Photo: Rhychelle Walker via Google
The verdict
- Best forTravellers who want the sun to set over the sea and a clear steer away from the famous east coast beaches that face the wrong way for it.
- Top pickKrios, across the bay from Parikia, for a sheltered west facing sundown with the old town glowing opposite.
- One thing to knowGolden Beach and New Golden Beach face east for the wind and the windsurfers, so they are morning beaches, not sunset ones.
Published 12 May 2026. Last reviewed 12 May 2026
Paros has a clear sunset side, and knowing it saves you from a common mistake. The two beaches most people can name, Golden Beach and New Golden Beach, sit on the east coast facing the open Aegean, which is precisely why they are famous for windsurfing and precisely why they are the wrong place to be at dusk. The sun rises out of that sea and sets behind the hills at your back, so for the sundown you want to be on the other side of the island.
That other side is the west coast around Parikia, the island's main town and port, which faces west and turns the whole waterfront into a sunset spot. For a beach rather than a cafe table, Krios sits just across the bay, a sheltered curve of sand that looks back over the water to Parikia as the sun drops and the old town lights begin to glow. It is calm, it is close, and it points exactly the right way.
North of there, the coves of Naoussa bay catch the evening too. Kolymbithres, with its smooth sculpted granite, and Monastiri, tucked into the quiet of Paros Park, both open toward the northwest, so the light warms the stone and the sun sets over the bay. Naoussa's little Venetian harbour is itself one of the loveliest sundown strolls in the Cyclades, with the boats coming in as the sky turns.
Below we rank the beaches by how well each delivers a sea sunset, weighing the aspect and the setting honestly, so the west coast and the bay coves lead and the celebrated east coast windsurf beaches are listed plainly for what they are. Each entry links to its full guide for access and crowds, the Meltemi wind has a say on comfort, conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, and anything uncertain says to be confirmed.
Six of the best beaches for sunset in Paros
West coast and bay coves for the sundown, the Golden Beaches for the wind.
Krios
The easy winner for a Paros sunset, a sheltered west facing cove just across the bay from Parikia where the sun sets over the water and the old town glows opposite as the light fades. The setting protects you from the Meltemi that whips the east coast, the sand is soft and the swimming calm, and a beach taverna lets you settle in for the show. On the list at the top as the most accessible and best aspected sundown on the island.
Kolymbithres
The famous beach of sculpted granite coves near Naoussa, where the smooth grey rock catches the warm evening light and the bay opens toward the northwest for a sundown over the water. The little swimming pools between the rocks make a beautiful foreground as the sky turns, and Naoussa is a short hop for dinner after. On the list for travellers who want the most photogenic sunset setting on the island, rock and sea and soft colour together.
Monastiri
A quiet cove in the green calm of Paros Park at the north of Naoussa bay, with clear water, a chapel above and an open northwestern aspect that catches the evening light. It is a gentler, more natural sunset than the busier beaches, the kind to pair with a walk to the park lighthouse as the sky goes gold. On the list for a peaceful, scenic sundown away from the crowd, with the bay glowing as the day ends.
Pounda
A west coast beach facing the channel toward Antiparos, so the sun sets straight over the water in front of you with the little island as a silhouette. It is a busy, breezy spot known more for kitesurfing and the ferry than for lounging, so the appeal is the clean western aspect rather than a quiet patch of sand. On the list as a genuine sea sundown on the west coast, with the honest note that it is a functional beach rather than a serene one.
Golden Beach
The long, handsome sweep of sand on the east coast that is one of the great windsurfing beaches in Greece, and faces east. That means it owns the morning sun and the Meltemi wind rather than the sundown, and we rank it here to be straight about it. Come for the world class wind and the wide golden sand by day, then cross to the west coast for the evening, because here the sun sets behind you.
New Golden Beach
Golden Beach's neighbour and fellow windsurf magnet, another broad east facing strand that catches the same reliable Meltemi and the same morning light. Like its twin it is a daytime and wind beach, not a sunset one, so we list it last for the sundown on purpose. Spend the day here on the water if the wind is your thing, and save the evening for Krios or the Naoussa coves where the sun actually meets the sea.
East coast for the wind, west coast for the light
The honest read on a Paros sunset is to ignore the fame of the Golden Beaches when you are planning your evenings. They are genuinely excellent, among the best windsurfing sand in Greece, but that reputation comes from their east coast aspect and the Meltemi wind that funnels onto them, and both of those things point them away from the sundown. Plenty of visitors stay near them and wonder why the sunset never seems to happen over the water. It is simply the wrong coast for it.
Cross to the west and the island gives you the light. Parikia faces west, so the whole town front is a sunset, from the windmill by the port to the Frankish castle and the cafe tables along the water. For a beach, Krios sits just across the bay, sheltered from the wind and aimed straight at the setting sun with the old town glowing opposite. North in Naoussa bay, the coves of Kolymbithres and Monastiri catch the evening on their rocks and quiet water, and Naoussa's Venetian harbour is a sundown stroll in itself.
Timing is the long Cycladic summer from June to September for the warmest, clearest evenings, with the beach bars and tavernas open late. The Meltemi is strongest in July and August, which is the whole point on the east coast and can be brisk on the west, so a sheltered bay like Krios stays the comfortable choice when the wind is up. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, we keep the live picture on each beach guide, and anything we cannot verify says to be confirmed.
Beach bars for the golden hour
Paros runs a stylish but easygoing beach bar scene, from the cocktail spots around Naoussa and the coves of Kolymbithres to the laid back tavernas along the Parikia front and the lively setups on the southern beaches. For the sundown, the west coast bars and the Naoussa harbour tables give you the light with a drink in hand, while the east coast clubs near the Golden Beaches are geared to the wind and the day. Operators, opening status and any minimum spend shift through the season, so we keep the live list on the directory. Tell us your dates and the kind of evening you want and we pass the enquiry on to confirm what is open.
Book a beach club in Paros
Before you go
Which beach has the best sunset in Paros?
Krios, just across the bay from Parikia on the west coast, is the easy winner. It looks back over the water to the old town, so the sun sets over the sea with Parikia lighting up beyond it. The Naoussa bay coves at Kolymbithres and Monastiri also catch the evening light, while the famous Golden Beach on the east coast faces the wrong way for a sundown.
Why isn't Golden Beach good for sunset?
Golden Beach and New Golden Beach sit on the east coast of Paros and face the open Aegean to catch the Meltemi wind, which is exactly what makes them famous for windsurfing. That eastern aspect means they get the morning sun and the breeze, not the sundown, so the sun sets behind the hills at your back. Go for the wind and the water by day and head west for the evening.
Where do you watch the sunset in Parikia?
Parikia faces west, so the whole waterfront is a sunset spot, from the windmill by the port to the old Frankish castle and the row of cafes along the front. For a beach, Krios sits just across the bay with the sun setting over the water and the town glowing opposite. The seafront tavernas fill at golden hour, so come early for a table with the view.
Are the Naoussa beaches good for sunset?
The bay coves are lovely in the evening. Kolymbithres, with its sculpted granite rocks, and Monastiri, in the quiet cove of Paros Park, both open toward the northwest of Naoussa bay, so they catch warm light on the stone and a sundown over the water. Naoussa town itself is a fine sunset stroll, with the little Venetian harbour glowing as the boats come in.
When is the best time for Paros sunsets?
The long summer from June to September brings warm, clear evenings and the most reliable sundowns, with the beach bars and tavernas open late. The Meltemi wind is strongest in July and August, which is great on the east coast and can be brisk on the west, so a sheltered bay like Krios is the comfortable choice. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, so check locally on the day.