Kolymbithres beach with smooth granite rocks and turquoise water, Paros

14 Beaches Reviewed

Best Beaches in Paros, Greece

Paros has over 30 beaches. These are the 14 that cover the full range, from dramatic granite formations to windsurf meccas and quiet family coves, with honest advice on what each one is best for and how to get there.

Last updated July 2026 · 14 min read

Most beaches in Paros face west or south, the Aegean sunset here is real, not a Santorini cliché. The north coast gets the Meltemi wind, which makes it perfect for kitesurfing but less ideal for relaxed swimming. The south coast has the calmest, clearest water. The east coast is sheltered and local.

If you remember one thing, make it this: the east and southeast coast has the best sand (Golden Beach, New Golden Beach, Logaras), the north has the best scenery (Kolympithres, Monastiri), and the meltemi wind decides your day. This dry north wind blows hardest in July and August; when it is up, the north coast gets choppy and the sheltered south and east (Faraggas, Aliki, Piso Livadi, Monastiri) come into their own. Check the wind before you pick a beach, not after you arrive.

Most organized beaches charge €8–€15 for a sunbed and umbrella set, but the beach itself is always free under Greek law. Remote beaches have no facilities at all. A rental car is almost essential for reaching the best ones, the bus network covers the main beaches but schedules are limited. Each beach below includes exactly how to reach it. If you are pairing beach days with village days, our 3-day itinerary shows how to sequence them.

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There's more to Paros than the beaches

Routey self-guided tours take you through the island's best areas — marble villages, ancient churches, hidden coves — with an interactive map and riddles at every stop.

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The 14 Best Beaches in Paros

Kolympithres

placeNorth coast, 10 min west of NaoussawavesDramatic / RockygroupsBusy in July–August

The most photographed beach in Paros. Massive granite boulder formations create narrow channels and natural swimming pools between the rocks, sculpted smooth by wind and sea over millennia. The light in the afternoon turns the water amber. One of the most distinctive coastlines in the Cyclades, nothing else looks like this. The sandy pockets between the rocks are small, so it fills fast, but the snorkeling around the formations is some of the best on the island.

storeFacilities: Beach bar, sunbeds, kitesurfing school

scheduleBest time: Before 9:30am in summer; late afternoon for light

directionsGetting there: Car: 10 min from Naoussa around the bay, parking fills by late morning in August. A seasonal shuttle bus and small taxi boats run from Naoussa harbor in summer, the boat is the scenic option.

Tip: Arrive before 9:30am in July–August to get a good spot before tour buses arrive. Water shoes are useful on the rock formations. The beach bar at the eastern end opens at 9am.

Chrisi Akti (Golden Beach)

placeSoutheast coast, 22km from ParikiawavesSandy / WindsurfinggroupsModerate to busy, spread over 700m

The longest and, for many, the best all-round beach on Paros: roughly 700 meters of genuinely golden sand sloping gently into clear turquoise water. Chrisi Akti (literally "Golden Shore") is the windsurfing capital of the island and one of the most reliable windsurfing venues in Europe, the summer meltemi arrives side-shore here, which is exactly what the sport wants, and the beach has hosted world-cup-level windsurfing competition since the 1990s. Multiple windsurf centers rent gear and run lessons from beginner to advanced.

Do not let the windsurfing reputation put you off if you just want to swim: mornings are typically calm, the shallow sandy entry is family-friendly, and the beach is long enough that the sporty section and the towel-on-sand section coexist without bothering each other. Behind the beach there are tavernas, mini-markets, and low-key accommodation rather than a town, this is a beach destination, not a village with a beach. In July and August the afternoon wind is a feature, not a bug: sit near the southern end for more shelter, or embrace it and book a lesson.

storeFacilities: Windsurf centers, sunbeds, tavernas, mini-markets, accommodation

scheduleBest time: Morning for calm swimming; afternoon for wind sports

directionsGetting there: The Parikia–Lefkes–Marpissa–Piso Livadi–Golden Beach bus line serves it several times a day in summer (45–55 min, €2.50–€3.50). By car it is about 35 minutes from Parikia with easy parking. Check the current KTEL Paros timetable for the last bus back.

Tip: If you want to watch high-level windsurfing, come in the meltemi weeks of July and August when the wind is strongest, the speed across the water is genuinely spectacular from the sand.

New Golden Beach (Nea Chrisi Akti)

placeSoutheast coast, one bay north of Golden BeachwavesSandy / WindsurfinggroupsLower than Golden Beach

Golden Beach's quieter sibling, one headland to the north. Same golden sand, same clear water, same reliable side-shore meltemi, which is why serious windsurfers often prefer it: the wind hits slightly cleaner here and the water is less crowded with beginners. For non-windsurfers it is simply a slightly calmer version of Golden Beach with fewer people and a couple of tavernas behind the sand.

storeFacilities: Windsurf center, sunbeds, tavernas

scheduleBest time: Morning for families; windy afternoons for advanced windsurfers

directionsGetting there: Same cross-island bus line as Golden Beach (ask for the New Golden Beach stop), or around 30 minutes by car from Parikia. Parking is straightforward outside peak weeks.

Tip: If Golden Beach feels busy when you arrive, walking or driving the five minutes to New Golden Beach is almost always worth it.

Santa Maria

placeNortheast coast, 4km east of NaoussawavesSandy / ActivegroupsModerate, active crowd

The most social beach on the north side: fine white-gold sand backed by low dunes, shallow clear water, and a watersports school running windsurfing and kitesurfing lessons (€40–€60 for a beginner course). The beach-bar scene here is one of the best on the island, polished but not pretentious. The rocky edges of the bay are good for snorkeling. Open to the meltemi, so afternoons get choppy in high summer.

storeFacilities: Watersports school, beach bars, sunbeds, diving center

scheduleBest time: Morning for swimming; afternoon for wind sports

directionsGetting there: Around 10 minutes by car from Naoussa with parking behind the beach. A seasonal beach bus and taxi boats run from Naoussa in summer. From Parikia it is about 15–20 minutes by car.

Tip: Split the day: swim in the calm morning, then either take a windsurf lesson or retreat to a sunbed with a cocktail when the afternoon wind arrives.

Monastiri (Paros Park)

placeNorth coast, Agios Ioannis Detis peninsula, opposite NaoussawavesSheltered cove / ScenicgroupsModerate

A sheltered sandy cove tucked into the rocky Agios Ioannis Detis peninsula, inside the protected Paros Park. The water is calm and glassy even on windy days because the peninsula blocks the meltemi, and the rocky arms of the cove make it one of the island's best easy snorkeling spots. Above the beach, the park has marked walking trails to a lighthouse, a small monastery, and an open-air cinema and festival venue in summer, the only beach on Paros where you can pair swimming with a genuinely good hike.

storeFacilities: Beach bar, sunbeds, Paros Park trails

scheduleBest time: All day, sheltered from most wind directions

directionsGetting there: By car, 10–15 minutes from Naoussa around the western side of the bay, with parking inside the park. In summer, a seasonal bus and taxi boats run from Naoussa harbor, the boat across the bay is the nicest arrival.

Tip: Come in the late afternoon, swim, then walk the lighthouse trail for sunset over Naoussa Bay. Check the Paros Park program, open-air cinema under the stars in July–August is a highlight.

Marcello & Krios

placeAcross the bay from ParikiawavesSandy coves / LocalgroupsLow to moderate, many Greek families

Two neighboring sandy beaches directly across the bay from Parikia, close enough that you can see the ferry dock, far enough to feel like an escape. Krios is the slightly more organized of the two, with sunbeds and a snack bar; Marcello next door is quieter and popular with Greek families on summer weekends. The water is calm and clear, protected from the open sea, and the view back toward Parikia at sunset is one of the best free shows on the island.

storeFacilities: Sunbeds and snack bar at Krios; Marcello quieter

scheduleBest time: Afternoon and sunset

directionsGetting there: The fun way: taxi boats shuttle from the Parikia waterfront to Krios roughly every half hour in summer, a 10-minute ride. Otherwise it is a short drive or a 30–40 minute walk around the bay.

Tip: Take the taxi boat over in the late afternoon, swim, and stay for sunset with Parikia lighting up across the water before catching one of the last boats back.

Pounda

placeWest coast, at the Antiparos ferry crossingwavesSandy / KitesurfinggroupsBusy with kitesurfers in summer

The kitesurfing capital of Paros. The narrow channel between Paros and Antiparos funnels the meltemi into steady, reliable wind over flat, shallow water, close to ideal learning conditions, which is why several kite schools operate here and the sky fills with kites on windy afternoons. One naming note to avoid confusion: this west-coast Pounda is the kitesurf-and-ferry Pounda; the east coast near New Golden Beach has a separate area also spelled "Punda" that is historically known for its big beach-club party scene. They are on opposite sides of the island.

storeFacilities: Kitesurf schools, beach bars

scheduleBest time: Windy afternoons for kiting; mornings for quiet swimming

directionsGetting there: The Parikia–Pounda bus takes about 20 minutes (~€2, 6–8 daily in summer), or 15 minutes by car. The Antiparos car ferry departs from here every half hour, an 8-minute crossing.

Tip: A beginner kite course typically runs €80–€120 for a half-day intro and €250–€400 for a multi-day certification course, book ahead in July–August. If you just want to swim, come in the morning before the wind (and the kites) fill the bay.

Faraggas

placeSouth coast, near AlikiwavesSandy / CovesgroupsModerate

A series of golden-sand coves on the south coast with some of the clearest water on the island. Less built-up than the north-coast beaches, more space, and, crucially, a south-facing aspect that keeps it swimmable when the meltemi is churning the north coast. The main cove has a beach bar and sunbeds; walk over the low rocks to the smaller coves either side for near-privacy even in August.

storeFacilities: Beach bar/taverna, some sunbeds

scheduleBest time: All day; the south coast is sheltered when the meltemi blows

directionsGetting there: Car only in practice: about 25 minutes from Parikia via the Aliki road, then a signposted turn-off. No bus service, if you come by taxi, book the return leg in advance.

Tip: The clearest water is in the morning. Bring what you need if you plan to settle in one of the smaller coves, facilities are limited to the main one.

Logaras

placeEast coast, next cove south of Piso LivadiwavesSandy / FamilygroupsModerate

A soft, gently shelving sandy beach five minutes' walk from Piso Livadi harbor, with tamarisk trees for natural shade and tavernas that serve you practically on the sand. Nothing dramatic, no granite boulders, no world-cup windsurfing, just a genuinely easy, comfortable family beach with calm water and lunch a few steps from your towel. Often the sensible answer when you want a low-effort beach day on the east side.

storeFacilities: Tavernas on the sand, sunbeds, natural shade

scheduleBest time: All day, one of the easiest beaches on the island

directionsGetting there: Take the cross-island bus from Parikia to Piso Livadi (via Lefkes and Marpissa) and walk five minutes, or drive around 30 minutes from Parikia. Parking near the beach is manageable outside peak hours.

Tip: Combine it with Piso Livadi: beach at Logaras, then an early-evening drink at the harbor 300 meters away.

Piso Livadi

placeEast coast, below MarpissawavesSandy / Sheltered harborgroupsLow

A small harbor beach on the east coast with calm water even when the meltemi is blowing hard elsewhere. Piso Livadi is a quiet working port with a handful of tavernas and a genuinely local feel. Often the only place to swim comfortably when the wind is strong, and the natural base for exploring the nearby villages of Marpissa and Prodromos.

storeFacilities: Small harbor, tavernas nearby

scheduleBest time: Any time, sheltered from the meltemi

directionsGetting there: The cross-island bus from Parikia stops at the harbor (about 45 minutes via Lefkes and Marpissa), or roughly 30 minutes by car.

Tip: If the meltemi is making the other beaches choppy and rough, come here. The tavernas serve good food at non-tourist prices.

Aliki

placeSouthwest coast fishing village, near the airportwavesSandy / VillagegroupsLow to moderate, families and locals

A working fishing village with a proper sandy beach right in front of it, shallow, calm, and safe for small children. Aliki's fish tavernas are among the best-regarded on the island, which makes it the classic combination day: morning swim on the village beach or one of the smaller coves either side, long taverna lunch watching the fishing boats. It stays pleasantly low-key even in August because the party crowd has no reason to come here.

storeFacilities: Village tavernas, sunbeds on the main beach

scheduleBest time: All day; lunch at the harbor is the point

directionsGetting there: The Parikia–Aliki bus runs via the airport several times a day (about 30 minutes, €2–€2.50), or 20 minutes by car. Easy parking at the edge of the village.

Tip: This is the beach to pick when lunch matters as much as swimming. Aim to be at a harbor-front table by 1:30pm before the tour groups arrive.

Lageri

placeNorth coast, on the Santa Maria peninsulawavesSandy / UndevelopedgroupsVery low

A long, narrow ribbon of fine sand backed by dunes and cedar scrub, with shallow, glass-clear water and, remarkably for Paros, nothing built on it at all. No sunbeds, no bar, no music. Lageri is where you go when you want the desert-island version of the island, and its low-key seclusion means the far ends of the beach have long attracted visitors who prefer maximum privacy. Bring water, shade, and everything else you need.

storeFacilities: None, completely undeveloped

scheduleBest time: Calm mornings; any day you want silence

directionsGetting there: A rough track leads off the Naoussa–Santa Maria road, followed by a short walk over the dunes, a car (or a taxi boat from Naoussa in summer) is effectively required. There is no bus.

Tip: The shallow, sheltered water inside the bay stays calmer than Santa Maria next door. Pack out everything you bring in, there are no bins.

Agios Fokas

placeSoutheast coast, near MarpissawavesSandy / QuietgroupsLow, mostly locals

The best beach for families that most tourists never find. Shallow water extends 50 meters from shore, calm enough for toddlers. One excellent taverna right on the sand (open summer only) serves fresh fish at prices that haven't been adjusted for tourism. No sunbed infrastructure, bring your towel.

storeFacilities: One seasonal taverna, no sunbeds

scheduleBest time: Morning; family-friendly all day

directionsGetting there: Car only, there is no bus service. Follow the signs from the Marpissa area and expect a rough final stretch of road.

Tip: Best in the morning before the afternoon meltemi. The taverna opens around 11am and serves until the food runs out. Arrive early for the best fish.

Kalavros

placeSoutheast coastwavesSandy / WindygroupsLow to moderate

Long stretch of southeast coast popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers. Cheaper beach bars than the south coast. The offshore islet of Kalavros is a protected nature reserve with nesting seabirds visible from the shore.

storeFacilities: Beach bars, kitesurfing

scheduleBest time: Afternoon for wind sports; morning for swimming

directionsGetting there: Car only, off the east-coast road between Piso Livadi and Golden Beach. No bus service.

Tip: Wind and wave conditions are best from May through September, particularly in the afternoon. The beach bars here are more laid-back and noticeably cheaper than Pounda.

Best Beach Clubs in Paros

First, the honest framing: Paros has a real beach-club scene, but it is a fraction of the Mykonos version, smaller venues, saner prices, and no €50 sunbeds guarded by a reservation list. That is a feature. Specific venues open, close, and rebrand between seasons, so rather than name-dropping, here is where the scene actually lives and what each area feels like.

East coast, around New Golden Beach

The stretch known as Punda (not to be confused with the kitesurf Pounda on the west coast) is historically the island's big party beach-club territory: pool decks, DJs from mid-afternoon, day-to-night energy, and a young crowd. This is the closest Paros gets to a Mykonos-style beach day.

Santa Maria

The polished-but-relaxed end of the spectrum: stylish daytime beach bars with sunbed service, cocktails brought to your lounger, and low-volume DJs rather than a dance floor. The crowd skews couples and groups in their late twenties to forties. The best all-round beach-bar day on the island.

Monastiri (Paros Park)

The scenic option: a club in a sheltered cove inside the protected park, calm water, granite headlands, and a mellow soundtrack. More long-lunch-and-a-swim than party. Pair it with the lighthouse walk above the beach for the full day.

Price expectations: a standard sunbed-and-umbrella set at a club beach runs €10–€25 depending on row and season, with front-row or four-poster setups higher and some venues applying a minimum spend in August instead of a fee. Cocktails are typically €10–€14 and food mains €15–€25. Remember the beach itself is public under Greek law, you are renting furniture, not access, and you can always put a towel on the free section of the same sand.

Which Beach Is Right for You?

family_restroom

Families with young kids

Aliki · Logaras · Agios Fokas

Shallow, calm, gently shelving water and lunch within a few steps of the towel.

surfing

Windsurfing & kitesurfing

Golden Beach & New Golden Beach (windsurf) · Pounda (kitesurf)

Side-shore meltemi on the southeast coast for windsurfing; flat shallow water in the Antiparos channel for kites.

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Snorkeling

Kolympithres · Monastiri · Santa Maria (rocky edges)

Rock formations and protected rocky bay edges with clear, calm water.

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Sunset

Marcello & Krios · Pounda

The west-facing side of the island gets the real Aegean sunset, Krios looks back over Parikia bay as the lights come on.

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Quiet escape

Lageri · Faraggas side coves · Agios Fokas

No music, few or no facilities, and space even in August. Bring everything you need.

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Beach bars & clubs

Santa Maria · east coast near New Golden Beach · Monastiri

Organized sunbed-and-cocktail territory, see the beach club section above for prices and vibe.

Beaches are half the island. For the other half, marble villages, harbor towns, and the interior, see our guides to the villages of Paros and everything else to do on the island. Just arrived and planning logistics? Our getting to Paros guide covers ferries and flights.

Discover Paros beyond the beaches

Routey self-guided tours take you through the island's best areas, marble villages, ancient churches, hidden coves, with an interactive map and riddles at every stop.

Browse Tours All Things to Do in Paros

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best beach in Paros?expand_more

Kolympithres is the most spectacular, its granite rock formations are unique in the Cyclades, and Chrisi Akti (Golden Beach) is the best all-rounder: 700 meters of golden sand, clear water, world-class windsurfing, and full facilities. If you can only visit two beaches on Paros, make it those two. The honest answer beyond that depends on what you want: Aliki or Logaras for families, Lageri for solitude, Santa Maria for the beach-bar scene.

Which side of Paros has the best beaches?expand_more

The east and southeast coast has the best sand, Chrisi Akti (Golden Beach), New Golden Beach, Logaras, and Piso Livadi are the island's longest golden stretches. The north coast has the best scenery (Kolympithres' granite formations, the Monastiri cove in Paros Park) but is exposed to the meltemi, the dry north wind that blows hardest in July and August. Wind is the real deciding factor day to day: when the meltemi is strong, head south (Faraggas, Aliki) or to sheltered Piso Livadi and Monastiri; on calm days the north coast is unbeatable.

Are Paros beaches sandy?expand_more

Mostly, yes. The island's signature beaches, Golden Beach, New Golden Beach, Santa Maria, Logaras, Faraggas, Lageri, are proper golden sand with sandy sea floors, not pebbles. The notable exception is Kolympithres, where small sandy pockets sit between smooth granite boulders (water shoes help). A few remote coves have coarser sand mixed with pebbles, but compared with many Greek islands, Paros is firmly a sandy-beach island.

Which Paros beaches have beach clubs?expand_more

Three areas have a genuine beach-club scene: Santa Maria on the northeast coast (polished daytime bars with sunbed service), the east coast around New Golden Beach, where the area known as Punda is historically the island's big party beach-club territory, and Monastiri in Paros Park (a more scenic, laid-back club in a sheltered cove). Expect €10–€25 for a standard sunbed set at club beaches, more for front row, and note that under Greek law the beach itself is always free, clubs only rent the furniture.

What is the best beach in Paros for swimming?expand_more

Faraggas has some of the clearest, calmest water in Paros for swimming, particularly in the morning before the Meltemi wind picks up. For dramatic scenery combined with swimming, Kolympithres is the standout. For families, Agios Fokas has the shallowest, calmest water on the island.

What is the best beach in Paros for families?expand_more

Agios Fokas. Shallow water extends 50 meters from shore, the water is calm, and there is an excellent taverna right on the sand. Aliki and Logaras are close seconds, both shallow, calm, and with tavernas steps from the towel. Marcello, close to Parikia and popular with Greek families, also works well.

Are the beaches in Paros free?expand_more

All beaches in Greece are legally public. Most organized beaches (Kolympithres, Pounda, Santa Maria) charge €8–€15 for a sunbed and umbrella set, and club-style beaches €10–€25, but you can always use your own towel for free. Remote beaches like Agios Fokas, Lageri, and Marcello have no facilities and are completely free.

What is the best beach near Parikia?expand_more

Marcello and Krios, directly across the bay, taxi boats from the Parikia waterfront take 10 minutes in summer, or it is a 30–40 minute walk around the bay. Krios has sunbeds and a snack bar; Marcello is quieter. For the most dramatic beach near Parikia, Kolympithres is a 25-minute drive and is one of the most photographed spots in the Cyclades.

When is the best time to visit Paros beaches?expand_more

May and early June are ideal, warm enough to swim (22–24°C), beaches are empty, no queues, and the island is at its greenest. September is equally good, still warm (24°C sea temperature), fewer tourists than peak, and the Meltemi wind calms down. July and August are crowded and hot, but that is when the island has maximum energy.

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