If you’ve been following along, you know we’re doing a multi-island Greece trip this summer — Santorini, Milos, and ending in Paros. Paros is the one I’m most excited about. Santorini gets all the attention, and Milos is rugged and dramatic, but Paros feels like the island that doesn’t need to prove anything. Beautiful beaches, a charming harbor town, great food — and you can actually walk somewhere without bumping into a selfie stick every ten feet.
We’re basing ourselves in Naousa for three nights, June 25–28, with a rental car for the last two full days to explore freely. Then it’s a ferry to Athens for the final stretch of the trip. This is the exact plan we’re going in with — restaurants booked, ferry tickets in hand, and rental car confirmed. I’ll update this post once we’re back with how it all actually went.
Quick Paros Breakdown
Where we’re staying: Naousa (Airbnb with sea view)
Dates: June 25–28, 2026 (3 nights)
Coming from: Santorini → Paros ferry
Leaving to: Paros→ Athens ferry (10:45 AM)
Rental car: June 26–28 (hotel pickup → Auto Dermatas drop-off, Parikia Port)
Vibe: Slower, beachier, and less planned
Best for: Beaches, harbor walks, seafood dinners, and wandering
How to get to Paros
Most people get to Paros by ferry from Athens (Piraeus port). The crossing takes roughly 3.5–5 hours depending on the vessel — SeaJets runs the fast ferry in about 3.5 hours, while slower ferries can take closer to 5. We booked through SeaJets directly and it was straightforward. Book as early as you can in June — it’s peak season and ferries sell out, especially the fast ones.
We’re coming from Santorini, so our route is a little different. We’re taking Golden Star Ferries (Superexpress vessel) from Santorini to Paros — departs 2:15 PM, arrives 4:25 PM on June 25. If you’re island hopping through the Cyclades, Golden Star Ferries covers a lot of the inter-island routes and you can book directly on their website.
On the way out, we’re taking SeaJets from Paros back to Athens — departing Parikia at 10:45 AM and arriving Piraeus around 1:50 PM. Same advice: book early and double-check your port. The main Paros ferry port is in Parikia.
Ferry booking tip: You can also use Ferryhopper or DirectFerries to compare options, but booking direct is usually the same price without the middleman markup.
Welcome Pickups is pre-bookable and gives you a fixed price — worth it since taxis aren’t always easy to find and are roughly the same price. We booked them for almost all of our Greece transfers.
Where to stay in Paros: why we chose Naousa
There are two main bases in Paros — Parikia (the main port town) and Naousa (the smaller, more charming village on the north coast). We went back and forth, but Naousa won for a few reasons: you can walk to dinner, the harbor at night is genuinely beautiful, and it doesn’t feel like you’re staying in a ferry town. Parikia is worth a full morning visit, but it’s more functional than atmospheric.
We booked Ochre Dream in Naousa — three nights for $764.33 total. The photos sold us immediately (sea view balcony, Greek style building), and having a rental car for most of our stay meant getting around the island won’t be an issue regardless of where we stay.
Renting a car in Paros
A rental car makes a real difference in Paros, especially for beach hopping. The island isn’t huge but the best beaches are spread out, and taxis add up fast when you’re moving between them multiple times a day.
We rented through Auto Dermatas Paros Rentals, booking directly on their website. They deliver to your hotel, which is a great touch — the car comes to us on the morning of June 26. I chose to drop-off at their location at Parikia Port before our ferry. Total cost came to EUR 114 (about $123) for 2.5 days, which included insurance. The breakdown: EUR 90 rental price, EUR 30 insurance extra, minus EUR 6 for paying by cash at pickup.
Get the insurance. The roads in the Cyclades are narrow, winding, and occasionally shared with ATVs that have no concept of lanes. EUR 30 is nothing compared to the stress of worrying about a scratch on a bumper.
The Full 3-day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival + Naousa Harbor Night
Our ferry from Santorini gets in at 4:25 PM, so Day 1 is light by design. The whole point is to check in, get your bearings, and let the island slow you down. We will get our rental car the next monring, so tonight is completely walkable from the Airbnb.
Afternoon
- Ferry arrives Parikia 4:25 PM —get a Welcome Pickups transfer to the Airbnb in Naousa (~20 min)
- Check into the hotel in Naousa
- Walk down to Piperi Beach (~4 min from the house) to decompress and get our first look at the water
Evening
- Slow, romantic walk through Naousa Harbor before dinner
- Dinner at Yemeni Wine Restaurant — 7:45 PM reservation (~13 min walk). Greek wine bar vibes with small plates. Budget around €30–45 per person with drinks. Book this one at least 2 weeks ahead in June.
- After dinner: drinks along the waterfront
First-night tip: resist the urge to plan anything after dinner. Naousa at night is the kind of place where wandering IS the plan.
Day 2: Beach Loop Day (Naousa Area)
Day 2 is our big beach day — three beaches, lunch in between, and a sunset dinner reservation to close it out. The car gets picked up at the hotel this morning, which makes the whole loop a lot easier. We picked this order to minimize backtracking.
Morning
- Breakfast at a local café in Naousa — planning to ask host Panos for a rec
- Rental car pickup at the hotel (Auto Dermatas, hotel delivery)
Beach loop
- Agioi Anargyroi Beach — ~25 min walk or 6 min drive from Naousa. Quieter, less crowded, good first stop
- Kolympethres Beach — ~11 min drive. This one has the dramatic granite rock formations. Get there before noon if possible to beat some crowds.
- Lunch at Taverna Kolibithres right in Kolympethres beach area
- Santa Maria Beach (Parilia) — ~15 min drive. More organized, livelier energy for the afternoon
Dinner
- Barbarossa — 7:00 PM reservation (~13 min walk from Naousa). Sunset-facing waterfront spot. Books out fast in mid/peak season
Day 3: Parikia Day + Coastal Drive Back
Day 3 we head toward Parikia, Paros’s main port town and the one most visitors see briefly before grabbing a ferry. We decided to give it a full morning. Having the car makes this day completely flexible.
Morning — Parikia
- Breakfast at Distrato Cafe Bistrot in Parikia
- Wander the Parikia Old Town — the alleys, the shops, the Kastro, the waterfront. Allow at least an hour to just get lost in the new city.
Late morning / midday
- Krios Beach — 5–10 min drive from Parikia. Easy, calm, good for a morning swim
- Drive to Agia Irini Beach (~13 min from Krios) for the main afternoon stretch
- Lunch at Laris Beach Bar casual food, €15–20 per person
Afternoon
- Scenic windows down coastal drive back toward Naousa
Dinner
- Siparos Seaside Restaurant — 8:30 PM reservation. The kind of place that earns a closing night. Budget €40–55 per person.
- After: drinks + slow harbor walk to close out the trip
Day 4: Travel Day
Light morning, then we’re back on the water for the ferry. The car gets dropped off at Auto Dermatas in Parikia Port on the way to the ferry so this should be an easy pitstop before boarding.
Morning
- Brunch at Cosa Cafe Bar in Naousa
- Pack up, check out, drive to Parikia
- Drop rental car at Auto Dermatas, Parikia Port (return by 9:15 AM)
Ferry + Athens arrival
- 10:45 AM ferry departs Parikia Port
- 1:50 PM arrive Athens (Piraeus)
- Welcome Pickups transfer from port to hotel
Welcome Pickups is pre-bookable and gives you a fixed price — worth it at Piraeus, which is a large chaotic port where taxis aren’t always easy to find. We use them for all our Greece transfers.
What does 3 days in Paros cost?
| Category | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Airbnb in Naousa, 3 nights (hosted by Panos) | $764.33 |
| Rental car | Auto Dermatas, 2.5 days incl. insurance, cash discount | $123 (€114) |
| Transfers | Welcome Pickups (arrival) | $40 one way |
| Food & drink | Est. €50–80/person/day × 3 days (dinners + lunches + coffee) | ~$330–530 for two |
| Beaches / activities | Most beaches in Paros are free; sunbed rental ~€8–15/pair | ~$50–80 |
| Estimated total (2 people) | ~$1,400–1,700 |
The food estimate is based on ordering a full meal with drinks at each sit-down restaurant.
Three days isn’t a lot of time in Paros, but it’s enough to feel like you actually lived there for a minute rather than just passed through. The goal was always slower and less scheduled than the rest of the trip — beaches in the morning, good food at night, no alarm clocks unless necessary.
Practical tips before you go
Light layer for evenings. June nights in the Cyclades can be breezy, especially along the harbor. A linen shirt or light jacket saves you from being cold at an outdoor dinner table.
Book restaurants early. Barbarossa and Yemeni are the two hardest to get in June — aim for 3–4 weeks ahead minimum. Siparos is slightly easier but still worth booking in advance.
Get the extra rental car insurance. The roads are narrow and shared with ATVs. EUR 30 for peace of mind is a no-brainer.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen. Several Paros beaches post signs asking for it, and it’s the right call near the rock formations at Kolympethres.
Water shoes for rocky beaches. Kolympethres and Krios both have rocky entry points — a cheap pair makes a big difference.
Carry cash. Auto Dermatas gives you a discount for cash payment. Several smaller cafes and beach bars are cash-preferred.
Ferries run on Greek time. Technically they have schedules. In practice, build a buffer on any connection that matters.
I’ll Update This After the Trip
We’re heading here soon, so I’ll come back and update this with:
what’s worth skipping
what actually worked
what I’d change
and whether Paros felt worth the hype.
More details on our overall Greece itinerary below:
14 Days in Greece: Island-Hopping Milos, Santorini, Paros, and Athens
How to Fly to Greece Using Points (Step by Step Guide)
Leave a Reply