The beautiful little island 'just as pretty as Santorini' without the hoards of tourists

Santorini is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations thanks to its quaint coastal towns and stunning scenery.

However, its appeal has naturally resulted in the Greek island becoming one of the most expensive and most visited destinations of its kind.

Those who dream of visiting Santorini could cut costs and avoid the annoyance of large numbers of visitors by visiting a similar and less expensive option.

That is why many recommend Paros – another Greek Island located a stone's throw from Santorini in the Aegean Sea.

Like most islands in the region, Paros is best known known for its beaches and traditional villages.

Expedia says of the island: "It’s hard to go wrong with a postcard-perfect Greek island in the Aegean Sea.

"But you’ll find fewer crowds in Paros (up 193 percent) than you will in popular Santorini."

Paros also represents a good alternative to other locations such as Mykonos, which welcomes an estimated two million tourists each year, according to The New York Times.

In comparison, Paros only welcomes around 200,000 visitors in a year.

Like other Greek island towns, Paros is famous for its white marble coastal houses in nearby villages such as Parikia, which is a port town and the island’s capital.

Users on TripAdvisor have left positive reviews. One person said: "We were in Paros island this summer. It's really a great place for summer vacation. Noussa is the correct town to be chosen.

"You can pick a hotel there. The bar street and the restaurants were great. For the hotels .. I can recommend Chora Hotel; which is Not on the beach but with a very good swimming pool and service."

Another said: "We loved our time in Paros a great destination for a relaxing holiday, so warm and friendly, lots to see and do or just swim, sunbathe and shop in all the cute shops there. Heaps of great eating places and easy to hire a car or bike and explore different beaches all around the small island.We liked this island a little better than Santorini not quite so many tourists, but still busy in August."

A third added: "Sun, beaches and sand oh I love it from the time I spent my holiday in Greece. Greece is an Island country, and each and every island is very beautiful!

"Paros is four hours far from Athens via Ferry. I love Paros so much.. very clean nice water and beaches it has! I'm in love with that island. Very nice place to go around, food, restaurant , cafes and many more things. They have little ferries trip to go from one island to other.

"If you want your holiday memorable I would say you must visit Paros island in Greece. In Greece they take care of their island and beaches so much. People are very friendly and helpful around the island.

Paros Airport is located approximately 11km south of the city of Parikia.

There are no direct flights from the UK.