Paros is one of those places that, immediately when you arrive, you feel at home. I have to admit, I never considered a Greek island to be more than a family holiday destination – but after spending two weeks in Paros, I realized it’s the ultimate digital nomad destination! Continue reading for a guide on the best things to do in Paros as a digital nomad, including what to see and do, where to stay and eat, how to get there and how to get around.
In recent years, Paros has grown in popularity. An island tucked away in the Cyclades, equally beautiful as its neighbours Santorini or Mykonos, only less crowded. Paros has the iconic white houses with blue doors, winds perfect for water sports and some of the best beaches in Greece. Who wouldn’t want to live and work in that environment?!
Where to live in Paros
Paros has a few towns all worth a visit. Where I recommend you stay during your Paros workaction depends on what you are interested in doing. For a more lively experience, I suggest Naoussa, one of the biggest towns on the island. If you prefer a calmer experience, I suggest the mountain villages Lefkes or Marpissa. If you are more into water sports, I suggest you stay in the southern part of Paros, for example Pounda Bay.
Paros is not a very big island. If you rent a vehicle you can easily get around and get the full Paros experience, wherever you choose to stay.
Choose a coliving / coworking space for a seamless experience
As a digital nomad, you need to take more things into account besides location when you choose your accommodation. To me, it’s important with a proper kitchen, good wi-fi, a desk and preferably an area to socialize and meet other digital nomads.
That said, I can highly recommend Selina Paros – a colive/cowork space where digital nomads have everything they need under the same roof. Selina Paros offers well-sized rooms with desks, proper wi-fi, shared workspaces, a kitchen, a gym (with yoga classes!), a restaurant and bar, a pool and a private beach.
Transportation
How to get to Paros
You can get to Paros either by air or by sea. From Athens, you can catch a flight and be in Paros in 45 minutes. Aegean Airlines is the largest Greek airline and is a great option when booking flights both domestically and internationally.
For shorter trips, I usually prefer to stay on the ground (a great way to reduce your climate footprint!) which is why the ferry route with Blue Star Ferries was the better option for me. The ferry route from Athens to Piraeus took 4 hours, and I spent them working and sipping coffee from the cafe.
How to get around in Paros
As I mentioned above, Paros is not a very big island, but to get around you need a vehicle. You can rent a car, a scooter or an ATV. Which you should choose depends on how long you’re planning to stay in Paros, and whether you’re planning to explore or just relax.
Things to do in Paros
Vilage-hopping
My absolute favorite activity in Paros was renting a car and driving around, visiting all the enchanting villages. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that I think Paros is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
These are some of the villages you simply can’t miss while in Paros:
- Naoussa
- Lefkes
- Marpissa
- Prodromos
- Parikia
- Piso Livadi
Read more: Escaping to the villages of Paros
Try kitesurfing
Paros is huge on water sports! From June to September, the winds are perfect, which attracts windsurfers and kitesurfers from all over the world. If you are a surfer, or you want to try, there’s no better place to do so than Paros.
During my time in Paros, I had a two-hour kitesurfing trial with Paros Kite, which I can highly recommend! I had never tried windsurfing or kitesurfing before, but the guys at Paros Kite took good care of me.
Visit Antiparos
Next to Paros lies its little brother Antiparos, a beautiful island mostly known to be the summer getaway for celebrities like Tom Hanks. The boat from Pounta to Antiparos only takes 10 minutes, and costs €1.5 – €2, depending on the season.
Antiparos has beautiful beaches, a coastline filled with coves, a main village equally enchanting as Lefkes or Marpissa and a lively nighttime atmosphere.
My favorite experience in Antiparos was eating dinner at the fairytale-like restaurant Taverna Klimataria. Here you can enjoy delicious Greek food under a bright pink bougainvillea pergola.
Visit Naoussa harbour
The postcard-perfect Naoussa harbour deserves its own time to shine. With wooden boats docked close together, iconic white houses with blue doors and bougainvillea climbing up the walls, narrow cobbled laneways, and octopus drying in the sun… it doesn’t get more Greek than this.
Besides being the most picturesque spot in Paros, Naoussa harbour is also home to some of the island’s best restaurants. In the evening, strings of lights are lit and the whole harbour looks like a fairytale.
Tips: Not far from Naoussa harbour lies Come Back bar, a great place for brunch, lunch or a sunset drink.
Beach-hopping
Paros is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. The most iconic beach in Paros is Kolymbithres beach, with its smooth granite rock formations and crystal-clear, shallow water.
Other beaches well worth a visit are:
- Santa Maria
- Mikri Santa Maria
- Kalogeros (popular for its clay mud that is supposed to make your skin smooth)
- Faragas
In summary
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Paros is perfect for those who like the laidback island life
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picture-perfect Greek villages
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Gorgeous beaches
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Ideal winds for kitesurfing
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Great number of restaurants and beach bars
