Paros for Two: Our Naoussa Villa, a Private Boat Day with Captain Theo and the Napkin-Throwing Night at Axinos

Paros became our favourite Greek island so far. It's softer and slower than Santorini: whitewashed lanes full of bougainvillea, a little fishing harbour guarded by an old stone castle, and the clearest, calmest water we've ever swum in. And it gave us the best day of our whole Greece trip.

We came over from Santorini at the very end of summer (if you missed it, here's our Santorini for two, the first half of this Greek island-hopping trip, which began with ruins and rooftops in Athens) and based ourselves just outside Naoussa, on the north of the island. Here's how we spent it.

Our Paros itinerary at a glance

Stay: our villa at Blue Mare Villas, just outside Naoussa, after the ferry over from Santorini.
Naoussa: a wander around the old port and castle, a cocktail at Fotis All Day Bar, then a movie night in with dinner delivered by Wolt.
The highlight: a half-day private boat trip around Antiparos with Captain Theo from Pounta.
Date night: dinner and the napkin-throwing night at Axinos on Naoussa's old port.
Also loved: an afternoon at Cabana on Parikia Bay, and a water taxi to Kolymbithres beach for a swim.

Naoussa

Naoussa's little castle, bougainvillea lanes and a night in

Naoussa is the kind of fishing village you picture when you think of the Cyclades: white houses right on the water, painted doors, and narrow stone lanes that all seem to lead back to the harbour. At the end of the old port sits a small ruined Venetian castle, half in the sea. Its stone arches frame the water perfectly, and it's where we took some of our favourite photos of the whole trip.

Sitting in a stone arch window of Naoussa's Venetian castle, looking out at a calm turquoise sea — Our favourite window in Naoussa

A pale blue wooden fishing boat moored in clear water, framed by a stone window in the castle wall — A fishing boat through the castle wall

From there we wandered. Every corner has a pink door or a wall of bougainvillea, and the boutiques are lovely. One shop's whitewashed stairs are painted with the words "If I get lost, send me back to Paros", and honestly, same.

A narrow whitewashed lane with stone paving and a burst of pink bougainvillea — Bougainvillea lanes in Naoussa

White stairs painted with the words If I get lost send me back to Paros — "If I get lost, send me back to Paros"

A whitewashed shopfront with a magenta door and pink bougainvillea — Pink doors everywhere

A pink cocktail in a coupe beside an evil-eye hand fan on a marble table — A pink cocktail at Fotis All Day Bar, Naoussa

When you need a break from wandering, head to Fotis All Day Bar, right on the water at the little harbour of Agios Dimitrios in Naoussa. It's open from breakfast until late, and a pink cocktail there with the sea a few steps away was exactly the slow island afternoon we'd been craving.

That night we did something we'd recommend to every couple: we stayed in. Our villa was so comfortable that we made it a movie night, and ordered dinner straight to the door. Paros has its own version of DoorDash: we used Wolt, which delivers around the island, including Naoussa, from tavernas, sushi bars and even the supermarket. A villa, a film and dinner on the sofa felt like the most luxurious thing we did all trip. (Need a film? Our Greece movie night list is below.)

Out on the water

A private boat day with Captain Theo: the best part of Greece

If you take one thing from this post, book a private boat with Captain Theo of Paros Boat Cruises. It was, hands down, the best part of our entire Greece trip.

Our half-day trip left in the morning from Pounta, the small port on the west coast where the little ferries cross to Antiparos. Theo took us around Antiparos and well off the main tourist route: impossibly turquoise lagoons, white and grey cliffs carved by the wind, and sea caves you can only reach by water. We swam whenever we wanted to, and it felt like the whole sea was ours.

Bright turquoise shallows with sailboats anchored off a low island — Turquoise water off Antiparos

White rock cliffs with a sea cave at the waterline and deep blue water — Sea caves only reachable by boat

Tall grey ribbed rock cliffs rising out of the sea under a bright sky — Cliffs carved by the wind

What made it unforgettable was Theo himself. He brings snacks from his own farm and wine he makes himself, and he treats you like a friend he's showing his island to rather than a customer. It's small, personal and completely unhurried: exactly what a trip for two should feel like.

The Greek flag flying at the stern of a small boat, with white wake and dark cliffs behind — Out on the water with Captain Theo

Naoussa by night

Dinner at Axinos, and the napkin-throwing night

That evening we had a late table at Axinos, a seafood restaurant right on the water at Naoussa's old port, with fresh fish and a few Asian-inspired twists. Stay late if you can. At around 10pm the music goes up, the staff start dancing, and the whole restaurant joins in, waving and twirling white napkins over their heads. It's loud, joyful and very Greek, and you'll find yourselves on your feet before you know it.

Two more favourites: Cabana and Kolymbithres

Cabana, the beach club on Parikia Bay across the water from Parikia town, was one of our favourite spots on the island, and we will be back. It's polished but relaxed: plush sunbeds, good cocktails and food, and a DJ who turns things up after 5pm as the sun drops over the bay. Order a drink, sink into a lounger and lose track of the afternoon. Book a sunbed ahead in high season.

We also took the little water taxi across the bay from Naoussa's old port to Kolymbithres, the beach famous for its smooth, sculpted granite boulders. The water there is calm, shallow and crystal clear, perfect for swimming around the rocks together. It's a quick ride and so affordable, and it felt like a mini boat trip of its own.

Swimming-level view of clear green water and the granite boulders of Kolymbithres — Swimming at Kolymbithres

Whitewashed houses along Naoussa's waterfront with small waves rolling in — Naoussa from the water's edge

Greece movie night for two

A night in was one of our favourite evenings in Paros, so here's the watchlist we'd queue up for your own villa movie night. Order dinner on Wolt, dim the lights and let Greece play on the screen too. All of these were filmed or set in Greece, and most are romantic or pure feel-good.

Mamma Mia! (2008). The ultimate sing-along date night, and the one we watched under the stars in Santorini. Filmed on Skopelos and Skiathos (plus Damouchari on the Pelion coast), standing in for the fictional island of Kalokairi.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). The young-love prequel, and just as joyful. Set in Greece, but honestly filmed on the Croatian island of Vis.
Before Midnight (2013). The most honest love story on this list: long walks and longer conversations for couples who like real dialogue. Filmed in the southern Peloponnese, around Kardamyli in the Mani.
My Life in Ruins (2009). A light rom-com about a tour guide who rediscovers her kefi. Easy, warm and funny. Filmed at the Acropolis, Delphi and Olympia (with a few scenes shot in Spain).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005). Lena's sun-drenched summer romance is pure nostalgia. Her storyline was filmed in Oia, Santorini.
Shirley Valentine (1989). A funny, tender classic about running away to a Greek island and falling back in love with life. Filmed on Mykonos.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001). A sweeping wartime romance with gorgeous island scenery. Filmed on Kefalonia, around Sami.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). When you want a whodunnit instead of a love story, guess the culprit together. Filmed at Amanzoe in Porto Heli, with the harbour scenes on Spetses.
The Durrells (2016–2019, TV series). Cosy, funny and perfect for a few nights in a row. Filmed on Corfu.
Zorba the Greek (1964). The classic. Watch it for the beach dance and the Cretan light. Filmed on Crete, including Stavros beach near Chania.

Make it a moment: bring a mini projector and point it at a whitewashed wall, and pack a light throw for the terrace.

Where we stayed: Blue Mare Villas, Naoussa

We stayed at Blue Mare Villas in Agios Andreas, just a few minutes from Naoussa. Our villa was three bedrooms, huge and modern, and the pool was gorgeous. It's built in the traditional Cycladic style but has everything you'd want inside, which is exactly why our stay-in movie night felt so special. If you're travelling with friends, a three-bedroom villa like ours is also a smart way to share the cost.

The space. Three bedrooms, huge and modern.
The pool. Gorgeous, and ours to enjoy.
The location. Close to Naoussa's harbour, restaurants and the Kolymbithres water taxi.

Couple tips for Paros

Book a private boat, not a big group cruise. Our day with Captain Theo was the highlight of Greece. Smaller boats reach the lagoons and caves the crowds miss.
Plan your drive to Pounta. Boat trips around Antiparos leave from Pounta on the west coast, about 25 minutes from Naoussa by car. Leave a little buffer for parking for a 10am start.
Take the water taxi to Kolymbithres. It leaves from Naoussa's old port and takes a few minutes. Fares were roughly €3–4 each way in 2025; check the board at the port, and keep an eye on the last boat back.
Book Axinos late. The napkin throwing usually starts around 10pm, so an 8:30–9pm table means you'll be there for it.
Plan a night in. Order dinner on Wolt (it delivers in Naoussa), pick a film from our Greece list and enjoy the villa you're paying for. It was one of our favourite evenings.
Pair it with Santorini. The ferry between the two islands makes them an easy couple. Read our Santorini itinerary for the first half of our trip.

Back to the Journal