Have you always wanted to go to Mykonos but feel like it’s not in your budget range? If so, we would suggest you go to Paros instead. Also great for parties and night life, amazing restaurants and little boutiques, it has an addes bonus of picturesque little villages like Lefkes, Marpissa and Prodromos, something Mykonos does not have, and possibly more even more beautiful beaches but not as crowded as they are on Mykonos (Little Santa Maria is one of our favorites, especially if you are staying at or near Naoussa).

And, of course, there is this little gem of an island of Antiparos – just 9-minute ferry ride from Paros, often called a sleepy island, with fantastic beaches and some great seafood restaurants like Captain Pipinos on Agios Georgios beach. The area near the port of Antiparos has this “destination on the rise” vibe – basically one street with a very homey, away-from-it-all feel on one hand and some great small boutiques and great cafes with not so standard fare – on the other.

 It is common for most Greek islands to have one central village or "old town" (Chora), but there seems to be two of those in Paros - a charming seaside town of Naoussa with some of the best restaurants on the island, many of them right by the water, and the port town of Parikia, slightly larger than Naoussa, with a beautiful central cathedral of Panagia Ekatondapiliani and a labyrinth of winding narrow streets full of cafes, bars and boutiques.

One can easily spend 5 to 7 days in Paros and see something new every day, but it is a convenient stop on an island-hopping tour as it has a little airport with several daily flights to/from Athens and a ferry connection with many Cycladic islands nearby.