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While romantic Santorini and bacchanalian Mykonos often get the lion’s share of attention (and tourists) in the Cyclades, another isle with quieter charms awaits a mere 45 minutes away: Paros. That’s where fashion designer Margherita Missoni and her friends—including Eugenie Niarchos and Tatiana Santo Domingo—vacationed this July. The beaches are calm and crystalline, the bougainvillea-dotted towns full of cultural appeal. Then there’s the cuisine, fresh and seafood-focused: “I love Greek food—and it’s outstanding here compared to anywhere else,” says Missoni.
Reachable from Athens by plane and Mykonos by ferry, it’s an easy, Elysian escape for those planning a summer trip to the Mediterranean. Below, Missoni’s travel tips for the under-the-radar Greek isle.
Where to Stay: Cosme
Just outside the harbor town of Nassoua is Cosme, a newly opened Luxury Collection resort. With whitewashed adobe walls, flat roofs, and colorful bougainvillea bushes, it's an elevated example of the Cycladic architectural style that dominates the region. Inside, cooling cream and earth tones adorn the lobby and guest rooms, with the occasional pop of color from a blush couch or perhaps a pot painted with a classical Grecian face. “I love how it never feels too big and is quite private. The rooms may be all next to each other, but you don't really realize it,” Missoni says.
Amenities include a half-moon infinity pool, shaped to complement the cerulean Aegean sea below, a private beach club, and and a spa with a star-gazing area that overlooks the sparkling lights of Nassoua at night. An added bonus? The onsite restaurant, Parostià. Helmed by Yiannis Kioroglou—formerly of La Guerite in St Barths—it serves a Mediterranean and Grecian menu. (Order the lobster.)
Another beloved hotel on the island is the boutique Parilio. Quaint and design-driven (local art dots all the rooms), the highlight of the property is an imaginative and idyllic cross-shaped swimming pool.
Where to Eat: Mario
Mario, in Nassoua, turns the town’s main square into its dining room. Turquoise chairs and tables sprawl out onto the stones, and at sunset, there’s not an empty seat in sight as patrons drink local wines and dine on ceviches or the grilled fresh fish of the day. “It’s really magical,” Missoni says of Mario. Her must-order dish? “The marinated zucchini salad—it was incredible.”
Tsachpinis, a restaurant owned by Mario's brother that focuses on traditional Greek dishes, sits right next door. (You can distinguish the two by their chair colors—Tsaschpinis's are royal blue.)
Where to Visit: Panagia Katapoliani
While yes, the beach is the main attraction in Paros, Missoni has an additional suggestion: Panagia Katapoliani. The Byzantine church, which dates back to 326 A.C., was built even before Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. “It’s one of the most miraculous churches in Greece,” says Missoni.
The interior is a work of art and worship: paintings of religious icons, done in the Byzantine’s signature gold color palette with flat figures, adorn the walls. Many are covered in a riza (or, a metal sheet meant to protect the work). Two gilded chandeliers descend from the ceiling. Votive offerings hang delicately in front of icons including silver fishes, emblematic of the Aegan Island’s hardworking fishing communities.
Where to Shop
Charming shops abound in both Parikia and Nassoua. The best advice? Just wander around the twisted, flower-lined and sun-drenched streets and see where you find yourself walking in. Missoni stopped by Retro Greco, a vintage shop in Parikia, to pick up some old-school Paros souvenir t-shirts, as well as the antique shop Moods. At Anthologist—the second outpost of Andria Mitsakos’s impeccably curated furniture, housewares, clothing, and jewelry store—she picked up swim trunks for her children and vintage matchboxes for her friends. “They’re a cool holiday memory,” she says of the souvenir.