Antiparos Daytrip
May 3rd, 2006, 04:10 AM
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Antiparos Daytrip
I am staying 3 days in Paros in early June (after 5 days in Santorini and 4 days in Naxos)and considering a daytrip to Antiparos. How often do excursion boats leave Parikia? Do any leave from Naoussa? What is the latest boat from Antiparos back to Paros? Besides the cave what else is there to do on Antiparos (really not interested in the beaches as that will be done in Naxos)? Would renting a scooter or a car be fun and, if so, what would be some good places to visit. Thanks for any info on Antiparos.
May 3rd, 2006, 07:42 AM
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Hopefully "Heimdall" will answer with specifics, but in general I can tell you that there are frequent daily ferries across to Antiparos, from Paroikia but mostly from Pounda, a small port a short distance from Paroikia by bus. The bus station in Paroikia is next to the ferry port. Here's a link to some Pounda-Antiparos schedules.
http://www.gtp.gr/greekferries_searc...p?Loc_ID=12096
http://www.gtp.gr/greekferries_searc...p?Loc_ID=12096
May 3rd, 2006, 01:47 PM
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There is an exucrsion boat which leaves from the ferry dock in Parikia. In May and June the schedule changes almost weekly, so I can't be precise, but during early June it leaves every 1-2 hrs in the daytime. There is also a car ferry at Pounta (bus from Parikia) which leaves every half hour from 0700 in the morning until late at night.
The main attraction on Antiparos, apart from beaches, is the cave. Buses leave for the cave about once an hour until around 2PM. I could never figure out why they don't run later.
The main settlement of Antiparos has a pedestrian street leading up to the town square and kastro (castle). There are many nice cafes and tavernas along the street where you can stop for lunch or a drink. The town is fairly quiet during the day, since most vistors are at the beach.
Two boats offer round-the-island trips if the winds aren't too strong. One, Alexandros, is tied up at the main dock. The other, Thela, is along the harbour near Mantelena Hotel, and operated by Tassos, a very nice man who provides a picnic lunch as part of the deal. Both boats leave around 10AM, and return around 6PM.
Blue Island Divers offer snorkling and scuba trips.
The town really comes alive in the evenings, when everyone promenades up and down the main street, looking in shops and stoppping for a drink. The tavernas (restaurants) start serving around 7PM, but are at their busiest between 9-10PM. Nightowls migrate up to the square, where the action begins around midnight, and goes on until dawn. To get the most from Antiparos you really need to stay there.
The main attraction on Antiparos, apart from beaches, is the cave. Buses leave for the cave about once an hour until around 2PM. I could never figure out why they don't run later.
The main settlement of Antiparos has a pedestrian street leading up to the town square and kastro (castle). There are many nice cafes and tavernas along the street where you can stop for lunch or a drink. The town is fairly quiet during the day, since most vistors are at the beach.
Two boats offer round-the-island trips if the winds aren't too strong. One, Alexandros, is tied up at the main dock. The other, Thela, is along the harbour near Mantelena Hotel, and operated by Tassos, a very nice man who provides a picnic lunch as part of the deal. Both boats leave around 10AM, and return around 6PM.
Blue Island Divers offer snorkling and scuba trips.
The town really comes alive in the evenings, when everyone promenades up and down the main street, looking in shops and stoppping for a drink. The tavernas (restaurants) start serving around 7PM, but are at their busiest between 9-10PM. Nightowls migrate up to the square, where the action begins around midnight, and goes on until dawn. To get the most from Antiparos you really need to stay there.
May 5th, 2006, 07:50 AM
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Heimdall,
On the Blue Island Divers website under things to do it advises renting a small boat and visit the deserted beaches and the grottos south of the island. This sounds like it could be fun. I assume it is something very small with an outboard. Do you know of any places that have such rentals and approximately how much it would cost? What are the grottos like and how accessible are they? Thanks for any info.
On the Blue Island Divers website under things to do it advises renting a small boat and visit the deserted beaches and the grottos south of the island. This sounds like it could be fun. I assume it is something very small with an outboard. Do you know of any places that have such rentals and approximately how much it would cost? What are the grottos like and how accessible are they? Thanks for any info.
May 5th, 2006, 10:37 AM
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kc3305, you will see the boats anchored at the end of the harbour. They each have a small outboard motor, so are intended for use inshore when the winds are light. I don't remember the rental charge, but is somewhere around 50 euros per day. The people who rent the boats will be sitting under an umbrella, most likely sipping a frappe from a nearby restaurant (what a life!). On days when the winds are too strong they don't open.
There are several islets around Antiparos, two of them just north of the harbour opposite the camping beach. The grottos Blue Island Divers refer to are on the south end of the island, and would be quite a long trip in a small boat.
To see the grottos you would probably need to take the Thela or Alexandros, per my earlier post. I've been on the Thela, and Capt Tassos stops at these places - you can even jump in for a swim if you wish. See http://www.antiparos-isl.com/photoGallery.html for some photos of the island. Antiparos 13.jpg in the photo gallery shows one of the grottos.
There are several islets around Antiparos, two of them just north of the harbour opposite the camping beach. The grottos Blue Island Divers refer to are on the south end of the island, and would be quite a long trip in a small boat.
To see the grottos you would probably need to take the Thela or Alexandros, per my earlier post. I've been on the Thela, and Capt Tassos stops at these places - you can even jump in for a swim if you wish. See http://www.antiparos-isl.com/photoGallery.html for some photos of the island. Antiparos 13.jpg in the photo gallery shows one of the grottos.
May 6th, 2006, 09:57 AM
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kc3305, also look in Tasos Gallery (drop-down menu where it says Gallery Sets) in the link in my previous post. One of the photos shows a small boat going through an archway jutting out into the sea. That was the scene I was looking for, but couldn't find earlier. I'm not sure, but it might even be the same Tasos who captains the Thela.
