Paros, Greece Travel Guide :: Everything You Need to Know
Summer is here and ..
we are off to Greece for the first time! I’ve had Greece on my Pinterest board for years and I’m super excited to finally cross it off along with a few of my dream Mediterranean destinations. I asked my friend Shelbi from Bucketlistbums where we should go and she recommended Paros, see here for her full list of recommendations!
So we took a 21 hour flight during June 2022 from San Francisco to Amsterdam and then to Athens. I had a few days in the city to explore some of the ancient ruins before heading to Paros. From Athens, I took a 4 hour ferry ride to Paros, Greece. I highly recommend taking the bus or a taxi to your hotel because the cobblestone steps are quite difficult to push your luggage.
Athens Layover Itinerary
Where to Stay
- Moxy Athens
What to do:
- Get tickets for the Acropoli and Parthenon
- Walk around Planka
Where to eat:
- Feyrouz for middle eastern
- Kosas for souvlakis
- Dope for artisanal coffee
Where to stay in Paros
We chose to stay in Naousa because of the convenience to restaurants, white cobblestone steps, proximity to beaches and overall resort vibe. There are plenty of high end luxury resorts and affordable suite options. We found a new Airbnb about 10 minutes from Naousa right next to a local grocery and gas station. It was beautifully decorated, with AC, parking, and a tiny kitchen great for cooking breakfast or quick dinners. We enjoyed the patio during sunset and the friendly family of cats in the bougainvillea lined courtyard.
I would suggest 3-4 days to get the most out of Paros. It is a bit quieter than Santorini and Mykonos but equally as beautiful!
And a huge bonus were all the kittens that would greet us in the morning.
How to get around
The Greek bus system is actually very nice. They have tour buses with AC and free Wi-Fi. Purchase tickets at the bus terminal or call +302284021395 or +302284022273.
I would suggest renting a car or ATV to get around the island. Spirou had the best prices for ATV at $25 euro / day (we chatted with a few spots and bargained for this price). We showed them our international drivers license and had a quick demo before riding off.
Where to eat
Most restaurants during June 2022 were pretty busy along the water and we learned that you need reservations to dine at popular seaside restaurants. You can find their number on Google and message on WhatsApp’s to reserve or you can try to walk in right when they open for lunch/dinner service. In Greek fashion, dinner starts at 7:30pm and gets busier around 9pm after sunset. It was also nice seeing most people dressed up for dinner.
Ragoussis Bakery ΦΟΥΡΝΟΣ ΡΑΓΚΟΥΣΗ
Cafeteria style bakery and coffee shop by Naousa great for a quick breakfast or lunch sandwiches.
Yemeni
Delicious middle eastern food, think homemade dolmas, and seafood risottos, pastas and extensive 150 wine list perfect for a romantic dinner. Be sure to make a reservation at least 2 days before for a prime table. Otherwise walk ins are available day of if you arrive early.
Alla’s Souvlaki
Sometimes you just want an affordable and delicious lunch. We enjoyed the fresh souvlakis, chicken kebabs, beef and lamb o gyros, and Greek salad. The dinner portions were hearty and shareable. Don’t miss the tzikiki for the fries.
Solo Gelato
Artisanal gelato right by the water in Naousa
Beaches:
Although Paros is not known for soft sand beaches, there are plenty of granite coves and beach resorts with umbrella beaches for hire. My favorite was Kalogeros beach, which doubles as a spa because of its natural clay. We also found that the nudist friendly beaches were more quiet.
Also note that the weather during June and July were quite hot around 85-90 degrees and very windy. The air is not humid at all and the water is actually quite cold. Pack water shoes if you’re visiting the beach. Shop all my swimsuits linked here.
- Kalogeros beach (pictured on the right)
- Lageri beach
- Aliki
- Monastiri beach
Paros Highlights
Paros Highlights - Take a day trip from Naousa
⊛ Start with breakfast at Ragoussis Bakery in Naousa
⊛ Drive to Lefkas town and walk around, grab coffee, and take photos around the narrow white cobblestone town. It’s so charming!
⊛ Grab lunch or dinner at Markakis for seafood by the water.
⊛ Spend the day at Kalogero clay beach, a unique cliff side with deep water for swimming and tanning.
Thank you for reading, if you have any other questions send me a DM on Instagram @fashionbyally.
