Where to Stay in Paros

Greece › Paros › Best Places to Stay
Updated: April 22, 2024
By Santorini Dave

Our Favorite Paros Hotels

• 5-Star: Saint Andrea
• 4-Star: Kallisti
• Boutique: Stelia Mare
• Cheap: Villa Isabella
• Beach Resort: Poseidon
• For Couples: Parilio
• For Families: Poseidon
• Parikia: Argonauta
• Naoussa: Senia • Paliomylos

The best place to stay for couples and honeymooners in Paros, Greece.

Naoussa is the most upscale and trendy town in Paros. Great for couples and honeymooners.

Our favorite hotels and things to do on Paros in Greece.
1. Argonauta • 2. Parilio • 3. Saint Andrea • 4. Paliomylos • 5. Senia • 6. Villa Isabella • 7. Kallisti • 8. Stelia Mare • 9. Poseidon

Staying in Paros – Tips & Advice

Where to stay in Paros.

View of Parikia from an arriving ferry. Shops, bars, and restaurants are clustered in the streets straight ahead. A handful of hotels are within walking distance of the port. The bus station is visible to the right.

  • Which towns and beaches in Paros are best? Stay in Parikia or Naoussa for a great mix of walkability, dining, nightlife, shopping, and good beach access. Stay in Antiparos or Chrissi Akti for an idyllic beach escape at a slow pace. Stay in Livadia to explore natural wonders, like nearby Kolymbithres Beach and Paros Park. Stay in a fishing village – Piso Livadi, Aliki, or Drios – for authentic Greek hospitality, wonderful food, and great beaches. Parikia and Naoussa are best if you’re not renting a car.
  • Booking.com is the best website for booking hotels in Paros.
  • See Also: Best Hotels in Paros • Best Family Hotels in Paros • Best Beach Hotels in Paros • Best Beaches in Paros • Best Hotels in Antiparos

Best Places to Stay in Paros?

Best place to stay in Naoussa, Paros.

Hotel Senia, just above Piperi Beach in the magical seaside town of Naoussa. Restaurants, nightlife, and bus station are within an easy walk.

  • Best Place for First Timers: Naoussa
    The charming seaside town of Naoussa is the best place to stay for first-time visitors to Paros. A half-sunken Venetian castle anchors its picturesque Old Port, with fishing boats and pleasure boats moored in its natural bay. A water taxi connects Naoussa to three gorgeous beaches: Kolymbithres (known for its lunar-like landscape), Monastiri (part of Paros Park nature preserve), and Laggeri (a rustic, clothing-optional beach). More than a dozen small chapels and churches dot the harbor and streets, many open to pedestrians only. The island’s only winery sits on a hillside at the edge of the village. Certainly quaint but also sophisticated, Naoussa’s winding flagstone lanes host several fine dining restaurants, swish cocktail lounges, trendy hotels, and luxury boutiques offering clothing and accessories from Greek and international designers. Two beaches, Piperi and Agioi Anargyroi, bookend the village. Both are organized beaches with sunbed/umbrella sets, casual snack bars, and hotels onsite or steps away.
  • Best Places for Sightseeing: Parikia, Naoussa, and Livadia
    Parikia is home to the landmark Byzantine church Panagia Ekatontapiliani (Church of 100 Doors), the Frankish castle ruins, and an archaeological museum). Naoussa’s Old Port is home to a mostly sunken Venetian castle and a winery. Livadia is the closest area to the natural wonder of Kolymbithres Beach and Paros Park nature preserve.
  • Best Places for Living Like a Local: Piso Livadi, Ambelas, Aliki, and Drios
    These four picturesque fishing villages each have a small marina, authentic tavernas serving fresh-caught seafood, and lovely little beaches. Piso Livadi is the busiest of the four with a larger marina and more beach clubs, while Ambelas and Aliki are the best for families, and Drios is almost always quiet, except during the peak travel month of August.
  • Best Beach with Hotels: Chrissi Akti or Antiparos
    Chrissi Akti (AKA Golden Beach) has a long stretch of soft sand, turquoise water, beach clubs, a dive center, and a water sports center. Antiparos is a laid-back island (easily visible from Paros) with several idyllic sandy beaches wrapped around its coast.

Staying in Parikia

Good hotel in Parikia, Paros.
A map of Parikia on Paros island in Greece.

Parikia is the capital of Paros and where most travelers will arrive and depart. This bustling village is home to the island’s most important historic landmark, Panagia Ekatontapiliana (Church of 100 Doors), a Byzantine church dating to the 4th-century A.D. and believed to be founded by St. Helene, mother of Emperor Constantine. Near the church is a small archaeological museum, and the ruins of a 13th-century Frankish castle built by the Venetians out of an already ruined 6th-century BC temple. Heading south along the waterfront, you’ll find a string of lively bars and casual tavernas with unobstructed sunset sea views. Some of Paros’ best restaurants, bars, artisan workshops, and local product shops can be found in the village’s maze of pedestrian footpaths. The main ferry port is in the middle with marinas and beaches on either side. Livadia Beach in the northeast is the main beach of Parikia, though Parasporos to the southwest is the best beach in the area.

The Best Hotels in Parikia

Staying in Naoussa

Luxury hotel in Naoussa, Paros.
A map of Naoussa on Paros island in Greece.

Cosmopolitan Naoussa is more modern than Parikia but no less charming. The village sits in a natural bay at the north end of the island with fishing boats docked and a 12th-century Venetian castle half sunken in the Old Port. From the old port, there is a water taxi connecting Naoussa with Kolymbithres Beach (known for its moon-like rock formations), Monastiri Beach (family-friendly, part of Paros Park), and Laggeri Beach (a popular clothing-optional beach). Several picturesque seafood restaurants and cocktail bars sit along the waterfront. Heading inland you’ll find the typical Cycladic tangle of pedestrian streets, filled with colorful bougainvillea, boutiques, churches, and a winery. Dining, nightlife, and hotels here tend to be trendier and more luxurious than those in Parikia, though plenty of casual options still abound.

The Best Hotels in Naoussa

Staying in Livadia

Beach on Paros, Greece.
A map of Livadia on Paros island in Greece.

The Livadia neighborhood (not to be confused with Livadia Beach in Parikia) is a luxury resort space between Naoussa village and Kolymbithres Beach. Once the site of a Mycenaean acropolis, the latest developments here have all been high-end hotels and villas. Ideal for romantic getaways or family vacations, Livadia offers quiet, restful nights with easy access to the dining, shopping, and nightlife of Naoussa and the natural wonders of Kolymbithres Beach’s granite rock formations and Paros Park’s sandy beaches and hiking trails. There are no restaurants or markets here, so it’s a good idea to stay at a hotel with a shuttle service into Naoussa and Kolymbithres (there are plenty here) or to rent a car.

The Best Hotels in Livadia

Staying at Chrissi Akti Beach & Nea Chrissi Akti Beach

Luxury beach resort on Paros.
A map of Chrissi Akti Beach and Nea Chrissi Akti Beach on Paros island in Greece.

Chrissi Akti Beach, also called Golden Beach, is one of the best beaches on Paros. Its long expanse of fine, soft sand literally sparkles in the sun due to its glass-like composition. The water is shallow for a long way out, making this a popular beach among families with younger children. Several beach clubs, hotels, tavernas, and water sports centers (offering lessons and equipment rentals) run the length of the beach. Like many Cycladic beaches, Chrissi Akti catches the strong meltemi winds, but its location on the east side of the island facing nearby Naxos compresses the wind and boosts its strength, making this the top windsurfing and kitesurfing beach on the island. The yearly Professional Windsurfing World Cup takes place at Nea Chrissi Akti Beach (a.k.a. New Golden Beach or Tseredakia Beach – about 850 meters north along the coast) every August, so book early for travel during this time.

The Best Hotel at Chrissi Akti Beach

The Best Hotel at Nea Chrissi Akti Beach

Staying at Parasporos Beach

Beach near Parikia, Paros.
A map of Parasporos Beach on Paros island in Greece.

About 3 km from the ferry port (a 30-minute walk away), Parasporos Beach is the best beach close to Parikia. Though only about 250 meters long, this little beach is filled with activity all summer long thanks to its two beach clubs with all-day music, late-night dancing, and peak summer parties. The beach is mostly sandy with pebbles beginning at the waters’ edge and extending into the sea for a couple of meters; the water is emerald and turquoise colors, calm as a pool, and great for swimming. Lodging is a mix of luxury and budget hotels and a campground. The crowd skews younger here with many partiers in their 20s and early 30s.

The Best Hotels in Parasporos Beach

Staying in the Fishing Villages

Aliki Beach in Paros.
A map of the Fishing Villages on Paros island in Greece.

For a taste of local life, stay in one of Paros’ fishing villages, the best of which are Piso Livadi, Ambelas, Aliki, and Drios. All of these villages boast sandy, swimmable beaches; casual, waterfront, seafood tavernas (many owned by the fishermen’s families); and small marinas where local fishers go out early in the morning to catch the seafood delights served fresh here or sold in the larger villages of the island. Though small, Piso Livadi on the east side is the busiest and most charming of the villages, with a larger marina and 3 lively beaches; many guests enjoying the food and beaches here are on day trips from nearby Naxos Island. Aliki in the southwest is the largest of the fishing villages, popular for windsurfing during the height of summer and ideal for families with plenty of restaurants, beaches, affordable hotels, a playground, and the Museum of Cycladic Folklore, a tiny museum run by a fisherman-turned-artist who makes miniature replicas of traditional boats. Family-friendly Ambelas is a tiny village offering a quiet stay with a shallow, sandy, calm beach, though its convenient location just 3.5 km from Naoussa makes it a breeze to enjoy the village for dining and nightlife. Drios at the south end of the island is the quietest of the four villages and only really gets busy during August for its windsurfing (Chrissi Akti Beach is on the outskirts of Drios).

The Best Hotels in Piso Livadi

The Best Hotels in Aliki

The Best Hotels in Ambelas

The Best Hotels in Drios

Staying in Lefkes

Traditional village in Paros.
A map of Lefkes on Paros island in Greece.

Lefkes is a traditional, mountain village in central Paros in the greenest part of the island, perched at the highest altitude, boasting panoramic views to the sea and Naxos island. Lefkes was the island’s capital during the medieval era, and its former grandeur is reflected in its 15th-century churches and mix of Venetian, neoclassical, and Cycladic architecture. Its most recognizable landmark is the Church of Agia Triada (Holy Trinity), built in 1830. Several smaller churches, mostly built after the 17th century, are scattered around the village. Formerly the agricultural hub of Paros, Lefkes is now largely a tourist destination with wonderful boutiques, tavernas, museums, and galleries. A popular hiking trail, the Byzantine Road, is an ancient stone footpath dating back to about 1000 A.D. and connecting Lefkes with Prodromos village, about 3.5 km away. Though Lefkes can get crowded, especially when a tour bus or two is in town, most people don’t stay overnight. There are only a few small hotels and guesthouses here.

The Best Hotels in Lefkes

Staying in Antiparos

Hotel with view in Antiparos.
A map of Antiparos island in Greece.

The nearby island of Antiparos is perfect for truly getting away, ringed with sandy beaches and crystal-clear water, filled with authentic tavernas, and home to a handful of family-owned boutique hotels. The main village, simply called Antiparos Town, sits at the north end of the island with its small port on the eastern edge and Venetian castle ruins at its heart. On the southeast side of the island is the resort area of Agios Georgios, the next largest settlement. Though there are a couple of beach clubs and casual seaside restaurants, most of the beaches here are left natural and peaceful. Take a ferry to the uninhabited island of Despotiko to enjoy even quieter beaches and glimpse the ancient ruins of a sanctuary believed to be devoted to Apollo (excavations are currently underway). Antiparos has garnered some attention more recently as a favorite retreat of celebrities, including Tom Hanks, who owns a villa here.

The Best Hotels in Antiparos

Read More

About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.