We LOVE Paros. 10 out of 10 would go back for a family vacation. Or any kind of vacation. There is tons of opportunity for exciting beachside activity, as well as total relaxation.
We stayed at Minois Village right next to Parasporos beach. We could walk to the beach from the hotel - which was a major plus!! The hotel itself had SO many things we didn't even get to take advantage of - we would ABSOLUTELY go back. The hotel villa/suite my family booked was wonderful, the staff was incredibly kind and accommodating. I was really sick and could only tolerate bland food, so the kitchen made me special meals which was so lovely. The location was ideal and there was every amenity we could have ever dreamt of. BRB, booking a trip back RIGHT NOW.
We only spent a few days in Paros, and every one of us wished we had more time there! One of our days was spent sailing around the island with Salty Cruises. While it was a fun experience - we had a pretty strong wind, which made the current a little too intense to enjoy the opportunities to swim or paddle board. It was also a FULL day of sailing (about 8 hours), which was more than enough time on the water. Salty Cruises is a newer company, and though they are very kind, our hopes for the day weren't fully met. BUT at the end of the day, it was still a stunning experience sailing around the islands. Outside of a few unmet expectations, we can't really complain - right?
After our amazing time ATVing around Santorini, we decided to rent a four person buggy so that we could experience Paros in a similar way. Equipped with recommendations from our hotel, we trekked around almost the ENTIRE island in one day. My parents, Eric and I love exploring smaller villages and towns - so we stopped in Lefkes. We climbed up the hills in our buggy for a stunning view of the city.
If you're feeling adventurous you can take the Byzantine Road from Lefkes to Piso Livadi. From what I've read, its a really cool experience. Just don't try to take a vehicle...It's only suitable as a walking and potentially a cycling path! We got ourselves into a little pickle because if you take your car around Lefkes, depending where you are in the village, Google Maps does think the Byzantine Road is a viable option. It's definitely not! We came out with a good story, and some funny videos of that experience!
One thing that I will recommend 1000 times over is taking a short ferry ride to Antiparos for a day, halfday or even an hour. We took a sunset ferry over to Antiparos for dinner and it could not have been more worth it. It was hands down a group favorite. We had dinner at Sapou (get a reservation!) and then wandered the streets after dinner while waiting to get back to Paros. It is absolutely picturesque and one of my favorite memories of the entire trip. Antiparos is a tiny and oh-so-magical island!
Paros is truly a great spot if you love to beach it up! Each beach has a different vibe, in this PDF guide I listed a few of the ones we visited, and what they were all about!
What we missed:
- Nassoua
- Ancient sites around the island - there are many!
- Butterfly Valley (in summer/hot months, butterflies congregate here to reproduce!)
Top 5:
- Dinner at Sapou and exploring Antiparos
- Mionis Village Boutique Hotel
- Buggy rental to explore the island
- Molos and Kalageros beaches
- Lefkes Village
Eric's fave: Exploring Antiparos
Christina's Fave: Sunset ferry and exploring Antiparos!!!
P.S. Don't forget to download our Irvinture guide to Paros!