Welcome to PAROS! Our very favorite stop on our honeymoon. If you’re looking for a low key relaxing island with great food and minimal tourists, this is it. Ever since we went to Paros, Ben and I wished we spent a little more time researching the smaller islands so that we could have spent more time there! Paros is actually in a little cluster with Naxos and Ios – both of which would make for great overnight or daytrips as well!
Anyways, back to Paros – below is our recap. Keep in mind when you’re reading this that there are a few cities on the island, with the largest being Parikia and Naousa. We stayed in Naousa and so a majority of the recs below are for that city 🙂
Before I go into it, here are all of our honeymoon pieces, I’ll link them here as they’re published!
- Part 1: Our Experience in Crete, Greece
- Part 2: Santorini + Why It Wasn’t Our Favorite
- Part 3: Don’t Sleep on Paros (this one)
- Part 4: How to Spend 2 Nights in Athens
- Part 5: Flytographer Shoot + Tips for Getting the Perfect Greece Photo
How We Got There
We took the ferry from Santorini to Paros – the ride was 3 hours and around 40 euro per person. We booked our tickets through The Hopper App which I would highly recommend. Once we arrived, we had a taxi waiting for us that we arranged through our Airbnb that took us to apartment for check-in!
Where We Stayed
We opted for an Airbnb here and LOVED ours – here was the listing. It was just the cutest little apartment nestled into a hill overlooking the ocean in Naousa. The apartment was spacious and clean, and it was only minutes from the beach and the center of town. The owners were also amazing – seriously the best Airbnb hosts I’ve never worked with. They were just so welcoming and accommodating, always asking if they could help book taxis or reservations to restaurants in town (booking taxis is important here if you don’t rent a car) and providing us with a ton of recommendations for the island.
Ben and I also decided we wanted to extend our say in Paros for a third night (originally it was just 2) the Airbnb hosts hooked us up with one of their other units and made the transition seamless. Seriously, they were the best. The only downside to this place was the walk to get there from town. While it was only 7 or so minutes, it was up a ton of steps and hills, so if you’re not into walking and don’t rent a car, then I would skip this spot. Otherwise, it was gold 🙂
What We Did
Cooking Class: This was one of our very favorite things we did in Paros and on our trip! I’ve never done a cooking class while traveling before, but I’ve always wanted to! When looking up classes, I was pretty particular about what I wanted. I knew I didn’t want to spend 5+ hours sitting in a commercial kitchen, learning how to cook generic Greek dishes, but instead I wanted it to feel authentic and special. I also wanted to learn recipes that I couldn’t just find online, but that were important to the person teaching them, so I searched high and low for something that fit the bill and came across Maria’s cooking class at Anezina Village in the little town of Drios. I skimmed the website and immediately knew this is what I was looking for.
Maria is the chef at a boutique hotel restaurant and teaches cooking classes on-site with another chef, Thanos. The class was about 4 hours long and included 7 courses, all of which were her grandmothers recipes. You can sign up for a private or group class – we actually choose group, but it ended up just being us!
Maria and Thanos welcomed us into their spacious outdoor kitchen by pouring glasses local white wine (and then leaving the pitcher and constantly refilling it lol) and getting us dressed in an apron and head covering. And then it was into cooking!
We LOVED the layout of the class, we would basically assist with a recipe and then sit down and enjoy it while they prepped for the next one. It was the perfect mix between cooking/eating/relaxing/learning. They also sent us home with a digital recipe book that went over what we made so that we could recreate our favorites at home + it included a ton of other classic Greek dishes made Maria’s way. Ben and I both said it was one of our favorite travel experiences and actually one of the best meals on our trip!
Explored Naousa: The town of Naousa is SO cute and picturesque. Take some time to walk through the alleys, pop into shops and enjoy a drink by the harbor.
If you’re looking for something else to do, they have boat tours, horseback riding, hikes and wineries. Everything linked was recommended by our Airbnb hosts and it seems like a lot of things you can book while you’re there or very close to your trip if you’re unsure of your schedule.
Also, if you’re an Instagramer like me, you’ll probably recognize the pink door below. This is in Naousa and usually has the best photo light before 9am or after 7pm in the summer 😉
Beach: We had a little beach (Piperi Beach) within walking distance from our Airbnb, so we spent one of our days just relaxing in a shady cove and taking swims in the Mediterranean. There are beaches all over the island though, so I would definitely recommended researching one close to you and having a day like this!
Where We Ate
Ben is a big foodie and is really good at finding hidden gems, so whenever we travel he’ll deep dive into restaurants and he always has the best picks! Below are the spots we tried, but we learned really quickly that if you just head into town, you’ll find a TON of restaurants that are right on the water and have quality food and views. Sunset is also really really pretty when you’re in town, so if you’re not eating by the water, then I would book a late dinner (after sunset) and get a drink in harbor so you can take it in!
Almond Paros: Great spot for avocado toast and a smoothie. They have a whole menu of healthy options and the space is very well decorated with a large outdoor seating space! They do dinner as well, but I would visit for breakfast for lunch and save dinner for somewhere else. No reservation needed.
Yemeni: Our favorite meal in Paros! It was a mix of classic Greek dishes with a modern twist. You’ll need a reservation here.
Deck: Fun little beach bar – a great spot to grab a cocktail and watch the sunset – no reservation needed for drinks.
Souvlakia KARGAS: These gyros blew my mind and they were only 3 euro each. A must. No reservations needed.
Soso: If you’re a foodie, this spot is for you. This restaurant is nestled in the alleys and has a daily handwritten menu. They constantly change their food and drink selections to stay in season and make sure the best wine a food parings are available. You’ll need a reservation here as well.
Final Thoughts
If you can fit Paros into your Greece itinerary, then do it! It was just the best. It’s kind of sandwiched between Santorini and Mykonos, so if you’re into the bigger islands, you could always just do a night or two there or even a day trip to check it out!
Have you been to Paros before? What did you think?
