In today’s post, I’m sharing the ultimate Paros travel guide and an easy, straightforward 3 day Paros itinerary. 

From its quaint white-washed towns, crystal blue water, colorful fishing boats, and ridiculously charming harbors, Paros, Greece welcomes visitors with open arms–and a lot of delicious food. 

Last summer, my family spent two and a half weeks exploring the UK and Greece. For the Greece portion of our trip, we spent 9 days hopping around the Greek Islands. We split our time across three Cycladic islands (Santorini, Naxos, and Paros) and had the most magical time. 

Paros is, in so many ways, the quintessential Greek island–or, at the very least, it’s exactly what I’ve always pictured the Greek islands to be. It was my favorite island we visited and a place I’ll spend the rest of my life dreaming about.

The Perfect Paros Travel Guide + Our 3 Day Itinerary

In this guide, I’m going to walk through everything you need to know about traveling to Paros. I’ll also share the ultimate 3 day Paros itinerary that will showcase the best the island has to offer. 

*Before we begin, you might want to bookmark my Greece itinerary overview as well as my guides to Santorini and Naxos. 

The Ultimate Paros, Greece Travel Guide + FAQ

The third largest Cycladic island, Paros was home to one of the oldest known settlements in the Aegean–the island has been inhabited since 3000-4000 BC (!).

Historically, Paros was known for its near-translucent marble, highly sought after and used to make the (now armless) masterpiece Venus de Milo in the Louvre.

The island of Paros holds a multitude of treasures for travelers to uncover: Naoussa’s Old Port and Venetian fortress, Parikia, Santa Maria Beach, Kolymbithres Beach, Lefkes Village, and beautiful Golden Beach.

Paros is also just a 10 minute ferry ride from its cute sister island, Antiparos, which we highly recommend as a day trip and will cover at the end of this post. 

Is Paros worth visiting? 

If Santorini is glamorous and over-crowded and Naxos is rugged and laidback, Paros falls somewhere between the two. We found Paros to be the “best of both worlds,” the type of travel destination that has something for everyone. From family-owned wineries to peaceful beaches to a vibrant restaurant and shopping scene, Paros really is the ultimate Greek island destination. And it doesn’t hurt that virtually every inch of this island looks like a postcard. 

Once a hidden gem, Paros has bubbled up in popularity over the last few years and has received quite a bit of buzz on social media. However, all things considered, we still found the island much more laidback than Santorini and a stop well-worth prioritizing on any Greece itinerary. 

When is the best time to visit Paros, Greece? 

If you’re wondering when the best time to travel to Paros is, I recommend the shoulder season. The Greek islands are quiet through the winter and open up through the spring, summer, and early fall. Since July and August are always the most crowded months, I recommend visiting Paros, Greece in May, June, or September. 

Winds in Paros

Outside of the crowds, one thing to be aware of is that the Cycladic islands, Paros included, get really windy over the summer, with the winds peaking in July and August. 

For reference: we were in the Greek islands in mid June and only had one really windy day. The week after we left, I saw on social media that the ferries actually shut down for two whole days because of the wind! 

How many days to spend in Paros? 

My answer to this question depends entirely on what type of trip you are planning. If your goal is to see as many Greek islands as possible, you could cram a lot into 2 days in Paros. If you want to actually relax and have your trip feel like a vacation, I recommend spending 3-4 days here. This will give you time to both explore and lounge on the beach, taking in the sparkling Aegean Sea and serene atmosphere Paros exudes. 

We spent 3 nights in Paros, but since we ferried over from Naxos first thing in the morning, we still basically had three full days to spend on the island. There is a TON to do in Paros, so we could have easily filled another couple of days.

How to get to Paros

You can travel to Paros by either place or ferry. Paros National Airport (PAS) connects Paros with Athens and a few other locations, but most visitors arrive by ferry boat. We used Ferryhopper to book all of our ferries (check out this post for more info on that). The main ferry port in Paros is in Parikia. 

Do you need a car in Paros? 

Since the island is big and a lot of the main attractions are spread out, we do recommend renting a car in Paros. One of the best things to do in a destination like this is to come and go and explore on your own schedule. You’ll want to be able to go on adventures and search for beautiful beaches! We didn’t really have an issue with parking, as there are lots of small lots throughout the island. 

Is Paros family friendly? 

Our kids absolutely loved Paros. We found Greece to be really family friendly overall. The pace is laid-back and welcoming, and there were tons of families around everywhere we went. Our girls made friends at every beach we visited. Barring the sometimes-chaotic ferry system, the Greek islands are SO much fun with small kids, and Paros was the star of the show for us. 

The other reason I think Paros is kid friendly is because the beaches were, for the most part, really accessible. We would have loved to visit, for example, Milos on this trip, but we knew we’d all enjoy our time more if the kids were comfortable and safe playing at the beach (Milos is known for its staggering cliff swimming spots–a trip for another season!). Paros has tons of calm beaches that we all really enjoyed. 

Where to stay in Paros 

We recommend staying near Naoussa, a charming fishing town on the northern side of the island. We absolutely loved Naoussa and made our way into the village several times over the course of our stay. 

We stayed at Vastblue Paros and couldn’t recommend it enough. This property is located outside of Naossa, nestled on the hillside looking out over the Aegean and the coastline of Naxos beyond. 

This place is absolutely magical and definitely worth the 7 minute drive outside of town. The property has a few different units, and we booked the two bedroom unit with the private pool facing the ocean. My husband and I had the BEST time lounging while the girls swam, and we loved relaxing out on the deck after bedtime too. The property is also just a 5 minute walk from the Ampelas beach. I really can’t say enough good things about this place–just trust me. 

*The only thing to note about the property is that in our unit the pool was right outside the backdoor, so it wouldn’t have felt safe if we were traveling with a toddler or baby. But for our girls’ ages it was perfect. 

The Perfect 3 Day Paros Itinerary

Travelers will find it very easy to fill several days on this dazzling island. We spent our time in Paros exploring the beaches and strolling through Naoussa, one of the most beautiful towns we’ve ever visited and the highlight of our time on the island. 

Day 1: Naoussa + Santa Maria Beach 

We’ll kick off our Paros itinerary with a morning in Naoussa, home of the island’s iconic charming fishing harbor and tons of shops and restaurants. Naoussa can get busy during the days (although nothing like Santorini!), so I recommend getting an early start if it’s available to you. We parked in this lot. 

We loved the brunch and coffee at Almond Paros. This place is so cute, and our kids loved the coloring situation our server set up for them. 

If you’re traveling with kids to Paros, make sure to bookmark this cute playground around the corner. 

After breakfast, spend some time wandering Naoussa’s maze of cobblestoned alleyways. There are so many cute shops in this area. We had a blast picking out family friendship bracelets together, and DO NOT MISS Loukoumades To Paradosiako donut shop. These donuts might not change your life, exactly, but there’s definitely a chance. 

Make your way to the waterfront where you’ll see the old Venetian fortress. Our kids loved exploring here, and the views of the harbor from the fortress are incredible. 

Depending on how much time you’ve spent exploring, you might be ready for lunch. Pita Frank is right on the main drag through the village and sells the most delicious pitas. This is the perfect easy lunch in Paros and a place I still think about to this day. 

After lunch, it’s time to head to the beach! The drive over to Santa Maria Beach from Naoussa will take just 10 minutes. 

There is plenty of space to spread out at the beach, but we did go ahead and pay for chairs at SeaRocks Paros, a vibey beach club with a fun menu right on the water. I would never dream of paying for beach chairs in the US, but I find the convenience to be well worth it when we are traveling abroad. My youngest daughter lives to lounge in a towel burrito with a slice of watermelon in her hand, what can I say? 

Day 2: Paros Park 

Day two of our Paros itinerary will begin at Paros Park, a rocky nature reserve located on the northwestern tip of the island. Paros Park is home to the blue-domed St. John of Deti monastery and boasts a beautifully rugged coastline for visitors to uncover. 

If you’re feeling ambitious–and the weather allows–spend the morning hiking the various trails through the park. There are about 3-4 hours worth of trails in the reserve. The hike out to the lighthouse is moderate and takes about 20 minutes each way. 

The highlight of Paros Park–and a MUST on any Paros itinerary–is Monastiri Beach. This is the most calm beach we’ve been to in the entire world, and our kids were in absolute heaven. The cove is completely protected, and the water is super shallow, clear, and rock-free–kind of like a natural kiddie pool. 

We called ahead and reserved a water-front cabana at the beach club here and had the most magical day (my reward for traveling across the world at 27 weeks pregnant lol). We also rented a little paddle boat with a slide on it which was such a blast. 

Finish up your day back in Naoussa for a sunset dinner and walk around the harbor. Our water-front dinner at Sigi Ikthios was insanely delicious and super memorable. 

No day in the Naoussa harbor can be complete without a stop at 32 Agosto. This place does “make your own” ice cream bars which were a HUGE hit with our family. SO GOOD. 

Day 3: Antiparos day trip 

On our final day in Paros, we decided to take a little daytrip to Antiparos which is a tiny island adjacent to Paros and just a few minutes’ ferry ride across the water. 

Antiparos is a pristine slice of Greek heaven, tiny and conquerable in a day. Each corner of this island is cuter than the last, and it’s well worth planning a day or even just a packed morning exploring this beauty of an island. 

You’ll get hop on the ferry to Antiparos here. These run every 10 minutes. 

There is plenty of parking at the ferry port, but you could also take the car ferry over to Antiparos if you want to drive over to the Cave of Antiparos while you’re on the island. If you don’t care to see the cave, you don’t need a car, as the town is very walkable and will be easier to explore without one. 

Once the ferry drops you off, head to George’s Grill for a bite to eat on the water. The gyro here is absolutely delicious. 

Then, meander through town to Palate Antiparos for gelato, but please feel free to stop along the way and wander. We had such a good time drooling over all of the beautiful pottery shops. 

There is a gorgeous little beach here if you want to stop and swim. 

On your way out, grab a freddo (espresso over ice, a Greek staple) before leaving at La Isla or m.èros. 

If you have more time…

If you have time to spare and are looking for more ways to fill your Paros itinerary, I recommend hitting up Moraitis Estate if you’re into wine, covering yourself in clay at Kalogeros beach, or exploring the old town of Parikia. 

Thank you so much for checking out my Paros travel guide and itinerary! I hope it’s helpful. Have the best time! 

On that note…

Our Greek Islands itinerary (and tips for planning a trip with kids) 

The perfect 1 day guide to Santorini 

The ultimate 4 day Naxos itinerary 

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