With striking resemblances to Santorini, beautiful beaches, 120km of coastline and crystal clear water, the Greek island of Paros is a must visit this summer. Part of the Cyclades island group – the most famous islands in the Aegean Sea – Paros offers easy accessibility to neighbouring islands and is home to endless golden beaches, mountains and cliff-top villages.
How to get there? ✈️
As one of the renowned Greek islands located in the central of Aegean Sea, Paros lies west of Naxos, with its capital – Parika – being its main port for ferries to the surrounding islands such as Santorini, Mykonos and Milos. Getting to Paros is simple, with direct flights from Athens to Paros National Airport in Parika, visitors can also catch a ferry from the nearby islands or, Athens – which takes 3 hours. For those who want to experience the many ways to visit the island, a trip to Paros is guaranteed to have more than one way of transport, typically a flight and ferry.
The Beaches ⛱️
Being one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, Paros is most known for its Santa Maria, Golden Beach and Kolymbithre beaches as they offer gorgeous soft sand and crystal water. Santa Maria beach in particular, is a hot spot for all as it provides water sport facilities including windsurfing, kitesurfing and snorkelling – with a diving centre on the shore too!
Kolymbithre Beach is best known for its unique rock formations and caves. The petite hotspot is a perfect for all as the water is relatively shallow, easy for all swimmers. It is easily reachable by car or water taxi and is an easy walk to nearby local Greek restaurant and cafes.
The Capital: Parika 🏛️
Parika is the capital of Paros and is home to the main port on the island. The scenic town is filled with cobbled paths and whitewashed streets – resembling Santorini. It’s the perfect alternative for avoiding larger crowds that you’d find in the nearby islands. With endless choices of restaurants, bars and historic castles to see, Parika’s old town and port is a definite must whilst you’re there. The Frankish Castle and the Church of St Constantine are key historic landmarks for those who want to explore the history of the island.
Significantly cheaper than the main islands of Mykonos and Santorini too, a visit to Paros will be both affordable and beautiful. And a perfect place if you want a peaceful and relaxing trip filled with the best of Greek culture.
The Best of the Island 🇬🇷
All of the Greek culture in Paros - food, drink, restaurants and hotels – costs a lot less than on surrounding islands. This is because of the lack of direct flights to the island, making it less of a tourist attraction than Santorini or Mykonos – meaning prices are more affordable than if visitors were to go to the other nearby islands. Paliomylos Spa Hotel, Senia Hotel and Argonauta Hotel are some of the most affordable hotels on the island – just to name a few.
The island is also renowned for its beautiful Greek cuisine and tavern restaurants – all of which offer organic and fresh foods including classic olives, taramasalata (dip), moussaka (eggplant and meat casserole), souvlaki (skewers of grilled meat) and local Parian cheese (like mizithra, xynomyzithra, or graviera).
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