Where to Stay in Paros: The Best Areas for Every Kind of Trip

Deciding where to stay in Paros matters more than most people expect. The island is compact — you can drive across it in about half an hour — but each corner has a completely different rhythm. Pick the right base and everything you came for is on your doorstep; pick the wrong one and you will spend your holiday commuting to the place you wish you had booked.

We live and work here, just outside Naoussa, so we have a bias — and we will be upfront about it. But we also answer this exact question from guests every week, and the honest answer is always “it depends on what you want from the trip”. Here is how the island breaks down.

Paros at a glance: how the island is laid out

Paros has two main towns. Parikia, on the west coast, is the capital and the ferry port. Naoussa, on the north coast, is the former fishing village that has become the island’s most sought-after address. They are roughly 10 km apart, about 15–20 minutes by road, with frequent buses between them.

The east coast is a string of sandy beaches and small seaside villages — Piso Livadi, Logaras, Golden Beach, Drios. The interior rises to mountain villages such as Lefkes. The south and west (Aliki, Pounta) are quieter, close to the airport and to the little ferry that crosses to Antiparos.

Naoussa: best for food, atmosphere and beaches

If you have seen one photo of Paros, it was probably Naoussa’s old port: fishing boats, octopus drying in the sun, tables set a metre from the water, and the remains of a Venetian castle guarding the harbour mouth. Behind it, a maze of whitewashed lanes holds the island’s best concentration of restaurants, cocktail bars and boutiques.

Naoussa is also the best-placed town for beaches. Kolymbithres and Monastiri are a short water-taxi ride across the bay; Santa Maria, Lageri and several smaller coves are a few minutes away by road. We cover them all in our guide to the best beaches near Naoussa.

Stay here if: you want the classic Cycladic postcard, you care about eating well, you like being able to walk out for the evening, or it is your first time on the island.

Think twice if: you want total silence in July and August (the old town is lively until late), or you are on a tight budget — Naoussa is the island’s most in-demand area.

In the old town, or just outside it?

This is the decision within the decision. Staying inside Naoussa’s lanes puts you in the middle of everything, but rooms tend to be smaller, sea views are rare and parking is difficult. Staying a few minutes outside town gets you space, sea views and quiet nights, while keeping the harbour close enough for dinner.

That is the trade we made with Paros Comfy Suites: we are on the Xifara peninsula, about 2 km from Naoussa — a five-minute drive — with the sea on three sides, a sandy beach 50 metres from the door and Santa Maria beach 2 km up the road. Every suite has a sea view, several have private pools, and guests can borrow our bicycles free of charge. You give up being able to stumble home in two minutes; you gain waking up to nothing but water.

Parikia: best for short stays, ferries and buses

Parikia gets unfairly dismissed as “just the port”. Walk two minutes inland from the ferry dock and you are in a genuinely lovely old town, with a 13th-century Frankish castle built from ancient marble and the remarkable Panagia Ekatontapiliani, one of the most important Byzantine churches in Greece. The seafront faces west, so sunsets are better here than in Naoussa.

It is also the island’s transport hub. Nearly every bus route starts at the station beside the port, which makes Parikia the most practical base if you are relying on public transport or hopping between islands.

Stay here if: you have only one or two nights, you are catching an early ferry, or you want a wide range of accommodation at different budgets.

Think twice if: you are after that intimate fishing-village feel, or want the island’s better beaches within easy reach. Parikia’s town beaches (Livadia, Krios, Marcello) are pleasant rather than spectacular.

We compare the two towns in detail in Naoussa vs Parikia.

The east coast: best for beach-first holidays

Piso Livadi, Logaras, Golden Beach (Chrissi Akti), New Golden Beach and Drios line the island’s sheltered east side. The beaches are long, sandy and shallow; the villages are small and relaxed, with a handful of tavernas each. Golden Beach is one of the best-known windsurfing spots in Greece.

Stay here if: you are a family who wants to walk to the sand every morning, a windsurfer, or someone who wants a slow, feet-in-the-water week.

Think twice if: you want variety in the evenings. Dinner options are limited, and Naoussa is a 25–30 minute drive away — far enough that most people stop bothering after the second night.

Lefkes and the mountain villages: best for peace and walking

Lefkes, the old capital, sits in an amphitheatre of hills at the centre of the island. It is green, cool and astonishingly quiet, with marble-paved lanes and the start of the Byzantine Road, a thousand-year-old footpath to Prodromos.

Stay here if: you have been to the Cyclades before, you are visiting in spring or autumn to hike, or you actively want to be away from the coast.

Think twice if: this is a summer beach holiday. Every swim means a drive, and you will need a car.

Aliki, Pounta and the south-west: best for quiet and Antiparos

Aliki is a sleepy fishing village with good fish tavernas and a small sandy bay, a few minutes from the airport. Pounta, on the west coast, is where the small car ferry makes its short crossing to Antiparos and where kitesurfers gather.

Stay here if: you want a low-key village base, plan several trips to Antiparos, or have a very early flight.

Think twice if: you want to be near Naoussa’s restaurants and the northern beaches — they are at the opposite end of the island.

So, where should you stay in Paros?

A simple way to decide:

• First time, couples, food lovers, honeymooners: Naoussa or just outside it. See our Paros honeymoon guide if that is the occasion.
• One or two nights, island-hoppers, bus travellers: Parikia.
• Families who want sand at the doorstep: the east coast — or the Naoussa area if you would rather have restaurants and a choice of beaches.
• Walkers and repeat visitors: Lefkes.
• Peace seekers and Antiparos fans: Aliki or Pounta.

Whichever you choose, remember how small the island is. You can base yourself in one place and still see all of it — our how many days in Paros guide shows how to fit it together, and Paros without a car explains how to do it by bus and boat.

A quiet base, five minutes from Naoussa

If the Naoussa area sounds right but you would like sea views and calm nights rather than a room above a bar, that is exactly why Paros Comfy Suites exists. Fourteen suites on a private peninsula, some with their own pools, a sandy beach next door and the old port five minutes away. Have a look at the suites and the location, and when you are ready, book direct at paroscomfysuites.com — it is always the best way to reach us, and we are happy to help plan the rest of your stay.