Aliki

At a glance: South coast of Paros, 12 kilometres from Parikia and only 1.8 kilometres from Paros airport. Built around a small fishing harbour and three coves, with views to the islets of Tigani and Panteronissi. Best suited to travellers who want a quiet, local village rather than a nightlife scene, and to anyone flying in or out of Paros who wants a calm first or last stop.

Is Aliki worth visiting

Aliki is the village Paros keeps for itself. It sits well away from the busier north coast, built around a working fishing harbour where boats still return each morning with the day’s catch, and the pace stays slow even in August. There is little in the way of shopping or nightlife, and that is exactly why families and repeat visitors come back. An evening here is a long dinner by the water while fishing boats swing gently at anchor, not a bar crawl.

Highlights

• The small fishing harbour, with views out to the islets of Tigani and Panteronissi
• Aliki beach itself, right beside the harbour, calm and shallow
• The Museum of Cycladic Folklore, known locally as the Skorpios Museum, built by the self taught local artist Benetos Skiadas from scavenged materials and folk sculpture
• The short walk or drive to Faragas Beach, one of the best rated beaches on this side of the island
• The proximity to Paros airport, useful if you want a quiet base for an early flight or a late arrival

Where the name comes from

Aliki takes its name from the Greek word for salt pans. Salt was once collected here from shallow pools left by the sea and dried in the sun, work that shaped the village long before tourism did. The first residents were fishermen and farmers drawn to the sheltered coves and the fertile land behind them, and the same sheltered geography is what makes Aliki’s beaches calm enough for young families today.

Where Aliki is

Getting to Aliki

From Parikia port: Aliki is about 12 kilometres away, around 20 to 25 minutes by taxi or car. The local bus also runs the route, in around 35 minutes, with several departures a day in season.

From Paros airport: Aliki is only 1.8 kilometres from the airport, around 6 to 10 minutes by car or taxi, making it one of the closest villages to arrivals and departures.

By car or taxi: See getting around Paros and Paros taxi for prices and booking details, or check the Paros bus timetable for the bus from Parikia.

Arriving on Paros: For ferry routes and journey times to the island, start with how to get to Paros.

Where to eat

The harbour is lined with a small number of family run tavernas serving the local catch, unhurried and generally quieter than anywhere on the north coast. This is a village for a long, slow dinner rather than a wide choice of restaurants.

Where to stay

Aliki has a small number of rooms and seasonal hotels close to the harbour, suited to visitors who want quiet evenings and easy access to the airport. For a private villa with a pool elsewhere on Paros, see Paros villas with a private pool.

Beaches near Aliki

Aliki has three beaches of its own: the main Aliki beach beside the harbour, and the smaller Piso Aliki and Agios Nikolaos Alikis nearby. A short drive or walk away is Faragas Beach, a sheltered, golden sand beach that is one of the best regarded on this side of the island.

Best time to visit

Aliki suits any month the ferries and flights run, since its appeal is calm rather than nightlife. July and August bring the warmest sea and the busiest harbour tavernas, while spring and autumn offer quiet beaches and comfortable walking weather, particularly useful if you have a short layover between a flight and a ferry.