The 5 Best Things to do in Paros for Any Itinerary
Not quite as popular as Santorini, Paros is a Greek Cyclades island better known for being a quiet retreat for celebrities. With smaller towns and more space between homes, Paros is the ultimate getaway for somebody looking to relax and unwind. A lot of people think quiet and discreet means boring and sleepy. Paros however, is far from that. So, what is there to do in Paros other than lounge by a pool? Keep reading while I chat about the top things to do for a short trip to Paros, each of which I tried and loved!
Walk around the lovely grounds of Kamarantho Organic Farm
A few of the days we were in Paros, the skies were covered in clouds, and our intended beach days and private villa dreams were dashed. Desperate for something to do instead of sit in our villa and wait for cloud break, we found a place called Kamarantho Active Organic Farm. Located down a bumpy, primitive road, Kamarantho is not a place you will notice from the main road, nor is it advertised on the island as a must-see attraction.
However, this lovely farm is such an interesting little stop, and is an informative peek into Greek and Cyclades history, weather, and agroscience. While there, we were walked through the permaculture farm, were educated on what permaculture means, and how it benefits the soil. Kamarantho plants rows upon rows of crops that are naturally found on the island. Pomegranates, olives, lavender, and squash run in succession of each other, planted next to each other to positively impact their very existence. Nitrogen stripping plants are planted next to nitrogen fixing plants to keep the soil balanced and in good condition. Crops are rotated year after year, and pesticides and hormones are nowhere to be found on the grounds. In their place is an organic farm that provides the public with a place to get up close and personal with their food and goods such as olive oil, raki, and dried herbs, and are sold to showcase how delicious organic can be, and how beneficial permaculture farming is to the natural environment.
Walk the many white washed alleys of the island
One of the best things to do on this tiny island is to take your rental car to a small town, park in one of the many free parking lots, and wander up and down the beautiful, crisp white streets. If you are an architecture junkie, small towns like Lefkes and Marpissa will leave you speechless, as plaster archways guide you down alleys, and cats sit on doorsteps of perfectly blue doors. In Lefkes, you will find the gorgeous Church of Agia Triada, or the Church of the Holy Trinity. It opens onto a large plaza, and is such a stunning thing to see when you turn around a corner and unwittingly stumble upon it. Pro tip: there is a little bench to the left of the entrance to the church plaza with magnificent bougainvillea branch that creates an arch over the bench. Snap a picture here to make all of your friends jealous!
In Marpissa, you will find winding streets that are home to some of the best food on the entire island. Head to Mylos for a proper Gyro, chock full of tzatziki, freshly cut vegetables, and seasoned fries. If you want more of a sit-down vibe, meander through streets lined with cerulean doors and potted plants to get to Charoula’s Tavern, a restaurant that spills into a small convergence of alleyways, and can be identified by a hand painted mural on a wall lined with small tables and accompanying chairs. The best thing to order is the warmed chickpeas that come in a buttery, herby broth, and just feel good sitting inside your belly. For more restaurant recommendations in Greece, read my article here about the best places to grab food in all of Greece!
Rent an ATV and take a drive around the island
This island was MADE for fun drives and letting the wind whip through your hair. Rent an ATV from Polos Rentals, an excellent car rental company on the island that will even pick you up at the airport or dock depending on how you arrive. With easy, rolling hills and plenty of sharp turns, Paros is an adventure driver’s dream, and makes for a fun outing. Our favorite activity was picking a beach to drive to for the day, and taking the long route to navigate through the rugged terrain. Cruise along coastline, or climb hills lined with goats, but make sure you do it in style with an open-air ATV.
Make sure to beach hop the perimeter of the island
Being a smaller and much quieter island than the more famous Mykonos and Santorini, there are tons of options for the perfect beach day. The most popular beach, Monastiri Beach is on the north end of the island, and is well known by anybody who makes a trip to Paros. Easily the most organized and planned out beach, Monasteri Beach offers volleyball courts, a full beach bar, sunbeds, soft sand, and turquoise blue waters. Another cool part of this beach is that there is some great hiking nearby. Walk out on large slabs of stone that jut out into the ocean, and find small inlets with spots to dip your toes in the water away from other sunbathers.
Another beach that was my personal favorite was Lageri Beach. Tucked away so only the most intrepid travelers make it here, this beach is on a small cove that blocks the wind, and has some of the warmest water on the island. There is no clear route to get to this beach, and we only found it after driving up and down the same dirt path 5 times before I made the car pull over, hopped out, and hopped a stone fence. I followed a footpath that lead to sand dunes and abandoned buildings that looked like villas that were meant to be built right before Greece’s economic bubble burst. Just over the dunes, the view opened and I was greeted with a beautiful expanse of aquamarine water, and gorgeously sandy beach. It helped too that it was clothing optional, which made the dip in the ocean after the long day even better.
Last but not least, make sure to check out Livadia Beach, which lies along a busy street with tons of restaurants. A little bit more in the main drag of Paros, this beach will have everything you need, from sandy coastline, to restaurants that cater to and welcome guests in for a mid-afternoon lunch after a long day of being in the sun. Not too far removed, this beach tends to fill up quickly and get busy, so arrive early for prime real estate a few steps from the water.
Splurge on a stay in a luxury villa
One of the best things about Greece, and Paros in general, is that time seems to slow down a little bit. Everyday felt like it could go on forever, and sunshine was on our side for more than one of the days. Make sure to capture some of that sun and spend time floating in a private pool, leaving the water only to eat a gyro (I mean, talk about the high life).
One of the great things about Paros is that it is significantly less crowded than more visited islands in Greece. Despite being a little less popular, Paros is significantly cheaper than bigger islands, which means the splurge is a little bit easier to attain. Float in your very own pool at Paros Nereids Villas, a three-villa compound posed on a cliff that overlooks the Paros Marina. Bring a giant inflatable swan, and lounge in the sun while watching boats and ferries come in and out of the bay, and watch as cars snake their way up and down the hills surrounding the villas.
More into a remote retreat with a view, but is close to the main town? Stay a night at the Bird’s Nest, a one room house perched at the top of the highest hill in Paros, which overlooks the entire island. Quiet and secluded, your only neighbor is a monastery down the dirt path, and they aren’t exactly noisy neighbors. Watch the morning mist disappear behind the hills as you wake up, and stand out on the viewing platform built by the owners that gives a full 360 panoramic view of the island.
Paros is that Greek island that people add to their list, but when they see how much time they’ll have to travel Greece, take it off the list and opt for the bigger islands that are a “must see”. I think Paros should be at the top of your list if you want an authentic experience that will leave you fully in love with Greece. Quiet, laid back, and still delivering a solid, purely Greek experience, I consider this island to be the powerhouse of the Cyclades that nobody seems to know about.
