Things To Do In Parikia (Paros, Greece)

Parikia is the capital town of Paros (one of the Cycladic islands in Greece). Parikia is also the biggest town in Paros. This is probably the first and the last place you will see if you are traveling by ferry. Besides being the capital of Paros, Parikia is also the first choice to stay for tourists. It is a charming port town with a lot of things to do.

Things To Do In Parikia

Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapiliani

One of the most important sites in Parikia is the church of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapiliani also known as the church of a hundred doors.

The church was built around the 4th century. The church of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapiliani has a legend behind its second name. It says that in the church were found 99 doors, and the last one (the hundredth door) will be found when Istanbul will become Constantinople again. 

There is no fee to visit the church of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapiliani. 

Explore The Old Town

The old town of Parikia same as Naousa is a maze of whitewashed buildings and narrow streets. 

One of the best ways to explore the town is to get lost there. I am sure you will find many cute streets, cozy cafes, and charming shops. 

Parikia old town is quite nice at night when the streets and cafes are lit up. It is a nice way to finish your day in Paros with a romantic walk through Parikia.

Relax At Livadia Beach

Livadia beach is the main beach in Parikia. It is located just 5 minutes away from the main ferry port. 

Livadia beach is quite a popular site for water sports. And since the beach is located in the biggest town in Paros, Livadia has great infrastructure. There are a lot of beach bars and restaurants along Livadia beach that offer sunbeds. For some of them you have to pay separately, for the others just order a drink or food at the restaurant.

Visit Krios and Marcello Beaches

Krios and Marcello beaches are located 20 minutes walk from Livadia beach. 

Krios beach and Marcello beach are basically the same beach, since there is not really a split between them. 

To get to those beaches you can walk, or take a water taxi.

I would recommend walking, since it will take just 20 minutes, however on the way you will be able to explore the coast line. 

To take a boat taxi you can do so from the main ferry port. The boat leaves every 30 minutes and costs €3 a person/one way.

Krios beach and Marcello beach have some infrastructure as well. You can relax on a sunbed at one of the cafes and enjoy your day. 

I also find Krios beach and Marcello beach much prettier than Livadia beach. The effort to get to Krios and Marcello beaches is well worth it. 

Enjoy Local Food 

As I already have mentioned, Parikia is a very popular place to stay in Paros among local and international tourists. So, there is no wonder that Parikia has a lot of great cafes and restaurants. 

I made a list of my favorite restaurants in Parikia that I hope will help you fall in love with Greek cuisine. 

I highly recommend you to try sundried octopus in Paros. This is one of the specialties here.  

Find All The Windmills 

When we talk about windmills in Greece, we can’t really compare Paros to Mykonos (one of the most popular Cycladic islands that is famous for its windmills), but you still can see a few here. 

In the capital town of Paros there is a windmill that greets tourists who travel by ferry. However this is not the only windmill in Parikia. 

Have a stroll along the harbor (south from the ferry port) and you will find more of those beautiful Greek windmills. 

Have A Stroll Along The Harbor

I really recommend you to explore the whole water front in Parikia. The harbor is quite beautiful and there is a lot to see along it. 

It is funny that the first time I came to Paros, I mostly stayed on the north side of Parikia and didn’t really see how long and beautiful the harbor is, and how much I am missing out. Do not make the same mistake and try to explore as much as possible.

Enjoy Parikia Sunset

Sunset in Parikia is one of the best I have ever seen. Every evening we would go to the waterfront to enjoy this beautiful “show”. 

The colors during each sunset took my breath away. Every minute I was trying to take as many photos as I could to capture the natural beauty of the sky. And although my phone has thousands of Parikia sunset photos, I still don’t think the camera was able to catch the true magic of it.  

Things To Do In Parikia (Paros, Greece)