10 Dreamy Things to Do on Paros

Paros, Greece is an island with options that will allow you to choose your own vacation. If you want to relax at the beach, there are beach clubs with amenities or secluded beaches with calm atmospheres. If you’re looking for adventure travel, you can rent a quad or even try out windsurfing. Overall, the island is magical for being everything at once. It’s remote, but not too remote. It has a calm vibe but full of things to do. All of those experiences set a beautiful, oceanic backdrop. This post will give you 10 things to do when visiting Paros. If you’re looking for the complete guide check out the Greek Island Travel Guide: Paros.

1. Rent a Quad and Drive Around Paros

The main form of transportation for tourists on the island, it’s a great way to explore hidden beaches and discover great views. To rent, speak with one of the many rental companies in the main cities of Parikia and Naoussa. I’d recommend speaking with a couple of the companies to get an idea of price. Feel free to negotiate, especially if you plant o rent for multiple days. The island isn’t very big so you can follow a main road loop around the entire island in a day. We took a quick glance at a map and just started driving. I was in search of scenes like I saw on the cover of the magazine, so we would turn off wherever looked interesting. As you drive around the island, you’ll see where the ferry sets off to access Antiparos, beaches, restaurants, and views of the sea. We just drove, pulled off wherever looked interesting, and swam and relaxed. Once we had enough of one spot, we got back on and kept driving. It’s a fun way to explore and see it all on your own time. 

2. Visit Antiparos

Antiparos is only a short ferry ride from Paros. We drove our quad to the ferry pick-up point. The ferry runs every couple of hours. The tickets are about €2 per person and a quad is about €6-7. For times, check with the ticket booth at the port to get a sense of when to return to Paros. Also, this is a different port than the one where the ferry from Athens stops. Instead, take the ferry that runs from Pounda Port on the southeast side of Paros.

Once on Antiparos, you’ll be able to drive and explore on your four wheeler some more. Antiparos is the a perfect island for exploring and searching for secret beaches. It’s even more rural and remote, so you’ll see turn-offs and dirt roads. Antiparos, even more than Paros, feels truly like you’re on a small island in the middle of the Aegean Sea. 

3. Spend a Day at the Beach on Paros or Antiparos

For as small as it is, Paros has a lot of beaches. There are beaches dotted all along the coast. Some are just sand next to the water while others have a taverna or two and maybe some chairs for rent. We didn’t have a particular beach in mind when we set out, but we found some nice ones along the way. I had a magazine cover in mind, but most of those types of beaches or views happen more on Antiparos and even more so Koufonisia (only accessible by boat). Sharing the beaches we stopped at and liked:

Glyfa Beach: It’s a nice beach, has chairs, and the best selling point is that it has an amazing taverna. It’s the cutest. They have their garden out front, so you have to walk past the tomato plants before you enter. More not the taverna below, but the beach was good overall. We stayed for a bit and even did a little snorkeling. 

Punda Beach Club: Based on the name, you can probably guess that this is the liveliest, most party-like atmosphere beach on the island. We found it by accident while we were in search for a snack and a drink. We ended up following a road to some music and coming across the most cars we had seen the whole day. We stayed for a drink and were seriously amazed by the number of people there. It was this little secret spot that everyone knew about it. If we had more days there, we might have come back and enjoyed the whole atmosphere. 

Paralia Sostis (on Antiparos): This is the MOST remote out of the three beaches included in this list. It’s on Antiparos which is accessible via ferry from Paros or by boat. We were in explore mode, so we just drove wherever we could on the island. We took a main road, which eventually turned into a dirt road. We were the only ones there until a boat pulled into the cove for some of the time. It was so quiet and gave those ‘discovered a secret beach’ vibes. 

4. Go Snorkeling on One of the Many Beaches of Paros or Antiparos

Bring your own snorkeling gear or buy or rent some on the island and carry it with you when you go exploring. As you stop at little beaches along the way, you not only can enjoy the view of the water and beach, but you can explore underwater as well. For us, it made it easier to spend more time at these more remote beaches, and it gave us a reason to stay in the water for longer, beyond the need to cool off. 

5. Tour the Caves on Antiparos

We noticed some signs for the caves while driving around Antiparos so we thought we’d give them a try. They are definitely interesting, and the entrance is towards the top of one of the highest points so there are great views. The caves go really deep, so a quick warning for anyone who feels claustrophobic, this might not be the stop for you. It’s a great self-guided stop and interesting to see some of the different geology on the island.

6. Take a Boat Tour Around Paros, Naxos, and Koufonisia

This was probably the highlight of the trip. It’s a full day, setting out fairly early, having lunch on the boat, and then returning before dinner. We stopped at different caves and coves along the way and had many opportunities to swim and snorkel.

There are so many options for boat tours. We walked along the port and spoke to the different operators to book ours. There are all different styles of tours from a private boat for just you and your family or a bigger boat shared with others (obviously the cheaper route). We went the bigger boat with more people route, and honestly didn’t feel bothered at all by the amount of people. It was a great experience overall, and you can’t go wrong with whichever you pick. Just make sure you have a price point in mind, know if there is anything specific you want to see (for me it was Koufonisia), and feel comfortable shopping around. 

7. Treat Yourself to a Spa Day on Paros

There are a handful of options around the island. In the main cities like Parikia and Naoussa, resorts are a good place to search. We went with a recommendation from our Airbnb and went to Yades. We had a lovely time and were really happy with the experience. It was magical to go into a room built into a cave for an olive oil based massaged — very relaxing overall. 

8. Try Windsurfing Between Paros and Antiparos

Paros is one of the best places to windsurf in the Greek islands. The Cyclades overall catch a great summer wind making it perfect for the sport. We saw the most windsurfers near Pounda Bay as we took the ferry from Paros to Antiparos. We didn’t have a chance to try it out on our trip, but I hope to next time. To inquire about rental and lesson, visit the different windsurfing centers in Pounda Bay.

9. Sample Fresh Caught Seafood on Paros

Overall, Paros has amazing food. Even the tomatoes are memorable. Unique to being on a secluded island, seafood plays a big role in the Mediterranean diet. Tavernas dotted along the coast will have octopus and the day’s catch strung up to dry in the sun. If you haven’t tried octopus or a full fish, this is a great place to sample it. Eat it freshly grilled with some lemon squeezed on top and a side of fries. Yum!

10. Enjoy a Drink at a Waterfront Lounge in Naoussa

Naoussa is an old fort and port that edges right up to the water. Bars and restaurants along the seafront have to pay attention to tide times as they shift their tables and chairs around the beach. One of my favorite activities in the evenings was sitting, having a drink, and watching the colors of the sky change as the sun set and the water lapped at our feet. It’s the dreamiest spot in town.

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