Are you visiting Paros with young children and wondering what to do? We specialize in family-friendly accommodation, and want to ensure that our smallest guests have as much fun as the parents! So here’s a list of the most popular activities and places to visit on Paros and Antiparos for families with kids.
Playgrounds of Paros
Every village has a public playground in Paros that are great for children to play. These are perfect for some downtime and social interaction with local kids.
The bigger playground in Alyki with a good selection of climbing frames and swings, is next to Alyki beach. Public playground, free to use. Next to it, there are also public (free) tennis court, basketball court and football field! Bring a ball! Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/E8TNMAsADWBjVXPe9
The smaller playground in Alyki is very conveniently located near the taverns at the bus stop of Alyki. Exact location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/okzYu5XxbpYjbj6y8
Naoussa indoor playground and cafe with games for young children. Next to Ragoussis bakery in the centre of Naoussa. Possibly also child minding service but please ask! Entry fee or games for a fee. This is the location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/n5r7YTMQ9NENy3Sg9
Playfield Paros https://playfield.gr/ amusement centre with inflatable castle, trampoline, padel courts and cafeteria in Asteras on the way from Naoussa towards Prodromos. Entry fee or games for a fee. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rZuLcb5zoEpE873M8
Protected beaches with sand & easy access
Click on the below links to see the beach locations and reviews from visitors on Google maps!
- Alyki, Agios Nikolaos beach shallow waters, lots of space, some trees for shade
- Agia Irini, also called Palm Beach protected bay, taverna & ice cream, sunbed rental
- Parikia, Delfini Beach beach restaurant, protected bay, lots of space
- Parikia Beach Sailing Club, swimming lessons for kids, beach bar and restaurant, some trees for shade, sunbed rental, lots of space
- Krotiri, opposite Parikia Marcelo Beach beach bar, lots of space, sunbed rental, very wind protected bay (but the water is not shallow and deepens quickly)
- The bay opposite Naoussa, Monastiri Beach: shallow water, beach bar, sunbed rental, very wind-protected bay. Sometimes the beach bar plays loud music 🙁
- Molos Beach: protected bay, lots of space, some trees for shade
- close to Piso Livadi Logaras Beach: nice sandy bay with lots of space and sunbed rental, taverna, and beach bar, trees for shade, the water deepens quickly
Walks in Paros with young kids
The traditional settlements of Paros have an “agora” (shopping area) where there is only pedestrian traffic and cars cannot enter. This makes most of the village centers a very safe area for families with young kids since you can let them roam freely, the cats, the ice cream shops at every corner and the occasional playgrounds will keep them entertained while you will have the change to take a look at the local products, jewelry, chick boutiques and so much more that Paros has to offer!
Walk in Parikia, the port city
Park your car at one of the many free public parking lots along the peripheral road and head towards the village center or simply take the bus and get off at the bus terminal at the port. Cross the road and you will find the square of Mando Mavrogenous. There is a public playground on the square which is busiest after the sun sets (no shade) and kids often ride a bike and play football on the square. The street around the square have limited vehicle access (police cars and delivery trucks but only certain hours of the day) From here on you can discover the winding streets of the Agora and the beach road which is also closed from 10.00am until next morning.
The circled area is only for pedestrians in Parikia.
Walk in Naoussa
Park at the “river” of Naoussa and enter the old town through the taxi station or at the public playground. While the old city of Naoussa is closed from cars, at peak tourist hours (from 11.00am to 14.00 and from 6.00pm until late at night) the streets might be very busy and you will have to keep an eye on the kiddies for that reason. Outside of peak times it is really safe for young children to run around, feed the ducks at the port while you can admire a great collection of superyachts at the port and maybe have a quiet moment to sip a drink!
Walk in Lefkes
The winding streets of the mountain village is a paradise for young kids, a labyrinth of cobbled streets with discoveries at every corner. Great sweet shops, toys and hand made products in small quint stores and no cars. This beautiful traditional village will be one of your family favorite! Prodromos has got a similar vibe but a much smaller village center. It is possible to walk up to Lefkes from Prodromos on the ancient Byzantine road, a very nice walk in the nature of about 5km. Make sure you have plenty of bottled water with you and you wear a hat especially if you are planning to do this walk in the summertime!
Parks and nature reserves
Butterfly Valley – “Petaloudes” Butterflies Nature reserve 🦋
An idyllic landscape of dense vegetation and abundant spring water, “Petaloudes” is a unique monument of natural beauty. This park is open from June to September with the greatest number of butterflies to be seen in June. Features beautiful trails in the forest, a Byzantine water well, children’s playground and a gift shop.
Website: https://www.butterfliesparos.com/en/
Click to see location on Google maps
PAROS PARK
The largest nature reserve of Paros on a rocky coast, a lighthouse that can be reached on the with signaled, easy walking path, wildflowers and remote beaches alongside the coastal trails perfect for a family picnic and a swim in the shallow, crystal clear waters! The blue-domed St. John of Deti monastery can be visited and there is an organized beach with sunbeds and a beach bar at the foot of the park.
Website: https://parospark.com/?lang=en
Click to see location on Google Maps
Other things to note…
Car hire
Fitting the whole family into one car, is it possible? Although you mainly see small rental cars on the roads of Paros, bigger 6-7-8 seaters are available too but it is advised to book early as their numbers are limited. Give us a shout and we will collect you two quotations free of charge from the car rental companies we work with!