Paros is a famous summer destination which has been attracting visitors for many years.
It is well known for its wonderful climate with long and hot summers, mild and humid winters and average daytime temperatures of over 20 degrees from early April until late November.
Its golden beaches and azure waters are the main reason for many holidaymakers to come here.
The island, however, offers hundreds of other things to see and to do.
The irresistible charm of its scenic landscapes and quiet small historical villages will let you speechless.
1. Start your journey from the old town of Parikia
Parikia (the capital of the island) is a lovely place to walk around.
It brings a hard to explain relaxing feeling, which is a great way to beat the stress from everyday life.
According to travelers there is something with the mix of light, colours, aromas and noises.
The winding streets of the old town are a great point to start your holiday from.
This is a lively place and people are very friendly and willing to show you the island from its most beautiful side.
In addition, you have a great choice of restaurants, cafes and shops nestled in the old whitewashed buildings.
2. Swimming at Livadia Beach
Livadia Beach is one of the most recommended and attractive beaches in the area of Parikia.
The beach is located to the north of the busiest part of the village but is still pretty close and easy to reach.
Since Livadia is located in a well-shaped bay, it offers shallow and very smooth waters.
The beach is a very tempting place to swim and offers a number of traditional taverns.
They are known for the fresh sea food and great wines.
3. Snorkeling and diving near Tigani and Panteronisi
When it comes to snorkeling, very few places could be compared to the Blue Lagoon of Tigani and Panteronisi.
The turquoise water is so clear that you could think you are in the Caribbean or South Pacific.
The shallow waters are full of species of marine creatures.
You will find the hidden paradise approximately 3 km southwest of Aliki.
Usually travel agents organize everything you need for an amazing full day experience – transport, food, drinks and guides.
Of course, you could always rent your own boat and cross the short distance between the islands.
4. Go to Agia Irini Beach
Located in a small cove on the west coast of the island, Agia Irini is one of the beaches you should definitely visit while in Paros.
It is a rather small stripe of sand, nearly 100 meters long, which is famous for its date palm trees on the sand.
As it is sheltered by rocks, it offers shallow and limpid emerald waters.
This is great news if you love swimming and snorkeling in smooth and quiet waters.
There is also a small beach bar on the sand itself, which is a great opportunity to have a refreshing drink after swimming.
5. Kitesurfing at Pounta
Kitesurfing is one of the top activities in Paros.
This is a great way to spend an entire day outside and to stay active during your summer holiday.
Pounta is considered to best place in Paros to practice the popular water sport.
The combination of intense northern winds in the height of summer, wide and long golden sandy beach and smooth seas is what turns Pounta into one of the kitesurfing capitals in Europe.
If you want, here you could take one or two lessons and also, you can find the kitesurfing equipment you need.
6. Join a guided kayak trip
Since Paros is well-known for its mirrored azure waters and lovely coves and peninsulas, one of the most recommended experiences while spending your holiday is to join a guided kayak trip.
This is a great opportunity to see one less popular side of Paros, discovering its most secluded and quiet beaches.
You don’t need any special skills. You just have to enjoy spending time outside and this is completely enough.
7. Enjoy the golden sands of Santa Maria
Santa Maria Beach is located in the northeastern part of the island.
It is considered the beach with the finest golden sand in the north of Paros and attracts lovers of swimming, snorkeling and all kinds of water sports and beach activities.
It is nestled in a quiet bay and enjoys smooth waters, even on windy days.
Because of its shallow limpid waters, the beach is considered family friendly.
The main disadvantage is that it could become a bit busy during the months of July and August.
8. Explore the Valley of the Butterflies
Located about 2 km from the west coast of the island and less than 5 km south of the town of Parikia.
The Valley of the Butterflies is a wonderful place to walk around.
It is especially recommended if you are willing to open your eyes to the beautiful things in life.
The valley is a real oasis with only a few similar equivalents around the world, including the island of Rhodes (also in Greece).
Here you will find hundreds of species of plants and animals, the most interesting of which are of course the colourful butterflies.
9. Spend a day at Aliki Beach
If you are willing to discover some of the iconic beaches of Paros, you should focus your attention on the south coast of the island.
One of the most popular is Aliki Beach which offers all the needed facilities to spend the entire day here.
Aliki Beach is popular for its crystal clear emerald waters and smooth sea surface.
It is a great choice if you just want to swim but also if you want to have some really good restaurants near at hand.
10. Windsurfing at Golden Beach
Paros is a top windsurfing destination and attracts a number of lovers of the popular water sport, particularly in July and August.
This is the peak windsurfing season in the area because of the intense seasonal northern wind, called “Meltemi”.
Golden Beach (officially known as Krisi Akti), which is located in the southeast of the island, is the place to find one of the most famous surf clubs in Paros.
They will provide you both equipment and all the needed instructions.
You can also take a few classes, which is recommended if you have never tried this sport.
As you can expect, here you will find a wonderful stripe of fine golden sand.
11. Visit the monastery of Agios Antonios
The monastery of Agios Antonios is considered one of the biggest attractions in the interior of the island.
It is located in the northern Paros and is nestled in the foot of the hills, about 3 km south of the beautiful old port village of Naoussa.
The monastery dates back to the 17th century. The easiest way to get there is by car.
12. Visit the church with 100 doors
Panagia Ekatontapiliani was constructed by Constantine the Great.
It is one of the top sights to visit in Paros and is located right next to the port of the main town.
It is better known by its unofficial name “ The church with 100 doors”.
Panagia Ekatontapiliani dates back to the 4th century and is one of the oldest churches in Greece nowadays.
It was built in a typical Byzantine style, and is one of the earliest symbols of the Christianity in the Roman Empire.
13. Enjoy the nightlife of Naoussa
The nightlife of Naoussa is really entertaining, especially considering the hot climate and the fact that most people prefer to walk around after dusk.
Here you will find a number of nice places to visit, including some great restaurants, bars and clubs.
The best part of all is that Naoussa is a very safe place, even at night.
Most of the people around are just strolling and relaxing after dinner or before going to some night club.
14. Partying at Punda Beach
Punda Beach is often referred as the party capital of the island.
Actually, the golden sandy beach is quite small but tempting and cozy.
Smooth azure waters attract swimmers from April till late October or early November.
What attracts a number of people here, however, is the opportunity to have fun and dance until early in the morning.
Local clubs offer a great variety of music styles, so they would appeal to all visitors, with no matter of their music and dance preferences.
15. Visit the windmills
Similarly to other Cycladic islands, Paros has its beautiful traditional windmills too.
Scattered in different parts of the island, they are all very beautiful and inspiring.
One of them is located right next to the small old port in the south of Parokia.
Another one is located right next to the central square of the same village and attracts a number of visitors and photographers.
Probably the most popular of the traditional whitewashed windmills is located in the village of Naoussa, on the north coast.
It could be found in the outskirts of the village.
16. Visit the lovely Monastiri Beach
In the northern part of the island there are many small and beautiful coves. One of the most attractive of them is Monastiri Beach.
It is nestled between the rocks and offers very quiet and smooth waters.
Actually, it attracts people mostly for being very sheltered even in windy days.
17. Spend an afternoon in Lefkes
Lefkes is a small historical village in the interior of Paros.
Actually, this is the old capital of the island.
It attracts a number of visitors with its beautiful old whitewashed buildings with blue doors and windows.
This is a great place to buy souvenirs, including very useful handmade items such as beach bags and straw sun hats.
If you feel tired because of the scorching heat, you can visit some local taverna.
This is a great chance to try some of the traditional local meals with a glass of refreshing drink under the shade of some bougainvillea.
18. Visit the small Ampelas Beach
Ampelas Beach is located on the east coast of the island.
As it is a bit remote from most of the popular villages on the island, it remains pretty quiet even during the busiest months of the summer season.
Ampelas is very tempting because of its smooth azure waters.
It also offers some of the whitest sands you can find in Paros as a whole.
19. Wine tasting at Naoussa
As you can expect, Paros is a top destination if you love good wines.
The choice here is pretty wide but some of the most recommended wineries are located in the beautiful area of Naoussa.
Moraitis Winery is located within the borders of the village, in its eastern-most part.
Here you will have the opportunity to taste top quality local wine, while enjoying the pleasant shade of lush vine trellis.
20. Explore the popular Logaras beach
Paralia Logaras is one of the top beaches to visit in Paros.
This is the choice of many people because of many reasons.
The beach is well known for its shallow azure waters, which attracts a number of families with kids.
On the other side, it is famous for its wonderful golden sands.
As it is located very close to the south of the village Piso Livadi, it attracts a number of day trippers who come to explore the village and want to take advantage of the irresistible limpid waters in the area.
21. Buy souvenirs from Paros
You can’t visit Paros without buying something to remind you this little paradise.
According to your taste (or the tastes of your family members and friends), you can choose from a wide range of handmade items.
Most of the visitors buy traditionally decorated ceramics and clothing.
However, if you are willing to spend more money or if you are not on a budget, you should pay attention to the handmade golden and silver jewelry.
The biggest choice of shops you will find in the town of Parika.
22. Piso Livadi Village
Piso Livadi is a small but very beautiful village, which is located on the east coast of Paros.
As it is the most important port in this part of the island, it is the starting point for many of the cruises to the neighbouring islands.
Piso Livadi is well known for its incredible cuisine as well as for the opportunity to try some of the best Aegean wines.
A number of waterfront tavernas attract visitors from early April till late October.
23. Visit Kolymbithres Beach
Kolymbithres Beach is a popular tourist spot in the north of Paros.
It consists of a few small beaches, which are popular for their smooth and mirrored waters and fine golden sands.
As the coves are protected from the northern wind, they are very tempting regardless of the weather conditions.
Because of this reason, the beaches are usually quite crowded, even if a bit remote from the bigger villages and towns in the area.
24. Don’t miss Agii Anargiri Beach
One of the must-visit beaches in the northern part of Paros is Agii Anargiri or Agioi Anargyroi.
Located in the eastern-most parts of the village of Naoussa, it is easily accessible and is the best choice if your time in the village is limited.
Because of its closer location, you can expect that the beach attracts more visitors, especially during the busiest tourist season.
However, it offers all the needed facilities to spend the day on the coast.
25. Walk to the neighbouring Antiparos
The islands of Paros and Antiparos were separated from a powerful earthquake during the 6th century BC.
Today the islands lay only one kilometer away from each other and are separated by a very shallow but still navigable channel.
As Antiparos is a very popular tourist destination, it is recommended to take a day boat trip to the island.
Here you will find a number of wonderful beaches, old towns and villages as well as great taverns to visit.
