Walking in Paros: 5 Short & Enjoyable Walks with Great Views

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While you’re there perhaps you feel like doing a bit of walking in Paros to stay active during your holiday. Paros isn’t really a hiking destination like Naxos, Andros or Tinos but there are several trails of varying lengths to appreciate. I’ve picked five short routes that you can enjoy even if you’re not an avid hiker.

• If you’re into hiking and want more info about longer routes then jump down to the section at the bottom.

Remember if you’re doing these in the warmer months to wear a hat and sunscreen. Stay out of the sun in the middle of the day and always take enough water with you. (Even on short walks.)

Walk to St Antonios Monastery, Marpissa

This was my favourite thing to do when I was on Paros in the winter. If you’re visiting Marpissa then add an extra hour to walk to this monastery. If you hadn’t planned to go to the village then I can recommend a special trip.

Entrance to the Monastery and the views!

It’s an uphill walk to get there but that’s the only way to get the views! And these ones are amazing if you go on a good weather day. Start the walk at the Marpissa windmills. Facing them you’re going to walk diagonally up to the right across the car park.

Follow the asphalt road round to the left and out of the village. You can see the monastery on the hill in front of you so head for that. The first part up the road is quite steep. But it’s eight-ish minutes of effort and then it evens out.

Windmills and the first part of the walk

Once it does you’ll see the sign above with info about the castle that originally stood there. Turn right and head towards the 3 crosses. Just before you get to them you’ll see a brown sign directing you to a marble path on your left.

Keep your eyes peeled to find the path

The path winds up through the shady trees to bring you out to the remains of a Byzantine church.

The path through the trees

Squeeze along the little track ahead and visit the little white church. Spend a moment there and take in the views before heading up to the monastery itself.

Take a moment to enjoy the views here

There’s a little courtyard where you can rest if you need to. Remember that to go into the monastery you’ll need to dress appropriately. Once you’ve finished your visit head back down the stone path and retrace your steps.

Walk The Byzantine Road

Take a pleasant 45-minute walk from charming Lefkes to lovely Prodromos. You’ll walk along a marble road through olive groves, pines and land that’s regenerating after the 2021 wildfires.

Start with a drink at Agiazi cafe in Lefkes (closed in winter). Then follow the sign for the Byzantine Path down the steps at the corner of the square. Go along the path and then look to the left for the brown sign marking the route.

Once you’re on the path you can’t get lost. Just keep following the road until you get to Prodromos. As you enter the village there are laminated signs pointing you to the centre.

Amble along the alleys until you happen up the taverna of your choice for lunch or an early dinner. Take your time to enjoy your food and do a spot of people-watching before heading back the way you came. It’s slightly uphill this way so leave an hour to get back.

Delion Sanctuary of Apollo near Paroikia

Unless you’re a history buff I wouldn’t recommend this as a cultural trip, there’s not much of the sanctuary left. But for a good view of the harbour, this is the walk to do. It is uphill all the way but most of it is a steady climb.

Start from Paroikia walking past Paroikia Beach. Follow the walking route set out by Google Maps. Be careful on the first part as the road can get quite busy. Once you turn off the main road it’s quieter. It should take you around 50 minutes each way plus a few minutes for photos and to admire the view.

Views of a moody day in winter

Walk to Marcelo Beach and Agios Fokas Church

This is a mostly flat walk from Paroikia around the cove to the peninsula opposite. Start at Paroikia/Parikia Beach and look across to the church on the edge of the peninsula.

Walk around the seafront and then along the road to get there. You’ll pass various beaches that you can choose to stop at on the way or way back.

Nicer in summer!

It takes around 45 minutes to walk to the church. During the summer you can get a boat taxi back to Paroikia if you prefer. In the winter it’s a great sunset spot.

Walk from Marmara to Kalogeros Beach

If you want some easy-going walking in Paros then try this one route from Maramara village to Kaolgeros Beach. I followed the little asphalt road to the beaches. But apparently, there’s a dirt track that runs alongside it that I should have taken instead. Either way head for Molos Beach.

You’ll see the boats in the small harbour at the end of the beach. Next to them is the church.

To the right of the church as you look at is a dirt road. Follow that for a few hundred meters to reach Kalogeros Beach.

The waves here can be big when the ferries go past so leave your stuff high up on the rocks. If you walk towards the end (to the right as you approach) you can take sand off the rocks. Mix it with water to make a clay. Then slather it all over your body and bake yourself in the sun. Optional if you go in winter!

Bonus: Walking in Paros Park

In the peninsula at the very top of Paros you’ll find Paros Environmental Park. There are a few things going on there and you could enjoy a half or full day in the park quite easily.

Around the area, there is a small network of simple trails. The rock formations are really interesting and you can walk up to the lighthouse. If you walk around all the trails it will take about 2 hours to get back to the beach.

Tips for Hiking in Paros

There are much longer hikes available if you want to do a significant amount of walking on Paros. The longest route is about 20km but I found that most of the hiking routes in Paros are not circular. So unless you join a group, or you’re in a private group that can have a car at the start and the endpoint you’ll need to consider logistics.

In summer it’s much easier to get a bus to or near the starting points (or back from the endpoints.) But if you want to do serious hiking then the hot months aren’t the time to go.

The walks I’ve listed above are short enough to go there and back and I did them as a solo walker. If you’d prefer to join a group then Paros Hikes offers group hikes along easy and moderate routes from April until October.

Check the bus times in the off-season and see if you can make them work. In April and October the amenities (and weather) are better than from November to March. So the shoulder seasons are a good time to go and the bus transportation could fit in with your walking.

Otherwise, look at arranging for a taxi to take you back to your car at the starting point. (Or your accommodation if you started near to where you’re staying.) You’ll need to do that in advance.

I also found this group on Facebook that run group hikes through the winter. Posts are translated into English.

Paros Hiking Maps

I got a map of the Paros hiking routes from the International Book Shop at the port. I picked up a separate one for Paros Park but that wasn’t really necessary. The main map lists hiking routes that are well waymarked and ones that aren’t signed at all.

Hiking on Nearby Islands

I hope that gives you some inspiration and practical tips for walking on Paros. You might also be interested to read these posts about Hiking in Naxos and hiking on Andros island.