What’s your idea of romance?
I don’t know about you, but I can tell you what romance is not in my book… squeezing between hundreds of tourists in a 15-minute line to finally get a couple shot in front of blue-domed churches.
As picturesque as Santorini is, I personally find that Naoussa does the “romantic honeymoon destination” game better. And here’s why…
Naoussa is a fishing village at the northern part of Paros island. While it’s relatively well-developed, it remains traditional, crowd-free, and above all… Gorgeous with a capital G.
In Naoussa, romance means a lovely talk on a quiet, seaside restaurant while colorful boats pass by whitewashed houses.
In Naoussa, romance means sitting by the coast watching waves crashing against a Venetian castle, holding your partner’s hand while talking about your future together.
In Naoussa, romance means taking a stroll through the narrow, stone-paved alleys; kissing under the flowers and wishing that the afternoon never ends.
While I didn’t visit Naoussa with a partner, the village definitely evoked a strong atmosphere of romance. It’s near the top of my list of places to return to (with a partner!) if I have a chance in the future.
Tell us your romantic travel stories below…
Scarlet Scribbles 
Lovely photos – you’ve captured the fresh colours perfectly. I have two strong memories of Naoussa – firstly a kitten trying to steal fresh octopus hung up outside the restaurant and secondly watching a fisherman have his hair cut by a shipmate – The best entertainment I’ve had while eating a delicious meal in a long time 🙂
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Thanks for sharing, Natasha!! The kittens are really something, aren’t they? A kitten came to us meowing for food, yet for some reasons it chose to eat french fries & not the fish. I just can’t… haha.
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Great tip on going to Naossa rather than dealing with the hassle and crowds of Santorini, Andrew. Thanks!
It’s really strange going somewhere really romantic without a partner, isn’t it? It’s not that you feel like you’re missing a component to your trip but maybe that the destination is missing something… I was in Fiji a while ago without my partner and it was quite strange. I didn’t enjoy myself any less, it was just different.
Great post though. Thank you for sharing.
Jim
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Thanks, Jim!! Yeah, it’s a different feeling but not any worse. 🙂 Santorini is still worth going for couples though, they just need to set the right expectation. If it’s privacy and alone time together they’re looking for, it’s nowhere to be found in Santorini’s major villages.
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