Paros, Greece

For my Greece trip, I wanted a mix of touristy and off the beaten path. Paros (and Anti Paros) were the perfect balance to the crowds and popularity of Santoroni. Paros is a short flight from Athens, and a ~3 hour Blue Star Ferry ride to Santorini.

STAY

I chose Hotel Alkyon for the water front location, walking distance to Paros downtown, and overall central spot on the island.

The hotel had a family owned B&B feel, and a patio feet from the water.

The sunset from our balcony was unreal. It was a nice introduction to Greece.

The rooms are modest and the price is right, if you’re looking for a good value and location.

DO

Rent a scooter to explore the small island. We took the scooter to other towns and even used it on the ferry to get to AntiParos. It was a fun way to get around and we didn’t have to deal with taxis.

Take your scooter (or get a taxi ride) to the ferry (it runs regularly) to AntiParos for a day trip.

Anti Paros is one nautical mile away, and only accessible from Paros. The boat ride is enjoyable and less than ten minutes via water.

ANTI PAROS

Tom Hanks has a house on Anti Paros. This place is really off the grid, but full of Greek island charm.

You can’t go wrong with any restaurant along the harbor with water front views.

I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the colorful boats lined up perfectly or the azure water.

I loved this day trip. While Greece is a popular destination, not everyone goes to Anti Paros so it was nice to have some personal space and feel like I was immersed in the Greek island life.

My friend and I strolled through the streets away from the harbor (most of the shops were closed since it was end of peak tourist season) and often got to enjoy blocks to ourselves.

NAOUSSA

Naoussa is another charming town a short scooter ride away from Paros.

It’s filled with shops, bars and restaurants, but the harbor (here) is something out of a postcard.

Paros was a little colder than Santorini, especially at night.

Naoussa has dozens of restaurants with colorful chairs and tables. We stopped by in between lunch and dinner, so got to explore the town without a lot of people around.

Give yourself time to walk around and enjoy all the views the town has to offer.

This area is relatively flat compared to Santorini.

This stone wall kept the harbor water’s calm and protected from any waves.

EAT

Any water front restaurant will have fresh seafood and views of the water or harbor.

This one is in Naoussa.

We always asked to sit outside to enjoy the sun, people watching, and water.

There are many restaurants near the hotel, or along the road from Hotel Alkyon to the main part of Paros.

This spot had tables in the sand, so close you can dip your toes in the waves.

We lucked out and got to enjoy these picture perfect streets without a lot of people in the later afternoon. A lot of the shops on this island close right after summer and go back to the main land of Greece.

Blue Star Ferries take you from Paros to Santorini, with a pitstop in Naxos. I was entertained the entire boat ride with the ocean view.