Is Paros nicer than Mykonos?

Is Paros nicer than Mykonos? Yes I think so…Paros is a little Greek Island that stole our hearts. It really is a gem that out shone a lot of the other islands to make it in to our top three favourite Greek Islands, let me tell you why Paris is nicer than Mykonos!

Location

Paros is a Greek Island located almost in the centre of the Cyclades, about 160km from Athens. It doesn’t have an International airport but is easily reached by ferry from Athens. You can take a domestic flight from Athens or another Greek location as there is a domestic airport.

Mykonos is in the same Cyclades island chain and is slightly closer to Athens (155km from Athens). You can reach it by ferry from Athens or by flying in as it has an International airport. Yes this is more convenient but it does mean that more people choose to visit Mykonos which is not always the best thing.

Transport

Public Transport on Paros is quite good, the bus system is very convenient. It is easy to use to reach the other towns on the island.

Mykonos is a small island so it is pretty easy to get around on buses here as well. The Mykonos public transport is quite good and you will find buses running out to the most popular locations on the hour. It is also

If you are staying a little longer or further from the main towns you will want the freedom of a scooter or car. We hired a scooter on both islands and it was the perfect way to get around. We were able to zip out to the other towns and get to places that were further outside the main towns and beaches. We hired our scooters from Paros Bike Rentals on Paros and Mykonos on Wheels on Mykonos. Both were excellent and we would definitely recommend them, let them know we sent you!

TIP- The law has become stricter in Greece and you will need an International drivers licence to hire scooters and cars in Greece. To hire a scooter or bike over 50cc you need an actual motor bike licence. 50cc bikes do not have a lot of power and the Greek Islands are more mountainous than you imagine so a higher powered bike would be best and for that you need a motorbike licence. This is why renting a car can be easier as long as you have an International Drivers Licence.

Accommodation

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos? One big tick in Paros’s favour is that it is far more affordable. Mykonos is expensive. There is no way around it. Accommodation is not cheap even if you are staying in a less than perfect place. Yes you might find a good deal, you might book very early or you might stay outside of the main area. But if you want to go in peak season and you want to stay in the centre it will be expensive.

In Mykonos we paid 72€ for an ok room just outside of the centre, in Paros we paid 33€ for a great room overlooking the water in Parikia.

View from our room in Hotel Zannet (room 2)

On Paros you will find much more affordable accommodation options. You wont have to sacrifice location or a nice room. There are just better priced options here, check out the Booking.com maps below to compare the pricing options!

Booking.com

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos?

We completely fell for the quiet charm of Paros. I can image it is like Mykonos before the mass influx of tourists and cruise boats. From your first moment arriving in Paros you will notice it, even the port at Paros is more relaxed. Let me break it down into categories for you to compare:

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos – Atmosphere

Paros has an easy atmosphere. It is calm even during the midday when Mykonos begins to become busy. On Mykonos the small streets and alleys that are so enchanting suddenly become overrun with people pushing to get through. Cruise boat tours led by their flagged tour guides are walking up and down all day long with hundreds of people following them. Accommodation prices soar above that of other islands, only rivalled by Santorini.

Yes Mykonos is beautiful and it is worth visiting. There are some epic views and the restaurants at the waterfront are beautiful (and expensive). We stayed both in the main village and also further out. It was worth it. Would I return….no. I would head straight to Paros, it is nicer than Mykonos. (please note we visited at the start of peak season. If you travel during the shoulder seasons you may find it slightly quieter but not by much!)

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos – Villages

There are several villages that are all must visits on Paros! You have to go to Parikia, it is where your ferry will land. Parikia has charming white washed lanes and alleys, cute stores and loads of churches. There are tons of pretty photo spots…it is like a quite version of Mykonos really! Don’t miss Naoussa which is the most idyllic fisherman’s village. Full of great restaurants, cute streets and beautiful water views it is also a great place to stay! Lefkes is incredibly enchanting. It is like a step back in time. The maze of white washed lanes will snake you around the old buildings. Eventually when you are sure you are lost you will pop out in to a square surriounded by shady trees and restaurants.

Mykonos is really the main village called Chora. The Chora is increidbly beautiful…but you will have to get up really early to see it without a ton of people. Once tourists wake up and head out for the day and the cruise boats send their tours in the town is full with people pushing and shoving to walk the streets. The other main town on Mykonos is Ano Mera. It is quieter than Chora, a fishermans village that has yet to become totally overrun. Most people come here to visit the monastery of Panagia Tourliani. The Chora is really the drawcard to Mykonos for villages.

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos – Beaches

My favourite beach on Paros is Kolympithres. It has rocky outcrops where you can find a spot to sit, sunbake and people watch. There are sandy areas where families will set up and there’s a low key beach bar nearby as well. The water is perfect! Crystal clear and the most beautiful shade of blue. There is a water taxi that will drop people off but its not over run at all. It isn’t to noisy and doesn’t feel crowded. Two other great beaches are Golden Beach and Santa Maria Beach. Golden beach is sandy and as the wind can sometimes pick up there are kite surfers there. Santa Maria is sandy with camping options and great snorkelling.

On Mykonos the best beaches are Paradise, Super Paradise, Ornos, Platis Gialos and Psarou beaches. We visited them, they are nice but they are almost completely swallowed up by beach bars. They are great if you are going to hang in them but if you are just accessing the free part of the beach then are really intrusive. It is definitely not the same experience as on Paros. Mykonos is really much more of a party island. The beach bars are stunning and so aesthetically gorgeous but expensive. There are some quieter beaches on the island and they are nice but for me nothing beats the rock formations and clear blue water of Kolympithres.

Why is Paros nicer than Mykonos – History

Paros has an important history through out not only Greece but Europe. It has been inhabited since 3200 BC and the colony has grown ever since due to its fertile soils, rich marble and ideal strategic location. It has been allied with Persian, Athenian Alliance, Macedonians, Roman and Byzantine Empires before joining modern Greece. There are examples of this history in the The Archaeological Museum of Paros in Parikia and at acheological sites such as The sanctuary of Delian Apollo and The sanctuary of Asclepius.

The ancient city of Mykonos was established in the 11th century B.C. by the Ionians. It was occupied by Venetians, pirates, Catalans, Turks, even Russians before joining modern Greece. There is an Archaeological Museum of Mykonos which preserves artefacts from the island.

Final thoughts

This is not to tell you not to visit Mykonos, we went and I am glad we did. But if you are planning your trip and wondering where to spend the majority of your time. If you are thinking ‘should I go to Paros?’ then then answer is yes! It is definitely worth it and, in our opinion, Paros is much nicer than Mykonos!