PAROS OR NAXOS – Which Greek Island should you visit?

Wondering whether or not you should visit Paros or Naxos? Planning a trip to the Greek Islands is so overwhelming! There are so many islands to choose from, all of which sound (and I’m sure are) incredible. Mykonos and Santorini may be at the top of everyone’s list but there are a number of lesser known islands that are becoming more popular.

Paros Greece and Naxos Greece are both located in the Cyclades Islands about 4 hours from Piraeus (closest port to Athens) by ferry. The islands are directly across from one another but are vastly different from each other. Both are relatively large islands however, Naxos being the largest island in the Cyclades is larger than Paros.

Since the islands are so close in proximity, I’ve put together a guide to help you choose which island is right for you!

And don’t forget to pin this for later :)

I would say you need at least 3 days to fully explore each island. If you’re on a time crunch, I recommend heading to Paros Island. Since the island is smaller, it’s easier to explore in a shorter time. While there’s a ton to do on the island, it’s easy to see within a few days. If you have more time, head to Naxos Island! You can do a lot in 3 days but I think 4 days in Naxos would be ideal. The island is bigger so it takes a little longer to travel around the island. There are a handful of beaches, towns, and hikes to do.

The islands are both easily accessible via ferry. You can travel Paros to Naxos ferry and vice versa. Most people utilize the Greek ferries to reach the island from Athens which is about 4 hours. You can also take a quick flight to either island from Athens.

From the port town, both islands are filled to the brim with day trips on the island. The most popular way to venture outside the city is by renting a car or ATV/ Scooter. Since we didn’t have an international drivers license, we had to rely on public transportation. Both islands have a bus system that’s inexpensive and fairly easy to use. We found the bus system in Paros to be much easier than Naxos. The buses seem to be more frequent in Paros probably due to the fact that the island is smaller. The buses in Paros also run pretty late. Naxos on the other hand, runs frequent buses to some of the popular beaches on the island but the other towns are infrequent.

Honestly, both islands have great beaches scattered throughout the island. So if you’re comparing the beaches on Paros vs. Naxos you can’t go wrong! However, the Island of Naxos is supposed to have slightly better beaches. After spending some time at the Naxos beaches, I can see why! One of the most popular beaches in Naxos is called Agios Prokopios and it’s spectacular. It’s an easy 10 minute bus ride from the main town of Chora and buses leave consistently. Some of the best Paros beaches are Santa Maria and Kolymbithres which are a quick trip from Naousa, one of the main towns on the island. While I’ve only listed a few beaches on each island, there are dozens of incredible beaches!

If you prefer being on the water, both Naxos and Paros have excellent boat tours! There are a variety of tours you can choose both islands. My top recommendation is one of the all day tours from either Paros or Naxos as they’re typically incredible!

Booking:

• From Naxos: Sailing Tour from Naxos
• From Paros: Koufonisia by traditional Kaiki from Paros (transportation to Piso Livadi for 10 euros)
• From Paros: Full-Day Cruise in Antiparos & Despotiko with BBQ

Both islands have a number of small towns, but, in my opinion, the towns in Paros are hard to beat. The little seaside villages are one of a kind which made me fall in love with Paros. Parikia is the biggest town on Paros; It’s a port town filled with a ton of cute alleys and charming restaurants. Some of my favorite towns in Paros include Parikia, Naousa, Lefkes, and Piso Livadi. This is only a few of the many charming towns on the island of Paros!

Naxos has some cute villages as well as Chora which is the port and main town. Chora is pretty big in comparison to Parika but, Chora does have an adorable Old Town. If you wander through the alleys of Chora, you’ll reach narrow streets of Old Town lined with shops and restaurants. Naxos also has a ton of small villages in the mountains. It’s fairly quick to explore these towns so I suggest grabbing a bite to eat at a local family tavern.

Naxos Hotels: We based ourselves in Chora and loved our stay at Nastasia Village Hotel!

If you’re looking for the typical white washed towns, head to Paros because Naousa is exactly what you’re looking for!

Obviously the food is incredible on both islands however, Naxos is more recognized as a foodie island! I honestly loved the food on both islands so it’s hard to choose between the two. I found the food in Naxos to be slightly cheaper than Paros. Since Naxos is larger than Paros, there are a lot more options food wise. Naxos is also known for the “Naxos Cheese” so if you’re a cheese lover, this is the island for you. Since the island is known for their cheese and their potatoes, you’ll see a number of dishes with “Naxos Cheese” or “Naxos Potatoes” on the menu. There are also a lot of vineyards on the island producing some local wines. With that being said, if you’re a wine lover, Paros is home to one of the cutest little winery’s called, Moraitis. Pricing at the winery is so reasonable and it’s a great spot to relax for bit. The winery is located just outside of Naousa making it an easy stop on a trip to Paros. Paros is also known for their cheese and dishes with chickpeas.

Naxos is an island known for their hiking! The island is filled with some seriously awesome trails. One of the most popular hikes to do in Naxos is Mount Zas. According to Greek Mythology, this is where Zeus grew up. It’s also the highest peak throughout the cyclades islands making it quite the workout! Another great hike in Naxos is the hike through the villages. You can walk between villages on Naxos for some really unique viewpoints. The hike begins and ends in Melanes. Hiking between the villages was one of my favorite activities while in Naxos. Paros on the other hand is hilly rather than mountainous. Paros still has trails it just doesn’t have the mountains Naxos does. Lefkes is a small mountainous village on Paros and there are a few great hiking trails in this area!

Honestly, I love both Paros and Naxos! As I mentioned, they’re both incredible but vastly different from one another. Personally, I think I preferred Paros whereas my husband preferred Naxos. In my opinion, the overall vibe on Paros is hard to beat. The quaint little seaside villages are so charming. They’re exactly what you picture when you think of the Greek Islands! The beaches and food are amazing. With that said, the island feels a little more trendy and touristy than Naxos. Many of the locals have started working in tourism. The active side of me prefers Naxos since I loved hiking on the island.

I hope this article helps you to decide between visiting Naxos or Paros. I absolutely loved visiting both islands and hope this can help you chose between the two if need be. If you have time to visit both islands – do it! You won’t regret it :)

If you want to learn more about these two beautiful islands, read more here:

• BASIC GUIDE TO PAROS, GREECE
• NAXOS ISLAND IN 3 DAYS

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

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