The Best Paros Beaches You Can Reach by Car

Paros has a beach for every mood, but the bus only reaches a handful of them, and the best coves often sit at the end of a short drive. With a car you can chase the wind to Golden Beach in the morning, find shade at Kolymbithres in the afternoon, and watch the sunset from a quiet western bay, all in the same day.

Golden Beach and New Golden Beach, on the south-east coast about 20 minutes from Parikia, are long sandy stretches famous for wind sports. There's ample parking behind the dunes, and the drive over from the main road is fully paved.

Kolymbithres, near Naousa, is the island's most photographed beach, with smooth granite rocks sheltering small pockets of sand. Park in the car park above the bay and walk down. Arrive early in summer, as the small coves fill up quickly.

For quieter sand, try Santa Maria in the north-east, the long shallow bay at Molos, or the string of small beaches around Aliki in the south near the airport. A few of the prettiest coves sit at the end of short unpaved tracks, where a higher car helps.

Wherever you go, take water, leave nothing behind, and keep an eye on the afternoon meltemi wind in July and August, which can make the exposed eastern beaches lively. The western and southern bays are the calm-water alternative on windy days.