A whitewashed fishing harbour, marble quarries that supplied the Venus de Milo, and beaches on every side. The island people move to once Mykonos prices them out.
Same white cubes, same blue domes, same light — and a dinner bill from a different decade.
Naoussa is a working fishing harbour that happens to be beautiful, with tavernas around the water and a Venetian ruin in it. Parikia has the ferry port and a Byzantine church that predates most of Greece's famous sites. The beaches are spread around the island and there are enough of them that none is crowded. It's also the Cycladic ferry hub, so hopping to Naxos, Antiparos, Mykonos or Santorini is straightforward — which makes Paros the sensible base for an island-hopping week.
A harbour, a marble mountain, and an island next door.
A fishing harbour with a half-sunk Venetian fort at its mouth, and tavernas on the water. The best evening in the Cyclades.
Wind-sculpted granite boulders around shallow turquoise coves. Odd, photogenic and calm — a short boat from Naoussa.
Ten minutes by ferry. A smaller, quieter island with a cave, good beaches and almost nothing else.
A mountain village of marble lanes, with a paved Byzantine path down to the coast. Two hours, downhill, and lovely.
A church in Parikia dating to the fourth century — older than almost anything standing in Greece. Free, and quiet.
The east coast, where the wind is. Windsurfing and kitesurfing, and world championship events in August.
Two towns and a scatter of beaches.
The fishing harbour. Restaurants, small hotels and a short bus to the beaches. Our usual pick.
Where the ferries dock. Bigger, busier, with the old town behind it and better value.
East coast. Long sandy stretches and reliable wind. Quiet outside the surf crowd.
Ten minutes across. Small, low-key and where you'd go to do very little.
May to September, with June and September the best of it.
July and August are hot and busy, particularly with Greek visitors, and the meltemi blows hardest. May, June and September give warm sea, comfortable days and much better prices. The island quietens sharply from mid-October, though Parikia stays open year-round as a working town.
Fly to Athens then a 40-minute flight or a 3–4 hour ferry. Paros also takes some seasonal direct charters.
Buses link the main towns and beaches. Scooters and cars are cheap, and the island is small.
Euro. Cash for tavernas and beach bars.
Frequent to Naxos, Mykonos, Santorini and Antiparos. Book ahead in August.
We'll base you here and add one or two islands by ferry. Payment plan written out in full.
Paros for the same beauty at half the price and a fraction of the crowds. Mykonos for the nightlife and the scene. We'd send most people to Paros.
Naxos is bigger with better beaches and a mountainous interior. Paros is prettier in the harbour and better connected. Both are excellent value.
It's the best base in the Cyclades for it. Naxos, Santorini, Mykonos, Ios and Antiparos are all short ferries.
Via Athens, by air or ferry. There are some seasonal direct flights — we'll price both routings.
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
10 nights · May–Jun, Sep–Oct · from £1,449pp
11 nights · May–Jun, Sep · from £1,149pp
10 nights · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · from £849pp
11 nights · Apr, Oct · from £2,699pp
12 nights · Jun–Oct, Jan–Feb · from £3,399pp
12 nights · Jul–Oct · from £3,099pp
11 nights · Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb · from £1,799pp
11 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
