The Insider Guide to Naoussa

Paros has many villages. Parikia is the capital — functional, historic, and underrated. Lefkes is the mountain village that rewards the detour. Alyki is the quiet one on the south coast. But Naoussa is the one that keeps people coming back.

It is not hard to understand why. The old port is one of the most beautiful in the Cyclades: a semicircle of whitewashed houses around a harbour so small that the fishing boats almost touch the taverna tables. In the evening, when the light turns gold and the ouzo arrives, it is difficult to think of anywhere you would rather be.

The problem with Naoussa is that everyone knows this. In July and August, the village is genuinely crowded — the narrow streets fill up, the best tables are booked weeks in advance, and the magic can feel diluted. The trick is knowing how to navigate it.

When to Go

The best time to visit Naoussa is late June or September. The weather is perfect, the sea is warm, and the village is busy enough to feel alive without being overwhelming. If you must go in August, arrive early — the village is at its most beautiful in the morning, before the day-trippers arrive from the ferries.

The worst time to visit is the first two weeks of August. The village is at maximum capacity, the restaurants are stretched, and the prices reflect it. If you have flexibility, avoid it.

Where to Eat

Soso is the benchmark. Chef Stelios Kordalis has built something genuinely special here — a menu that changes with the catch and the season, a wine list that takes Greek producers seriously, and a terrace over the old port that is as good as dining gets on the island. Book weeks in advance for August. In September, you can often walk in.

Barbarossa is the institution. It has been serving the freshest seafood in the port for decades, and nothing about it has been over-designed. The octopus drying on the line outside is not a prop. Order the grilled fish, the horta, and the local wine. Do not rush.

Tamarisko is the surprise. The best vegetarian table on the island, run by a kitchen that works with local farmers and takes the produce seriously. The menu is almost entirely vegetarian — creative, seasonal, and genuinely delicious. It is the restaurant that most visitors overlook and most regulars return to.

Cavo Naoussa is for the view. Perched on the headland above the village, it offers the most dramatic dining position on the island. The kitchen is accomplished — modern Greek with Aegean ingredients — but the real reason to book is the view: open sea, the lights of Naxos, and a sky full of stars.

Where to Drink

The port is the obvious answer, and it is the right one. The bars along the waterfront are good — nothing revolutionary, but cold beer and a view of the harbour at dusk is a combination that is hard to improve on.

For something more considered, the wine bars in the backstreets are worth finding. Paros produces genuinely interesting wine — particularly the local Monemvasia-Malvasia grape — and the best bars stock it properly.

Where to Swim

The beaches closest to Naoussa are Piperi and Monastiri, both within walking distance of the village. Piperi is the more sheltered of the two — a small cove with calm water and a beach bar that does not try too hard. Monastiri is larger and more exposed, with better waves and a wilder feel.

For something more remote, the beaches of the north coast — Lageri, Faragas, and the various coves accessible only by boat — are worth the effort. Our concierge can arrange a private boat for the day.

Getting There

Naoussa is 12 kilometres from Parikia, the main port. The bus runs regularly and takes about 20 minutes. A taxi takes 15 minutes and costs around €15. If you are staying in Naoussa, you do not need a car — the village is entirely walkable, and the best beaches are accessible on foot or by water taxi.

A Note on Crowds

Naoussa is not a secret. It has not been a secret for a long time. The question is not how to avoid the crowds but how to work around them. Eat early or late. Walk the backstreets rather than the main drag. Find the bars that the locals use. And remember that the village is at its most beautiful in the early morning, when the fishing boats are coming in and the streets are quiet.

That is when Naoussa is worth every superlative.