. If you do have some extra time, we would recommend looking into Antiparos, a small island just off the southwest coast of Paros. We saw some fun day trips that looked interesting, we just didn’t have the time! Regardless of how many days you plan to stay, we put together a quick list of 7 spots you simply must visit on your next trip to Paros!
7 MUST VISIT PLACES ON PAROS GREECE:
Mikrh Santa Maria Beach
Lefkes
Noussa
Parikia Port
Church of Saint Anne
This Church - Άγιος Ευστράτιος, Πάρος
Monastery of Saint John’s of Deti
Before we dive into the details, we wanted to share a few quick overview items of the island for planning your stay:
AT A GLANCE
Currency: EURO, most places take credit card
Language: Greek, most people speak some English
Typical weather: Mild climate, warm sunny summers and cool rainy winters
Nearby Airport: Paros National Airport, (PAS/LGPA)
Best way to get there: Daily Flights in from Athens or ferry from other Greek island
Getting Around:
Car: We decided to rent our own car to have the most freedom to drive around and explore and were happy we did. Especially as the nights can get a little chilly it was nice to not have to ride a scooter back in the dark if we went out for sunset and dinner in another part of the island.
Scooter: You could probably take a taxi to your accommodation and then rent a scooter to explore the island, but keep in mind that some of the mountain passes are quite steep and not all scooters have the power to make it up the hill
Bus: Always an option, but we would not recommend this if your time is limited! Buses can also be tricky when going to more remote parts of the island where there aren’t direct routes.
Where to stay
You’ll see below there are 3 very picturesque towns you can stay in on Paros (Parikia, Noussa and Lefkes). They all have their charm and would be great for different reasons:
Parikia : Largest town and closest to the airport. Better for nightlife and amazing sunsets. There are beautiful churches and windmills right in the city itself and it is the cultural center of the island. Though you will likely find the largest crowds here as well because it is also the main port of the island.
Noussa: A quiet picturesque town on the port. When you picture those narrow little Greek alleyways and white buildings built up by the coast, that is Noussa. There is a great main road down by the water with lots of restaurants to choose from at night and shops filled with airy linen clothes and stylish Mediterranean couture.
Lefkes: Charming little town up in the mountains with some of the most amazing spots for photos . The streets are filled with pink flowers and traditional white houses. A bit removed from the rest of the island but as result makes it very quiet at night. Has a very traditional feeling, but because it’s farther from the main areas, it call feel a little limited with restaurants and shops.
We chose to stay in Noussa and loved our decision. We stayed at this charming little boutique hotel Mr. & Mrs. White Paros. It was perched up on the hill with an amazing view and short walking distance from the main square.
Mikrh Santa Maria
Mikrh (“Mikri”) beach came as a special recommendation from a friend at our hotel. It is a very tranquil bay with options to rent an umbrella and enjoy the sounds of the baby waves lapping up on the sand. If you are feeling adventurous, you can hike out to the left over a rocky outcropping and find a small private inlet and have it all to yourself! We parked just on the main road for free. The beach is quiet but still has a restaurant and bar off to the side in case you get hungry!
2. Lefkes
This is a quintessential Greek town in the mountains. It was a quiet charming town with citrus and flowers growing over buildings and filling the air with sweet aromas. It is very easy to get lost here though, which can be part of the fun. We found ourselves looking for a specific spot HERE. It has beautiful flowers overhanging the patio and the perfect bend in the road. Be sure to also stop by the small square by the church where the flowers are super lush, but most of all, set aside some time just to wander!
3. Noussa
We stayed here and did not regret it! During the day, the boats in the harbor are a sight to see as the fishermen come in and out with their catches from the day. There is a fun rocky outcrop you can walk along that takes you out to an ancient Venetian Fortress dating back to the 15th century. Not only is Noussa a beautiful place to wander during the day, but it comes alive at night with the various restuarants and boutiques that light up the white washed alleways. We spent several evenings here just enjoying the charm of this picturesque little spot!
4. Parikia Port
Parikia could be described as the main town of Paros island. It has all the amenities you would expect from a fully functioning city, including incredible sunsets :) We found a cool windmill at the port that we would recommend visiting. They also had a romantic walkway along the sea that you can enjoy as the ocean breeze flows along the coast. We did not spend too much time here except at sunrise and sunset, but if we had more time would definitely make a note to explore this area a bit more.
5. Church of Saint Anne
Located right off the main road in Parikia, the Church of Saint Anne is nestled at the top of a hill HERE with probably the best view of sunset! It is a little bit outside the main part of Parikia, but nothing more than a few minutes drive. Extra bonus, there is a giant windmill right next to it! We loved this peaceful spot so much we came back twice, once for sunset and once for sunrise. There was a wedding the day before, so when we came for sunrise, there was rice all over the ground! It is the perfect place to share a small picnic and enjoy the view.
6. This Church - Άγιος Ευστράτιος
We stumbled upon this gem whilst driving home at sunset one night. We did not know what we were in for, but just saw that there was a church on the map HERE. We will admit that we came here THREE times during our short stay on the island. We couldn’t get enough of it. The view at sunset is a complete dream and there obviously is no one else around.
7. Monastery of Saint John’s of Deti
Finding this spot on our last day was really a stroke of luck. We were driving along the coast and wanted to find a church near the beach, so we followed this road all the way to the end of the peninsula, and voila! We found this gorgeous building with a trail that wrapped around the back up onto the roof. The church is perched up on a hill HERE overlooking the bay. It’s blue dome and waving Greek flag set with the stunning view of the bay was the perfect combination. This was the best view from a church building with blue dome on Paros we were able to find.
We absolutely fell in love with Paros and will surely be back soon! We are curious, have you been to Paros? Were there any spots you think we left out? Let us know!