This is where our engagement photographer took us during our second day of pictures. It is a beautiful hike high up along cliffs (not as dangerous as it sounds, this would be fine for children) overlooking the sea. The hike starts from the far northeast tip of the island. Type “Paros Park” into Google Maps for the starting point and more information about the hike(s), there are several trails, all well marked for a good day of exploring if you choose to. It is not a difficult hike, and it is a quick round trip (~1hr). Go about an hour before sunset for the best views, and to avoid the heat.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful beach that is surrounded by cliffs that are covered in an exfoliating mud that you can wipe onto your body and rinse off in the water. It’s a really unique experience, and is fantastic for swimming. This beach does not have a restaurant near it so there are no chairs/umbrellas to rent, it is pretty rustic. Also, some parts of the beach are narrow, so if you see a large ferry go by (even far off the coast where you might think “oh, this couldn’t possibly be an issue!”) pick up anything you want to remain dry because within 5 minutes the water will get very wavy and come up to the cliffs where it’ll get everything on the sand wet - we learned this the hard way!

This place is really fun, they have nice chairs and umbrellas for rent on the beach with restaurant service and it's another excellent swimming spot. If you like water sports, this is a good place to go. Right between the restaurants on the beach, there is a water sports center where you can hop on a boat for tubing, water skiing, parasailing, etc. Also, there is a mini market right on the beach! So although you will pay 40-50 euros to rent at set of beach chairs/umbrella, you can avoid the high restaurant prices by going to grab drinks and snacks at the market.

If you just spent the day at Santa Maria beach, stop by Thalami restaurant for dinner on your way back (if you are staying in/around Piso Livadi). We have gone here three times - this place had some of the best food we found on the island, and it helps that it is very cheap. It’s a casual restaurant but the food is incredible (if you get a Greek salad anywhere, get it here). Everything comes in large portions to share and of course, you're right on the water with an amazing view of the sea and Naxos.

This is an interesting one! It is listed as a winery on Google maps, but it is just one guy who makes his own wine, olives, and olive oil on his 300 year old family farm. His hours are 10:30am-1:30pm, and 5-8pm. He will give you a tour of his property and tell you about the history of it, and serve you a lot of free homemade wine and food (olives, cheese, bread, figs etc.), hang out with you, and maybe even play you some live music. Other travelers might show up, and you’ll all sit at one table in his beautiful garden and hang out together. He does not ask for any money at all, but please leave him a tip and/or buy some homemade wine and/or olive oil from him as you’re leaving (it’s delicious, cheap, and a nice thing to do for his hospitality!). You’ll need cash to buy from him!

Antiparos is another tiny island that is very close to Paros, you can get there (with or without your car) via ferry. Catch the ferry at Pounta Paros port for 2 euro per passenger and 7.30 euros per car (you'll pay on the boat and cannot book tickets ahead of time, they take cards or cash). It's about a 10 minute boat ride. You'll arrive in Antiparos town, a small but very beautiful town where you can shop and get lunch. If you bring your car, explore other parts of the island like Antiparos Cave and get food at Captain Pipinos Seafood Taverna.

This is a picturesque town with seemingly endless winding, whitewashed alleys, cute shops, and good food. It is the best place in the island to watch the sunset. Grab a spot at a restaurant on the port and enjoy the views.

Lefkes is smack dab in the middle of the drive to/from Parikia and Piso Livadi, so you'll likely pass through it at some point anyway. It's an adorable tiny town nestled into the hills with some of the most incredible views.

Aliki is a small fishing village on the southwest side of the island. It is well known for good quality seafood, and there are several nice restaurants directly on the water to choose from. Our favorites are Vassilis and ΤΟ ΜΟΥΡΑΓΙΟ.

Naoussa is similar to Parikia but unlike Parikia, Naoussa has excellent nightlife. It is a very popular and high end town filled with upscale restaurants, shopping, and late-night bars and clubs. It is a beautiful place to have dinner and drinks. We really like Foti’s All Day Bar which is right on the water and open until the wee hours of the morning for any night owls! I don't have any specific recommendations for food here but I can recommend that you NOT go to Meltemi, their food is not great for the price and their service is somewhat scammy. We have heard that Linardo Club is fantastic, it is only open from 11pm-6am so you can probably guess the vibe.