3 days in Naoussa, Paros | Where to eat, stay and explore

If you’re after classic Greek Island food, architecture, atmosphere and natural wonders, Paros is a great choice. As part of the Cyclades group, it is close to a bunch of other highly sought after islands, via a short ferry or plane ride away. It has the beauty of the white washed buildings, blue-domed churches and cobblestone streets of Mykonos, without the manic tourist energy, and is the perfect combination of laid-back with a bustling restaurant scene.

We opted to fly into Paros having just arrived to Athens airport via international flights, and arranged a ground transfer to Naoussa through our accomodation. Travelling mid-August and peak season made accomodation, transfers and car rentals more expensive, but unavoidable. You can also get to Paros (Parikia Port) via ferry which is a good option if you are coming from another Greek island.

Naoussa is a picturesque fishing village situated in the northern part of the island, small enough to be walkable yet large enough to have a wide selection of bars, eateries, souvenir shops and upscale boutiques. There are many beaches that can be easily accessed via boat taxi or car/ATV/scooter hire, or you can enjoy wandering the charming harbour town whilst shopping up a storm, visiting the churches, or simply enjoying a freddo espresso or gelato along the waterfront.

We chose to stay in Naoussa prior to our sail trip as we would get the opportunity to see Parikia after disembarking from the boat. Our accomodation Quartano Luxury Cycladic Residences was located 10 minutes walk from the old town, with a handy mini market, bakery and laundry service a couple of minutes away. One of the best things about this hotel was the included breakfast, a buffet style but served by the staff, and ranged from cooked-to-order options e.g. Greek omelette with potatoes and vegetables, to yoghurt, fruit, baking/pastries, eggs, mini quiches/tarts, juices, coffee and tea. Other amenities included a swimming pool, wifi, air conditioning, spacious rooms, a balcony and outdoor seating areas.

Note: Our room did not have a separate shower room, there was a clear window from the ceiling to chest/shoulder height separating the shower from the bedroom which we were not expecting! The rooms were also not completely sound proof which was evident when we overheard night activities coming from the neighbours’ quarters…

We rented a car for 24 hours to visit a few beaches outside the village, including Santa Anna Beach, Monastiri Beach and Kolymbithres Beach. I booked with Motorland online a few months in advance to ensure an automatic car was available, but you can also access Monastiri Beach, Kolymbithres Beach and Lageri Beach via boat taxi for €10-€15 return. Motorland did not have the car ready at the booking time (10am), so we wandered over to Piperi Beach to have a look, and coincidently, we would be having dinner above the beach that night at Deck Bar & Restaurant (a good sunset spot for a drink or dinner). The retail shops in Naoussa typically open around 11am-12pm, but a handful of cafes and bakeries were open for breakfast.

Tip: The car will come with a certain amount of petrol that you will need to top back up to upon returning the rental. We were advised that €40 was enough to drive around the entire island. We topped up €20 which ended up being too much for driving out to Santa Anna, Monastiri and Kolymbithres a couple of times.

Monastiri Bay

We visited the bay and beach on two occasions, once via car and a second time via catamaran. There is a beach bar and restaurant, plush sun beds and cabanas for hire (price based on row/proximity to the water), water sports, and Paros Park that has hiking trails to beaches, a natural arch, the hilltop, a lighthouse, and a church. The grilled shrimp pasta with cherry tomatoes and zucchini was delicious at the restaurant, and the menu differs at the restaurant vs at the beach bar. You can also bring a towel and lay out on the sand or rocks and enjoy the bay and beach for free.

Kolymbithres Beach

Just a 10 minute drive from Naoussa, Kolymbithres Beach is unique with its craggy rock formations, whilst also offering sun beds and umbrellas on some sandy sections. The granite rocks are smooth enough to lay out on, and there are a few beach bars and tavernas along the road that leads to the beach. There is plenty of parking available, but watch out for the huge potholes once you have turned onto the dirt path. The morning I visited was incredibly windy with choppy waters, so Monastiri or Santa Anna beaches may be a better option in such conditions.

Santa Anna Beach

If you’re after a smaller beach and calm bay away from rows of paid for sun beds, Santa Anna Beach perched on the north east tip of Paros is the beach for you. Parking is scarce along the road that leads to the beach, a first in first served scenario! You can also explore around the coast for even more secluded bays by foot.

Some of our food highlights in Naoussa included:

Sigi Ikthios – an outdoor restaurant in the heart of the waterfront square, serving perfectly cooked seafood. The atmosphere was great, and our skipper/host called ahead to book a table for our group of 7 at 8pm as it is a very popular restaurant. You can also order drinks from Salty Cocktail Bar when seated here. The service was the best/fastest out of all the restaurants we dined at over the entire Greece trip.

Ragoussis Bakery – open 24 hours and serves all types of food, from sandwiches (panini style), classic hot Greek dishes, salads, bakery goods (breads, cookies, doughnuts, cakes), baklava, fresh fruit juices, coffee, and an assortment of ice creams and drinks in various fridges. This is a perfect stop for some sweet treats to take back to your accomodation, or to pack a picnic lunch when you’re going out for a day of beach hopping.

Stilvi – an outdoor fine dining restaurant set in a private courtyard amongst the cobblestone streets of Naoussa. The cocktails come in huge glasses, and some of the highlights included the chicken yakitori, tuna tartare and steamed cod with leek foam. Dinner only, bookings required.

Almond – one of the few cafes/restaurants open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, evoking a boho wellness vibe. They have a wide selection of beverages including an extensive specialty coffee menu, bubble drinks (I loved the matcha raspberry bubble latte), juices and cocktails. The food ranges from brunch options to Greek dishes, and whilst not strictly vegan/vegetarian, there are many options for these diets. You can also buy takeaway salads, pies and sandwiches, and takeaway drinks are cheaper than dine-in.

Pita Frank – the gyros here are €3.80 and oh so delicious! There is seating available and the sweet burger/cocktail sauce that they serve with fries can’t be missed. Definitely the best bang for buck meal we devoured on this trip 😀

For the duration of our stay in Naoussa, the wind was fierce which made exploring the sheltered streets a welcome reprieve, and we were unable to visit the remains of the Venetian Fortress until the following week on our last stop of the sail trip. There is a stone walkway from the sea side restaurants to the fortress, which can get battered with waves on a windy day, and once there, you can climb to the top level or peer through the windows for views of the white buildings, marina and boats, or rocky shores.

Naoussa is a charming village and a great base for a few days in Paros, and for my quick take on Parikia, you can have a look at my previous blog post, ‘Sailing the Greece Cyclades Islands’. Check out the video below that features Naoussa and the Paros beaches, as well as neighbouring islands Antiparos and Naxos, enjoy!