Paros For Kids And Families

Quick Links:
Hotels in Paros – the best website for finding hotels in Paros
Bus Schedule for Getting Around Paros
Paros Travel Info – a great resource for planning a trip
The 5 Best Greek Islands for Kids
The Best Beaches In Greece

Travel Information for the Greek Island of Paros

Paros, smack in the middle of the Cyclades, is a little bit of everything. The warren of narrow lanes and alleys that form the Old Quarter of Parikia. The great beaches of Naoussa, Krios and Aliki that rival the best of the cyclades. Paros could be described as a big Mykonos or a small Naxos, but let’s just call it a great place to have a family vacation. Parikia makes a great base for exploring the island and Paros itslef is very well connected to the rest of the Cyclade islands.

Attractions for Kids and Families

Paros Sailing Club
The club, on the beach in Parikia, offers sailing and swimming lessons.

Boat in the harbor at Naoussa, Paros.
Kakou Rding Center
Dany and Ivan have been offering horse rides through Paros for over 20 years now. They have 19 horses, so if you’re with a large group, this could make an excellent way to tour the island.
Day trip to Antiparos
The accommodation and restaurant choices on this small neighboring island are few, but the beaches are marvelous, making it a good candidate for a day trip. Hop on a boat in Parikia (some tours include drinks and food) and spend some time on this enchanting island and a few of its beaches.

Kolymbithres Beach
Rock formations which remind some people of the moon dot this cove protected beach. Don’t visit to swim, get here early and adventure among the rocks.

Parikia, Naoussa, and Aliki all have kids’ playgrounds.

Best Beaches for Families with Children

Livadia Beach, Parikia
Essentially Parikia’s town beach, it’s popular, lively and features many good beach and water activities, making it a good choice for older kids.

The beautiful beaches of Paros in the Greek islands.
Souvlia Beach, just outside Parikia
You’ll need a taxi to get here from Parikia. But a beautiful beach and good protection from the wind make the short trip worth it.

Santa Maria Beach, near Naoussa
Naoussa has a good town beach but this one is even better. South facing so it’s protected from the Meltemi (the intense winds of the Aegean that typically peak in August).

Aliki village and beach
This is a great choice if your visiting in the high season of July and August (when Parikia and Naoussa can be swarmed with tourists) but may have little open if you arrive in May or October. The beach faces south so once again has some protection from the wind.

Ferry to Paros

Paros is just 5 hours from Athens by ferry and 2 1/2 hours by high speed ferry. The island makes a great jumping off point to exploring the rest of the Cyclades due to its central location and good ferry connections to the rest of the islands. Santorini, Mykonos, and Naxos are all just an hour or two away.

Flights to Paros

Olympic Airways flies from Athens to Paros. The closest islands with cheap budget flights from the major hubs in Western Europe are Santorini and Mykonos. The following low cost airlines fly to Santorini and/or Mykonos: