Your Guide to Spending 48 Hours in Paros
48 hours in Paros, Greece, is a short window of time to wander through the island’s distinctive neighborhoods comprising flowering alleyways, cerulean blue and white buildings, and cordial cats. But this short-lived contact with Paros accomplished what flirting does best: it left me wanting more.
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Is 2 Days Enough for Paros?
At first glance, a mere two days on an island might make the trip seem pointless. However, Paros is the type of destination that can make a striking impression on you the moment you meet eyes. While I would have loved to devote an entire extra week to Paros alone, our two days on the island did not feel rushed and allowed us to coast through the streets at a slower pace, pound down baklava, purchase commemorative jewelry, embark on a rural hike from one village to another, and even recover from a bad case of food poisoning I traced back to a pastry from our ferry ride.
Even with me having to spend almost half a day in bed due to the aforementioned food poisoning, I still felt that we accomplished a good amount of exploring during this time. If you have two days available in your schedule, please dedicate them to scouting the picturesque scenes that Paros offers on a daily basis.
Best Neighborhoods to Explore on Paros
Paros’ main star is its scattered neighborhoods painting a blue and white portrait best experienced in person. Discover the best neighborhoods in Paros and their other can’t-miss spots below.
Parikia
As Paros’ main capital, Parikia is a spirited district brought to life by seductive restaurants, blossoming trees, Greek Orthodox churches, hidden paintings inspired by their surroundings, and romantic terraces. Devote a few hours to strolling through these streets, admiring the quieter atmosphere on the outskirts of the village, serpentining between homes, leading you towards the energetic city square. With a number of restaurants and souvenir shops, there is plenty to occupy you as it begins to get dark.
Before ending your time of exploration, make sure to stop at the Frankish Castle of Parikia. These obscure architectural remains contrast greatly with the rest of the neighborhood but are an interesting glimpse into the island’s past, as the castle was originally built in the 1200s by the Venetians when Paros previously belonged to the Duchy of Naxos.
Just as dusk is setting in, the sky’s transition period makes for a perfect time to walk to Alexandros Cafe. Whether dining here or not, the windmill structure becomes lit with the setting sun as its backdrop, making for a stunning view.
Lefkes Village
Lefkes is a traditional village a short bus ride away from Parikia that resembles much of Parikia’s charm in its attractive framework, inviting tourists to get lost in its streets. With the influence that Instagram has over tourism, there is one home, in particular, that elicits a small crowd of tourists each day, thanks to its overhead fuschia bougainvillea. In order to find the home, plug Bougainvillea Corner House into Google Maps. As with any home you are taking pictures near, always be respectful of its residents and don’t linger longer than necessary.
While exploring the surroundings, don’t miss Agia Triada, the island’s second-largest church with historical roots. The church’s exterior models skilled workmanship and is worth visiting if you make the trip to Lefkes.
Prodromos and Marpissa
Arguably even more traditional than Lefkes are Prodromos and Marpissa, two similarly-looking villages with authentic restaurants, more beloved cats, and accessorized buildings. Our stop in Prodromos was short and sweet, as we were in need of sustenance after hiking the Byzantine Trail from Lefkes to Prodromos. This hike took a bit longer than expected and came at a time when I wasn’t feeling too hot thanks to the food poisoning I incurred, but I pushed through it and enjoyed the views of the countryside on the way, a site that most individuals are not able to say they’ve witnessed. Although I felt too nauseous to even sit inside the restaurant my friends picked out, they had nothing but great things to say about their meals.
From Prodromos, we walked about another 20 minutes to the village of Marpissa in search of a pink door that again found its fame on Instagram. After a bit of aimless wandering, we finally came across this blush-colored frame. While taking photos, the owner of the house greeted us to let us know that she takes photo donations. The money collected goes directly towards sterilizing the stray cats in their village, which is a cause I can definitely get behind. Instagram-famous destinations can create some positive change, after all!
Can You Do a Day Trip to Paros?
Depending on where you are traveling from, it is possible to do Paros in one day, but this might make you feel more rushed than you would like. Catching a ferry from a nearby island or even from the capital of Athens can transport you to Paros by the late afternoon, leaving you with a few hours to explore its neighborhoods closest to the port before catching another ferry back to your starting point.
Check out the ferry schedule and prices here.
While it can be done, if you have the flexibility to stay at least one night in Paros, I would highly recommend doing so in order to get a better taste of the island’s nightlife, as European towns have the tendency to become most enchanting once the sun goes down. Not to mention the sunset from Paros itself was the prettiest lit-up sky I’d witnessed throughout the entire trip.
Is It Easy to Get From Athens to Paros?
Traveling from Athens to Paros was relatively easy. While you do have the option to fly, I recommend ditching the stress of airport security, boarding and deboarding, and finding a taxi to and from the airport and instead opting for a simplistic ferry ride.
Taking the Ferry from Athens to Paros: Ferry tickets in Greece are sold at an economical price and provide travelers with direct access to one island from another. Your ferry will leave from the busy Pireaus Port and transport you to Paros, making stops along the way. From here, traveling to our accommodation was uncomplicated, as the friendly host of our Airbnb provided us with a free ride to and from the ferry port on our arrival and departure.
View ferry prices here.
How Much Is a Ferry From Athens to Paros?
Ferry tickets can differ depending on the time of year, time of day, and ferry line you are traveling with. However, the prices seemed reasonable to me, ranging from €40-55 one way. Given that bringing luggage didn’t incur any add-on costs and we didn’t have to splurge on any taxis, this was one of the cheapest ways to travel to Paros from Athens.
How Long is the Ferry From Athens to Paros?
Keep in mind that the ferry from Athens to Paros will make some stops on the way. Even with these stops, however, the entire trip only takes a little over 4 hours.
Is Paros Worth Visiting?
In my travels through Greece, I had the opportunity to visit some less touristy destinations and local towns I would have never thought to include in my itinerary if it hadn’t been for my trip with MedSailors. However, Paros had remained one of the top places I wished to visit prior to mapping out our desired destinations due to its mesmerizing photos mimicking the essence of Greece that I wished to experience. Including 48 hours in Paros as the finale to our trip was 100% worth it and is a top destination I would recommend to any traveler, no matter how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to the island.
Head to my other blog posts on Greece to help you plan your trip!
