Paros sits in the middle of the Cyclades and is one of Greece’s most popular holiday islands, according to Visit Greece. The island covers just under 200 square kilometres and has around 14,500 permanent residents, two proper towns, several small fishing villages and sandy beaches all around the coast. You get the whitewashed lanes and good food of the neighbouring islands, but the pace is slower than on Mykonos.
The two largest towns are only 10 kilometres apart, yet the areas feel very different. Naoussa is expensive and lively in the evenings, Parikia is practical and cheaper, and the east and south coasts have small beach villages with much less frequent buses. Here are my recommendations for five good areas to stay in Paros, with places to stay at different price points.
Contents
The Best Areas to Stay in Paros
- Naoussa - best area for couples and first-time visitors
- Parikia - best area without a car and for island hopping
- Piso Livadi and Logaras - best area for families
- Aliki - best area for peace and quiet near the airport
- Golden Beach and Drios - best area for windsurfing and a long sandy beach
Below, I go through each area’s advantages and drawbacks, with three places to stay at different price points. The prices are those I found for two people on a weekend in June, shown as approximate euro amounts. They rise in July and August.
1. Naoussa - best area for couples and first-time visitors 🍷
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re staying in town. Naoussa is on the north coast, around 10 kilometres from the ferry port in Parikia.
- 🚌 Transport: The bus between Naoussa and Parikia is the island’s most frequent service, with around 25 departures a day in late summer. Small boats from the harbour reach Kolymbithres and Monastiri beaches in around 10 minutes.
- ✈️ Airport transfer: Around 20 kilometres and 20 to 25 minutes by car. By bus, you need to change in Parikia, taking the journey to over an hour.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Rooms and three-star hotels were around €95 to €155 per night, four-star and boutique hotels €205 to €315, and five-star hotels €630 to €735.
- 👮 Safety: Safe, but noisy in the centre at night. Only buses can enter the town centre in summer, so cars have to stay in the car parks at the entrance to town.
Naoussa is the place on Paros that most people fall in love with. It’s the island’s second-largest town and, according to Paros Municipality, has the largest fishing fleet in the Cyclades. The boats still sit in the little harbour in the middle of town. Beside the harbour are the remains of the Venetian Kastelli fortress.
This is where things happen in the evening. The cafés and bars around the harbour draw people from across the island, and the municipality itself says the parties continue until dawn. On the first Sunday in July, the town holds a wine and fish festival.
See places to stay in Naoussa here.
Some of the island’s best beaches are close by too. Kolymbithres is known for its smooth granite rocks, which form small coves with shallow, calm water. Monastiri is sheltered from the wind in the municipal nature park, Paros Park. Santa Maria, 2 kilometres to the east, is a long sandy beach with sunbeds and water sports, though it’s often windy.
The drawbacks are the prices and the noise. When I compared the same dates, hotels in Naoussa cost about as much as those in Mykonos Town. To sleep with your window open, choose somewhere on the outskirts near Piperi or Agioi Anargyroi beach, away from the lanes around the harbour.
Places to Stay in Naoussa
Katerina Rooms - best budget choice near the harbour
Katerina Rooms has a guest rating of 9.4 and is around 250 metres from the old harbour and less than 100 metres from Piperi beach. You get a simple double room with hosts whom guests praise, and the property is adults only. There’s no pool, the room and shower cubicle are small, and the stairs are awkward with heavy luggage.
One guest says on Booking.com: “Every morning when we woke up, a little pastry was waiting outside our room.”
See photos and book Katerina Rooms here.
Hotel Bilia - best mid-range hotel with a pool
Hotel Bilia is a three-star hotel with a guest rating of 9.5 from over 400 reviews. It’s around 200 metres from the harbour and a two-minute walk from the bus station, with an outdoor pool, breakfast and free private parking. Being close to the centre means there can be noise at night, and the car park is a little way from the hotel.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff were really lovely and helpful.”
See photos and book Hotel Bilia here.
Cove Paros - best luxury hotel by the beach
Cove Paros is a five-star hotel around 50 metres from Agioi Anargyroi beach and just over a kilometre from the harbour. There’s an infinity pool, children’s pool, pool bar, spa, gym and restaurant, and some suites have private pools. The guest rating is 8.9. Prices are high, and some guests mention nearby building noise and small rooms.
One guest puts it simply on Booking.com: “The pool is beautiful.”
See photos and book Cove Paros here.
2. Parikia - best area without a car and for island hopping ⛴️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re in the island’s main town. The hotels below are between 600 metres and 1.6 kilometres from the ferry port.
- 🚌 Transport: All the island’s main bus routes start in Parikia. The cheapest ticket costs €2.20 and a day pass costs €12. Buy tickets at the terminals or selected kiosks, where payment is by card only. Tickets bought on the bus cost €3.50 to €4.
- ✈️ Airport transfer: Around 10 kilometres and 10 to 15 minutes by car. The airport bus to Parikia runs 6 to 7 times a day in late summer.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. One- to three-star hotels were around €80 to €135 per night, four-star hotels €200 to €215, and the most expensive options €310 to €440.
- 👮 Safety: Safe and easy to find your way around. The waterfront can be noisy at night, and the town centre is closed to cars in summer.
Parikia is the island’s main town and where the ferries arrive. That makes it the easiest choice without a car, for a stay of just a few nights, or when Paros is one stop on an island-hopping trip. You can walk from the ferry to your hotel, and KTEL Paros buses leave from here for Naoussa, Aliki, Lefkes, the east coast and the airport.
A few steps from the harbour is Panagia Ekatontapiliani church, the island’s most important sanctuary for over 1,500 years, with the Old Town close by. The archaeological museum costs €5 and is closed on Tuesdays.
See places to stay in Parikia here.
The town’s own beach, Livadia, is a long sandy stretch with sunbeds and parasols, continuing on from the waterfront. In high season, small boats cross the bay to Krios and Marcello beaches. A passenger boat also runs from Parikia to neighbouring Antiparos in around 30 minutes.
Parikia is mainly a practical base, while the island’s nightlife is in Naoussa. Parikia is cheaper, though, and it’s the best place on the island for a year-round stay. According to the municipality, ferries from Piraeus and Rafina operate every day of the year.
Places to Stay in Parikia
Dilion Hotel - best budget choice near Livadia beach
Dilion Hotel was the cheapest good hotel I found in Parikia, with a guest rating of 8.7. It’s just over 500 metres from Livadia beach and around 700 metres from the ferry port, with free parking and breakfast costing €10 per person. There’s no pool or lift, so you’ll have to carry your suitcase upstairs, and the bathrooms are small.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The hotel was perfectly located one street from the beach and close enough to walk to the harbour and Old Town.”
See photos and book Dilion Hotel here.
Casa Di Roma - best mid-range choice with a pool
Casa Di Roma has a guest rating of 8.4 from almost 1,400 reviews and is around 600 metres from the ferry port, close to the beach. There’s an outdoor pool with a pool bar, plus apartments and family rooms, making it a good option for a larger group. One guest found the beds hard, and the Wi-Fi works better by the pool than in the rooms.
One guest says on Booking.com: “The hosts were very friendly and incredibly helpful, answering all our questions.”
See photos and book Casa Di Roma here.
Parian Village Beach Hotel - best waterfront hotel for couples
Parian Village Beach Hotel is a four-star, adults-only hotel with a guest rating of 9.3. It’s at the northern end of the bay, around 150 metres from Livadia beach, with a pool, free private parking and sea-view rooms, some with their own small pool. The ferry port is 1.6 kilometres away, and some guests feel the furniture needs replacing.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “A beautiful and peaceful hotel by the water.”
See photos and book Parian Village Beach Hotel here.
3. Piso Livadi and Logaras - best area for families 👨👩👧
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Around 16 kilometres southeast of Parikia and 13 kilometres from Naoussa.
- 🚌 Transport: The bus between Parikia and Drios goes via Lefkes and stops in both Piso Livadi and Logaras, with 7 to 8 departures a day in late summer. There’s no direct bus to Naoussa.
- ✈️ Airport transfer: Around 19 kilometres by car.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. Rooms and three-star hotels were around €70 to €135 per night, beachfront apartments in Logaras around €180, and the five-star hotel around €200.
- 👮 Safety: Quiet and easy to get around. Punda beach a little further south is the island’s daytime party beach, so it won’t suit you if you want peace and quiet.
Piso Livadi is a harbour village on the east coast, with waterfront tavernas and a sandy beach right in the village. It’s my first choice for families because everything is within a few minutes’ walk, and it was the cheapest area I found on the whole island.
Walk south for five minutes and you reach Logaras, a large sandy beach with turquoise water, pine trees for shade, and cafés, restaurants and small supermarkets just behind it. On the way, you pass the 14th-century Agios Georgios Thalassitis church, which has the island’s oldest frescoes.
See places to stay in Piso Livadi here.
In summer, small boats leave the harbour for trips to neighbouring islands. The bus towards Parikia stops in the mountain village of Lefkes, where you can walk the Byzantine Road to Prodromos. The marble-paved path is 3.5 kilometres long, takes around 45 minutes and is almost entirely downhill.
This isn’t a nightlife destination, and getting to Naoussa every evening means having a car. As for staying in Lefkes, I only found three properties on Booking.com, and none had enough reviews for me to recommend them. I’d visit on a day trip instead.
Places to Stay in Piso Livadi and Logaras
Paradise Garden Paros - best budget choice on the island
Paradise Garden Paros was the cheapest good property in this guide and has a guest rating of 9.5. You’re around 300 metres from the beach and harbour, with double, triple and family rooms and a shared kitchen you can use. There’s no pool, breakfast isn’t included, the Wi-Fi is weak, and you need to bring your own soap and shampoo.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The owners were incredibly friendly and welcoming.”
See photos and book Paradise Garden Paros here.
San Antonio Summer House - best mid-range hotel with a pool
San Antonio Summer House is a three-star hotel around 100 metres from both the beach and harbour. It has a guest rating of 8.4, a fenced outdoor pool, free parking and family rooms, so it suits families with younger children. One guest found the pool area smaller than expected, and the bathrooms have shower curtains.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location was lovely. It was clean and comfortable.”
See photos and book San Antonio Summer House here.
Cavo Piso Livadi - best-value five-star hotel
Cavo Piso Livadi is right by the beach, with a bus stop outside, and was the cheapest five-star hotel I found on Paros. It has a large outdoor pool, free parking, family rooms and suites with private pools. The guest rating is 8.4 from over 600 reviews. The Wi-Fi is weak, and some guests found parts of the hotel weren’t quite finished.
One guest says on Booking.com: “The pool was lovely for swimming and lying beside to catch some sun.”
See photos and book Cavo Piso Livadi here.
4. Aliki - best area for peace and quiet near the airport 🎣
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Around 12.5 kilometres south of Parikia.
- 🚌 Transport: The bus between Parikia and Aliki runs 10 to 11 times a day in late summer. Some services go via Pounta, where the ferry to Antiparos departs. There’s no direct bus to Naoussa.
- ✈️ Airport transfer: Around 4 to 5 kilometres and 5 to 10 minutes by car. It’s the shortest transfer on the island.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. The cheapest hotels and studios were around €95 to €105 per night, mid-range options €155 to €205, and the town’s most expensive hotel around €270.
- 👮 Safety: Very peaceful. The beaches have shade from trees, and there’s a playground beside Agios Nikolaos beach.
Aliki is a fishing village on the south coast that still very much feels like a village. Fishing boats sit beside the jetty, tavernas line the waterfront, and the municipality describes the main beach as lively and ideal for families, with pine trees providing plenty of shade.
Nearby is Piso Aliki, which the municipality calls the prettiest of the village’s three beaches, and Agios Nikolaos, with sports pitches and a playground. A little further away is Faragas, where the rocks provide shelter from the wind and the sand is golden.
See places to stay in Aliki here.
Aliki is also well placed for a day trip to Antiparos. The car ferry from Pounta leaves every 30 minutes throughout the year, the crossing takes less than 10 minutes, and a ticket costs around €1.50. Antiparos Municipality has an overview of the options.
The downside is the distance from the rest of the island. Naoussa is just over 20 kilometres away via Parikia, where you’ll need to change buses. To eat in Naoussa on several evenings or swim at Kolymbithres, I’d hire a car. For nightlife, Aliki is the wrong place.
Places to Stay in Aliki
Aphrodite Boutique Hotel - best budget choice with a pool
Aphrodite Boutique Hotel is a three-star hotel with a guest rating of 9.4. It’s less than 100 metres from the beach and a few minutes’ walk from the harbour, with a pool, pool bar and free parking at a low price. There are rooms for up to four people and a two-bedroom apartment. Some guests found their room small and wanted more wardrobe space.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff were lovely and knew a lot about the area and the island.”
See photos and book Aphrodite Boutique Hotel here.
Acoya Residences - best mid-range choice with a kitchen
Acoya Residences has a guest rating of 9.5 from over 350 reviews and is around 150 metres from the beach. You can choose between double rooms and apartments with kitchens, with free private parking and breakfast served à la carte. There’s no pool, and rooms facing the road can be noisy.
One guest puts it briefly on Booking.com: “Lovely breakfast. The hospitality was fantastic.”
See photos and book Acoya Residences here.
Narges Hotel - best hotel with a large pool
Narges Hotel is a four-star hotel and the most expensive of these three, with a large pool, children’s pool, pool bar and restaurant. It’s around 50 metres from the beach and a two-minute walk from the harbour, with family rooms and a suite for up to four adults. The guest rating is 8.7. The car park is small, and one guest didn’t get the room type they had booked.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The swimming pool was clean, and the peaceful surroundings created the perfect setting for a quiet and relaxing holiday.”
See photos and book Narges Hotel here.
5. Golden Beach and Drios - best area for windsurfing and a long sandy beach 🏄
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Around 18 kilometres southeast of Parikia to Golden Beach, and 20 kilometres to Drios.
- 🚌 Transport: The bus from Parikia runs 7 to 8 times a day in late summer, stops at Golden Beach and terminates in Drios. The journey takes around an hour.
- ✈️ Airport transfer: Around 14 kilometres by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Good hotels and apartments were around €140 to €155 per night, the best waterfront suites around €275, and the five-star hotel around €635.
- 👮 Safety: Quiet in the evenings. The afternoon wind can be strong, creating waves that small children don’t always enjoy.
Chrissi Akti, which everyone calls Golden Beach, is the largest and one of the prettiest beaches on Paros, according to the municipality. It has Blue Flag status, surf clubs, restaurants and bars. The water stays shallow for quite a way out, making it good for beginners on a board. Visit Greece calls it the island’s most popular windsurfing beach.
Just to the north is New Golden Beach, where the wind is strongest and blows for the longest, and where the windsurfing world championships were held in the 1990s. A kilometre and a half south of Golden Beach is Drios, a village with a narrow sand-and-pebble beach, clear water, tall pine trees and a handful of tavernas.
See places to stay near Golden Beach and Drios here.
The combination works well for a long beach during the day and a quiet village in the evening. From Drios, Golden Beach is between 750 metres and a couple of kilometres away, depending on where you stay, and you have tavernas within walking distance.
The wind is both the reason to come and the biggest drawback. Hotel guests mention that it can affect their stay, and beach sunbeds cost extra even when you’re staying at the hotel right behind them. This is also the area furthest from the ferry port, and everything closes in winter. When I searched for a weekend in January, there wasn’t a single available property at Golden Beach.
Places to Stay near Golden Beach and Drios
Golden Beach Hotel - best hotel right by the beach
Golden Beach Hotel is a three-star hotel with a guest rating of 9.3, around 50 metres from the sand. The breakfast buffet was included when I searched, and there’s a restaurant, bar, free parking and a choice of rooms, studios and one- or two-bedroom apartments. Booking.com doesn’t list a pool, and the beach sunbeds cost extra.
One guest writes briefly on Booking.com: “The hotel staff are lovely.”
See photos and book Golden Beach Hotel here.
Blue Waves Suites & Apartments - best mid-range waterfront choice in Drios
Blue Waves Suites & Apartments is right on the beach in Drios and has one of the island’s highest guest ratings: 9.8 from over 300 reviews. Homemade breakfast is served on your own balcony, and there’s a restaurant and free parking nearby. There’s no pool, not all rooms have a sea view, and the restaurant next door can be noisy in the evening.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Stunning view, stunning room, the best location, and the staff were fantastic!”
See photos and book Blue Waves Suites & Apartments here.
Calme Boutique Hotel - best adults-only luxury hotel
Calme Boutique Hotel is a five-star, adults-only hotel with a guest rating of 9.5. It’s around 500 metres from the centre of Drios, with a pool, restaurant, bar, gym and suites with private pools. It’s very quiet, which is also what some guests dislike about it. There’s no bar by the main pool.
One guest says on Booking.com: “The staff really went the extra mile to make the stay relaxing and lovely.”
See photos and book Calme Boutique Hotel here.
Where Should You Avoid Staying in Paros?
I wouldn’t stay right in the centre of Naoussa if I wanted early nights or was arriving with a hire car. The bars stay open late, and only buses can enter the town centre in summer, so you have to carry your suitcase from the car parks at the entrance to town.
I wouldn’t book a remote beach or a hillside hotel without a car either. One guest at Glyfa beach outside Drios says you need a car to reach the restaurants and supermarket, a ten-minute drive away. With small children, pay attention to the wind too. The meltemi blows from the north from mid-May to mid-September, and Santa Maria, Pounta and New Golden Beach are the beaches surfers choose.
Out of season, Parikia is the safe choice, as the beach villages close down in winter. And to eat in Naoussa most evenings, Aliki and Drios are too far away.
I’d choose Naoussa for a first trip as a couple, Parikia for a few nights without a car, Piso Livadi with children and a tight budget, Aliki for peace and quiet, and Golden Beach for time on the water. With a week to spare, splitting your stay between Naoussa and one of the beach villages makes sense.
You can fly to Athens and take a 45-minute onward flight, or catch a ferry from Piraeus, taking between 2 hours 40 minutes and just over five and a half hours depending on the ship. Hotels add a climate resilience fee to the room price. From April to October, it is €2 per room per night at one- and two-star hotels, €5 at three-star hotels, €10 at four-star hotels and €15 at five-star hotels. Read the UK Foreign Office’s travel advice for Greece too, including its guidance on the risk of wildfires during the summer season.
Paros is easy to combine with neighbouring islands: the fastest ferry takes just 20 minutes to Naxos and services to Mykonos take from 35 minutes. You can also read my guide to where to stay in Santorini. For a night in the capital along the way, see where to stay in Athens and how to get from Athens Airport to the city centre.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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