I caught the ferry from Naxos to Paros at 9:30 in the morning. It's a short trip, but it still took ages because the ports are on the same side of each island, so the ferry has to go all around Paros to get to the port! Paros is mainly known as a stopping off point, as many ferries go from there to all over the Greek Islands. But I was stopping there to spend a few chilled days on the island.

My first port of call was to drop off my luggage at my hotel, but I couldn't find it!! Google said there was a path across the front of the beach but I didn't really fancy dragging my suitcase across there. I had already walked along a road with it that didn't have a walkway. The other option was straight up a hill with no pedestrian footpath. In a moment of panic, I called the hotel and they sent someone to come down and pick me up. Phew! I'd booked a pretty nice hotel because a) they were relatively cheap in Paros and b) I was spending my birthday there! But I was not prepared for how amazing my room was - check out that view!

After dropping off my suitcase and scoping out the hotel, it was time to jump on a bus to Naoussa. I think the lady at the hotel reception was surprised when I told her that's what I planned to do for the day - evidently a lot of people turn up to Paros without doing their research! I walked down to the bus stop then found the correct bus and headed to Naoussa. 

Naoussa is a little fishing village at the top of the island. Compared to the capital Parikia, it is quite posh, with very fancy boutique shops and hotels. But it was also very pretty, with lots of quiet white streets and bougainvillea flowers. I stopped in to a restaurant which had a lovely owner, and had a nice salad for lunch. 

Full, I went looking for less touristy areas and came upon this church and its surrounding streets which were very Greek! 

After making my way back to the bus station, it was time to go back to Parikia and walk the long walk back to the hotel (beautiful views and lovely hotel but the location was a pain!). I passed along the water and snapped this photo below... the water was just SO CLEAR!

I got changed for dinner and watched the sun setting from my hotel balcony. For dinner, I picked a restaurant called Ephessus, which had a table for me right at the water's edge so I could watch the end of the sunset. The restaurant staff were also so friendly, and I spent a lot of my dinner having a chat to them. They even recognised me as I walked past the restaurant the next night... I felt like a local!