Paros, Greece: Peaceful 3 day itinerary

October 4-7, 2023

Beautiful, peaceful Paros.

I wasn’t entirely certain what to anticipate from Paros. After experiencing the remarkable charm of Santorini, I couldn’t help but wonder about the contrasting vibes of these islands. Santorini flaunted its dramatic cliffs, whereas Paros unfolded as mostly flat. Nevertheless, I found myself pondering, how different could the contrast truly be, especially when it came to the delightful cuisine and the captivating shops?

The purpose of our journey to Paros was to indulge in absolute relaxation! I strongly believed that Paros provided the ideal setting to unwind and savor each moment of the sun and the moon.

Day 1: Arrive in the evening, Explore Old Town, Enjoy cocktails

Day 2: Walk around the town, Antiparos day trip, Livadia Beach, Watch the Sunset, Dinner in Old Town

Day 3: Bus to Naoussa, Lunch with toes in the sand, Sunset, Dinner and Gelato

Day 1: Arrive to Parikia

We arrived to Paros from Santorini at 8 pm after riding the Blue Star Ferry. We checked into the hotel in Parikia and began walking the streets.

It didn’t take long for me to say… I really like it here.

Our hotel was closer to the end of town where the beaches are. So, we walked past adorable restaurants where you can eat with your feet in the sand.

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Walk to the Old Town: I was shocked when I saw the Old Town, since it was so much cuter than I imagined. It was also not very crowded, which was a nice change of pace coming from Santorini.

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Drink Crafted Cocktails at Sativa Music Bar. We ordered Lille Spritz and Aperol spritz. Yum!

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Order a few beers at Cavo D’oro. This restaurant was pretty close to our hotel, so we drank some beer here! We became friends with our waiter, who we see the next few days.

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Day 2: Parikia, Paros

Wake up to breakfast on the patio at the hotel with a view of the beach.

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Visit the Temple of Panaya of Ekatontapiliani:

Make sure to dress modestly if you enter!

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Lunch at Greco Paros for falafel gyros along the water.

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We were interested in taking a ferry to Antiparos at this time. Our waiter for lunch told us we must go, as it is really beautiful, and small enough to do it in half a day. We were there in October, so the ferry schedules were pretty limited. We opted to not go because the last ferry back to Paros would be an hour after we arrived to Antiparos. Next time!

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Rent a beach chair on Livadia Beach. Since it was off season, it was 10 euros for 3 beach chairs. It is much more than that during peak season. We ordered margs and enjoyed the view. It was too cold to swim, but I had other forms of entertainment. Cats! There are many cats who live on the beach and a fed by locals. We were there for their dinner time!

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We return to Cava D’oro for drinks to sip spritz while watching the sunset. With our feet in the sand, of course. Our waiter is the friend we met last night!

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Dinner at Cuore Rosso for pizza. We ordered a margarita and a white pizza with pesto. I had an IPA, which was the only IPA I have ever enjoyed. It was their Jasmine IPA. This is a very highly rated restaurant in Paros. You just might have a few cat visitors asking for your pizza!

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Dessert in Old Town

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Day 3: Parikia & Naoussa, Paros

We ate our fabulous breakfast at the hotel once again.

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Today we decide to take the bus to Naoussa. Many people recommend Naoussa over Parikia, so we wanted to see what we thought.

Naoussa initially had a similar feel to Parikia. The stone streets, white buildings, blue water.

We all bought necklaces with the Greek eye on it from boutique shops. It felt more expensive here, which is in line with how I’ve been told it is “bougier.”

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Take pictures at the famous Linardo spot.

I think off season affected my opinion of Naoussa. We found comfort in Parikia, so we decided to go back after only a short time there.

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Lunch in Parikia at Ephessus Restaurant. We even got a free round of drinks because the restaurant was out of the stuffed peppers that my sister ordered, and the waiter felt really bad about it!