What's on in Paros, Greece through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Greece, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Out of season (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Out of season (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Busy — Independence Day, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Independence Day

  25 MarNational holidayClosures

  25 March, also the feast of the Annunciation, is a national holiday. Schoolchildren and bands parade through town centres under blue-and-white flags, banks, offices and most shops close, and fried salt cod with garlic sauce is the traditional lunch. Source ↗

Still on: Out of season (1 Nov – 31 Mar)

Peak crowds — Orthodox Easter, Easter holidays (Orthodox) in Greece

• Holiday

  Orthodox Easter

  10–13 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowded

  The Ekatontapyliani in Parikia is one of the oldest churches in Greece and it fills for the Friday epitaphios. The island opens for the season the same week. Source ↗

• Opening

  Rooms and ferries open up

  15 Apr – 25 May · usuallySummer season opens

  Naoussa's harbour tavernas, the Antiparos crossing and the fast boats from Piraeus all restart around Easter. May is the island at its best and least expensive. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Orthodox Easter (10–13 Apr), Rooms and ferries open up (15 Apr – 25 May (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Greece, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Sea warm enough to swim

  10 Jun – 15 Oct · usually

  Warm from mid-June to mid-October. Which beach works on a given day is a wind question: Kolymbithres when the meltemi blows, Golden Beach when it does not. Source ↗

Busy — Summer holidays in Greece, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  The meltemi

  1 Jul – 31 Aug · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  Paros sits in the strongest of it, which is why the windsurf and kite schools are on the east coast at Chrissi Akti. It also delays the Piraeus ferries for hours at a time.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 15 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Greek August

• Holiday

  Greek August

  1–25 AugSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  The 15 August feast at the Ekatontapyliani is the island's biggest day, and the fortnight around it is when Athens moves here. Rooms in Naoussa are gone by spring. Source ↗

• Festival

  Naoussa pirate raid

  23 AugMajor festivalCrowded

  On 23 August boats staged as corsairs storm Naoussa harbour with torches and fireworks, followed by free fish and wine on the quay. The village is unwalkable for the evening. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)), The meltemi (1 Jul – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Greece, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 15 Oct (usually))

Busy — Ohi Day, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Ohi Day

  28 OctNational holidayClosures

  28 October marks Greece's refusal of the 1940 Italian ultimatum. School and military parades fill town centres in the morning, flags hang from balconies, and banks, offices and many shops close for the day. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 15 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Closure

  Out of season

  1 Nov – 31 Mar

  Naoussa and the beach hotels close from November and Parikia goes back to being a working port. Ferries keep running all year, unlike on the smaller Cyclades. Source ↗

Quiet — travelers describe it as quiet, Christmas holidays in Greece

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Out of season (1 Nov – 31 Mar)