LauraWilmerding

Going to Crete and want one other island. Thinking of Paros, Mykonos or Santorini. Want an island feel, good local food and activity. Nice hotel with a pool and maybe beach. Last stop on our trip, would like it memorable.

travelerjan

Laura, if you will share more info, you will be likely to get better advice. For example -- WHEN is your trip? Advice may differ markedly between June and August. How many days in Crete, and how many days for your 2nd island? All the Cycladic islands "feel" like islands, i.e., you will see the water from most places ... "local food" more likely on Paros ... Mykonos & Santorini visited by several large cruise ships almost every day in hgh season... so cruise crowds keep streets of port towns busy. THey are the most "touristic" but that may be your choice. Mykonos has better beaches (sandy) than Santorini's (black grit).

With children that age, the most family-friendly island is Naxos, with better beaches than all you listed -- have you considered it? Check out this Fodorite's slide-show: http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/552001505EYxVYT
-- St. George (ag. giorgios) beach, adjacent to Naxos town ... "nice hotel with pool" there would be Naxos Resort Beach Hotel, just yards from beach, walkable to Naxos town.

brotherleelove2004

Paros beaches are very family-friendly. They're calm and plentiful. If they're interested in windsurfing take them to Golden Beach. Livadia Beach is inside the bay where Parikia is located. Kolimbithres Beach is in Naoussa Bay. There's plenty ot see and do for all family members on Paros.

Heimdall

I agree with brotherleelove. Paros has a variety of beaches, ranging from long and sandy to rock-fringed coves excellent for snorkelling. One of the most photographed beaches in Greece is Kolymbithres near Naoussa. Check out the Paros beaches at http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/paros/paros-beaches.htm.

If you have time, you can take a day trip to Antiparos for the stalactite cave or a round-island boat trip, which would be very exciting for your kids.

Paros easy to reach from Crete. FlyingCat 4 leaves Heraklion, stops at Santorini and Ios, then Paros, so you don't even have to change ferries. The trip takes 4 hours.

travelerjan

In choosing your island, decide whether you want to rent a car ... I have visited several lovely Paros beaches -- Kolymbithres, Piso Livadi, Logaras, Krios. The latter 3 cn be reached by bus from the Port town, but not too frequently. Kolymbithres requires a car or scooter as far as I can tell. Livadia is walkable from the Port, but IMHO is a mediocre beach, I've swum there several times just for lack of transport.

On Naxos good beaches - Mikri Vigli, Plaka, Ag.Prokopios, all v. accessible from Port town by frequent (30 min) busses taking 10-15 minutes. Ag. Giorgios quick walk from port.

If you're renting a car anyway, no consideration. Certainly Paros has the added bonus of a visit to Antiparos. I gather u can rent kayaks in Antiparos, quite a trea. Paros also is closer to Piraeus via ferry than is Naxos.

Heimdall

Travelerjan has very limited knowledge of Paros. Kolymbithres Beach can be reached by taxi boat from Naoussa harbor, which I have done many times, and it's a very pleasant way to get to the beach. Likewise, there are taxi boats from Parikia harbor to Krios Beach. I agree about Livadia, and have never bothered swimming there.

Travelerjan is also out of date about the kayaks on Antiparos. Both companies that used to do kayak tours have given up the service, but Kostas Kalpenidis, of Argonauts Blue, will still make kayaks available by prior arrangement. He still maintains his website http://www.argonautsblue.com/, but now makes his living spear fishing.

travelerjan

Heimdall, are those taxi boats available in May? I was unable to find out about them in my 4 visits which have all been in May.

Heimdall

They are certainly available in late May, not sure about early May — probably, but with reduced frequency. The taxi boats are former fishing vessels, providing an easy access from Naoussa to Kolymbithres, Monastiri, and Langeri beaches. Most visitors to Naoussa don't have cars, and wouldn't be able to reach those popular beaches without the taxi boats. I've been going to Paros/Antiparos for years, never hired a car, and have had no trouble getting anywhere I want to go by bus, boat, or shank's pony. ;-)

Heimdall

BTW, I've never seen the Naoussa harbor taxi boats advertised anywhere, which is probably why you haven't been able to find out about them. You just walk down to the harbor where they are tied up, having little signs showing which beach they are going to. Hop on board and pay your fare — very informal. As I recall, the fare includes the return trip. You can read about them in the "Beaches of Naoussa" section of http://www.parosweb.gr/beaches.htm.

travelerjan

I assume the same advice applies to taxi boats from Parikia harbor to Krios, just walk along the waterfront until you find some small boats tied up, with little signs on them. THanks!

Heimdall

The boat to Krios Beach ties up just to the right (as you face away from town) of the main ferry dock. You don't have to walk along the waterfront, it is only feet away from where the big ferries come in. During season, depending on where the camera is pointed, you can get a quick glimpse of it on http://www.parosweb.com/paros-webcams/parikia_port.html as it is pulling in to dock, but is out of view when it ties up. Just now, when I checked, the webcam was pointed at the windmill rather than the main dock, but of course the Krios boat wouldn't be running this time of year, anyway.

stanbr

Hi Heimdall.
I had read that there is a little boat from Perikia harbour to Antiparos. Have you ever used that method to get to Antiparos? Would you recommend the boat rather than bus and ferry and how do the costs compare. Where would we find that little boat from the big ferry dock?
Always appreciate your thoughts on Paros.

Heimdall

Hi Stanbr,

The boat to Antiparos is at the same corner of the docks where the Krios boat ties up, but parallel with the big ferries. If it happens to be there when your ferry arrives, you can step off one and straight onto the other. You <i>will</i> be able to see it on the webcam when it starts running in May or June. As I recall, tickets last year were €6 per person, and the trip takes about 30 minutes. The bus station is on the other side of the docks from the Antiparos boat. Buses take about 15 minutes to Pounta, and ferries from there to Antiparos co-ordinate with bus arrivals, taking 7 minutes for the short crossing. As I recall, bus fare was €1.40, and the Pounta - Antiparos ferry only €1 (last year's prices).

Heimdall

Also, tickets for both ferries to Antiparos are sold on the respective boats.

brotherleelove2004

FYI-

If anyone rents a motor scooter on Paros they can take it with them to Antiparos to help explore that island by using the small car ferry at Pounta. I think when I did this they only charged me a couple of extra Euro for the fare. Of course if you go to Antiparos you can certainlly rent motor scooters there as well.

travelerjan

Hey, Great! Thanks stanbr, you asked a question I was thinking about also! Heimdall, it looks as if both Stanbr and Travelerjan finally will be getting to Antiparos this year .... look for a crash in real-estate values; as they say in the US (with frowny-face) 'there goes the neighborhood!"

Heimdall

Enjoy your visit to Antiparos, but if you like it don't hype it up too much. In fact, it would be better if you tell everyone how much you hated it! We regulars prefer it just the way it is. ;-)