It's spelled Antiparos, BTW. I stay there every year for two weeks at a time, and is my favourite island. As it's only 30 minutes from Parikia, you can easily visit on a day trip, but will miss out on the evenings when people sit down for drinks around the harbour or on the pedestrian-only main street, and have dinner in one of the excellent tavernas. If you have the chance, take one of the round-island boat trips (10am - 5pm), which also pick up passengers at Pounta on Paros.

For another island between Paros and Santorini I would choose Naxos, but Ios would be a quiet (yes, quiet) alternative. Forget everything you hear about "party island". That's only in high season, not May. I wonder if Ios will be too quiet for you, though? Naxos has a little bit for everyone — sandy beaches, scenic mountain villages, beautiful chora (main town), and a few antiquities.

Should you still want to go to Folegandros, www.gtp.gr is showing ferries from Paros in May on Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat. I was on Folegandros in May a few years ago, and it was very popular with walkers. It has a beautiful chora set high on the island with great views, a good place to chill out. I was bored after a couple of days, and moved on to Antiparos.

What type of accommodation you are after? Budget? Requirements? I might be able to help with some suggestions on Naoussa,Paros -and maybe Naxos if you decide on that one : )))
On May nowhere will be extremely busy, especially at start of the month- Parikia might be a good option too, ok the port is always busy but town will not be far too wild on May.
I guess Ios and Mykonos might be alternatives too between Paros and Santorini ferry-wise , but I am not so familiar with those.

Thank you, Heimdall. I should have mentioned we visited Naxos last year and enjoyed it very much. Thanks for the advice on Ios. It looks like it will have to wait until another trip.

You have piqued my interest even more for Antiparos . With the long ferry from Paros to Folegandros (looks to be 5 hours) I may look into sharing time on both Paros and Antiparos instead. The evenings on Antiparos sound perfect.

Mykonos? Around 40 min by ferry from Paros.

From Mykonos it's an easy day trip to Delos.

I flew from Mykonos to Santorini, maybe 30-40 minutes; ferry is about 2 hrs, 45 min.

We stayed at Stelia Mare Hotel in Naoussa last year and would highly recommend it. Our room was lovely and had a large terrace, the staff was wonderful and we could walk into town for dinner each evening. We visited Antiparos as a day trip.

Our favorite island is Folegandros, which is very close to Santorini. Consider the ferry time part of getting to Santorini. We stayed 3 days and found it incredibly relaxing....not much going on there! We stayed at Anemomilos Apartments and the views from our terrace were spectacular.

You'll have a great trip whichever island you decide on.

I would recommend the island of Syros, Ermoupolis is the biggest city of the Cyclades and also the capital.
It is a non touristy island, mainly popular among Greeks, with a very very beautiful city ( Ermoumolis)
The city is actually divided in two parts, an orthodox and a catholic area, with either beautiful neoclassical or whitewashed cycladic houses.
There is lots to do and see, plus endless cafes, bars and restaurants so that you won't be bored...
Here is a link t soe information about Syros, and pictures uploaded from visitors

http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/syros/syros-villages/syros-ermoupolis.htm

You already have a flight booked to Paros, so that will obviously be your starting point. Another consideration is when in May you will be travelling. Early in the month the smaller islands, e.g. Antiparos, Ios, and Folegandros will be quiet, while Mykonos, Syros, and Santorini a little busier. Late May is an ideal time to visit any island in the Cyclades.

I've only seen Syros from the ferry, but Ermoupolis looks interesting, and has a large year-round population. Mykonos is great in May, with nearby Delos one of the most amazing archeological sites in Greece. Either Syros or Mykonos would require some backtracking to Santorini, so may not suit your plans.

You have "6 full days" before Santorini, and I think Paros and Antiparos would easily fill that time. On Paros you could visit Parikia (don't miss the Church of 100 Doors and the next-door archaeological museum), Lefkes, Naoussa, and the stretch of sandy beaches around Chrisi Akti (Golden Beach). On Antiparos is the round-island boat trip, the stalactite cave (if you like subterranean adventures), the southern end of the island with its beaches and beautiful villas, one owned by a well known Hollywood actor, and Antiparos Town itself.

Thanks for the quick replies!

cathyinjoetown, last year we visited Naxos, Mykonos, and Santorini. All were wonderful and looking to add something different in the mix. Sorry I didn't mention all of that in the original post.

clauser, thank you for the recommendation and I will look in to Syros and the ferry schedule.

judy, I think I came across your travel blog and remember you mentioning Stelia Mare and will check it out, thanks! And, another vote for Folegandros....hmmm.

mariha2912, budget is good this trip so we're looking into vrbo as well as a hotel/b&b as we would love a terrace to enjoy the views.

Thanks everyone!

Heimdall, Antiparos seems to become an elite island lately..
I've read an article about the owners of some amazing villas on Antiparos ( all of them extremely wealthy but low profile Greeks) and i was totally amazed

BeachGirl, wrong Judy. I don't have a travel blog but, if I did, I probably would have mentioned Stelia Mare.
We love Greece...for us, it is second only to Paris! We have been to many islands in Greece and still think Folegandros is awesome.

Oops, sorry Judy! We have similar likes as we feel the same about both Paris and Greece.

No need to be sorry....just didn't want to accept credit for someone else's blog!

I have 3 weeks in Paris this year so will need to revisit Greece next year. Where are you staying in Santorini?

We like an apartment we rented last year in Oia. So much so that we're sending our son there on his honeymoon in September.

Three weeks in Paris sounds lovely!

Hi clausar,

Antiparos is an island of two halves. Most visitors stay in Antiparos Town, which has rooms, studios, and apartments at reasonable prices. The southern end of the island, around Soros and Agios Georgios, is composed mainly of villas, both privately owned and rented at eye watering prices.

There is a little island between Pounta and Antiparos owned by the Goulandris shipping family, including a large villa that can be seen from the ferry.

I believe the appeal of Antiparos to these wealthy individuals is the privacy they have in their villas, and the fact that people leave them alone when they come into town.

If beach on the spot is a priority, then Agioi Anargyroi side of Naoussa are handier to be based. Bast beaches of Paros are elsewhere, but choosing between Piperi beach and Agio Anargyroi beach, A.A. is a much more decent one. On the other hand I somehow prefer the Piperi and Vounali site of Naoussa in terms of architecture. On my opionion there is more Cycladic feeling there, while on A/A side it is mostly more modern houses that could be on any mainland town, mixed with some (newly-built?) windmills and a couple of remaining old Cycladic houses....
Anyway, Stelia Marre gets really good comments on A.A area, along with Contaratos, and a smaller place in the wider area called Lilly Residense. I am more familiar with Piperi side of Naoussa, where Antirides gets the hands up for a very different and unique style that might or might not suit you, Senia offers great views (but requires some climb up), Kanales features many stairs but has great sea views from its suites and superior rooms (avoid standard rooms that are not as nice as upclass rooms) and Anemomylos and Alexandros are recommended for a bit more spartan accommodation. Both locations are a 10-15 minutes walk to Naoussa harbor.
I am not extremely familiar with villas on Naoussa, but I think those are not very handy located. Those along with more upclass large hotels are situated towards Kolybithres and Monastiri beaches and you'll need your own transport to connect to Naoussa. If you are willing to hire a car, you might want to check Stagones Villas located on Ambelas too. Ambelas is a rather sleepy town 15 minutes drive from Naoussa. I haven't been on the particular villas but they are managed by a guy that I know personally, he is very professional and has long experience owning and managing luxury accommodation on Santorini and elsewhere. Villas are newly built, only one or two years on operation, and get good feedback. Just some ideas....

mariha2912, thank you for all of your helpful information.

I think we've decided we do not want to spend 5 hours of our day on a ferry so Folegandros is off of this year's trip. Hopefully, next year!

Heimdall, we are traveling the last two weeks of May so I hope the main town of Antiparos will be open and ready for us!


On Naxos we enjoyed getting in a car and driving out of the town and in the countryside (which was beautiful) and driving down to Plaka Beach. We didn't wander the town as much as we did on Mykonos or Oia. I think Naxos town was much larger than I was expecting.

Now, how to spend the time on Antiparos or Paros. Or, divide time between the two. I am leaning towards staying on Antiparos and going into Paros on days we want to explore and move about a little more.

Hi BeachGirl,

You wrote: "I am leaning towards staying on Antiparos and going into Paros on days we want to explore and move about a little more." Well, that's exactly what I do. Antiparos is so well connected with Paros that a lot of people commute between the two islands every day. Antiparos high school students go to Parikia, for example. It all depends on what you want to do. If you like being on the go every day, Paros would be a better base. If you like some lazy days on the beach, long lunches, and the occasional trip to Paros, then Antiparos is perfect.

The easiest (and cheapest) way to get to Paros is the 7 minute ferry to Pounta, connecting with a 15 minute bus to Parikia. The ferry leaves every half-hour, and Pounta - Parikia buses hourly during the day. There are also boats directly from Antiparos to Parikia, taking about 30 minutes. If you have a car, the ferry to Pounta is the way to go.

The last two weeks of May are great for Antiparos. All the rooms, studios, and apartments will be open, but occupancy low, so you should be able to get a good deal on room rates. Some places to check out for rooms are Mike's Place (where I stay), Maria's Place, and Theologos Place, all in a quiet corner of town near the harbour. At the other end of town is Kastro Rooms & Apartments. If you decide to rent a car, Dolphin Hotel is in that exclusive southern end of the island at Agios Georgios.

Some links for you:
http://www.gto.gr/eng/accomm/hotel/detail.php?id=5146
http://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/antiparoshotels.html
http://www.antiparosgreece.com/
http://www.dolphinantiparos.gr/
http://www.antiparos-isl.com/

If you do decide to spend some nights in Paros, here's another vote for Stelia Mare as we stayed there for 3 nights last September and really enjoyed the room, the wonderful service and the location.

Nice to see I'm not the only Paris addict with Greece as a side lover. Paris trip # 8 coming up next month with our grandson and a return to Naxos and Santorini in September to feed my hubby's newfound love of the Greek islands, food and people.

My blog for anyone who enjoys long winded descriptions of food, wine and walking, as well as lots of pictures:

http://thisoldbroadsblog.blogspot.ca/2011/09/kalimera-from-athens.html

Sounds like you will have a wonderful trip regardless of where you decide to stay. Enjoy!

Jo

Any opinions of Kouros Village? I've read mixed reviews of it but most comments are a couple of years old.

I stay at Mike's Place, which is directly behind Kouros Village, so walk by it every day I'm on the island. It is considered one of the better hotels in Antiparos Town, with a pool, restaurant, and views over the harbour. The hotel is popular with families, so sometimes a little noisy around the pool area, but that shouldn't be a problem in May. I've never stayed at Kouros Village myself, but it would be a good choice.

In case you haven't seen it, here is the link for Kouros Village: http://www.kouros-village.gr/. Most hotels get a few mixed reviews, but personally I've never heard any bad comments about Kouros Village. Many Antiparian families choose the Kouros Village restaurant for wedding parties, and if you are lucky there may be one while you are there. It's great fun listening to the Greek music and watching the dancing, and you don't have to be a wedding crasher to see it.

Thank you Heimdall. Before we commit to Kouros my husband asked about Antiparos town versus staying at Dolphin in St. Georgios and what night life we could expect in that area. I know enjoy the evenings around the harbor area in town but do you know what we could expect in St. Georgious?

My only concern with Kouros Village is having a quiet place to sit outside and enjoy a book or glass of wine when we want to get away from the hubbub of the harbor area.

Distance from St. Georgios to Antiparos town is ? Did I read somewhere that it is about 10 minutes by car, is that correct?

We're not interested in sitting poolside but would enjoy a little time at the beach, a little in town and some on a nice terrace alone. Antiparos has a lot to offer for such a small island and it's proving difficult to make a choice!

I can vouch for Mike's Place as a good-and quiet-option for Antiparos (thanks to Heimdall). Sitting outside you will have an unobstructed view of the sea and Paros off in the distance.

Hi
If you're on a budget look up Captain Nicolas in Naoussa. We had a lovely room there last July spacious, on the waters edge, kind and friendly family and a fraction of the price of the ripoff hotel next door. We loved Naoussa.

By the way, I am also on of those Paris Paros lovers! We went last year and are going to Greek islands and Provence again this July. Anyone know of a gite in a lavender field to rent for a week???

Agios Georgios (also called San Georgio) is 11 km, or about 7 miles, from Antiparos Town. The road is paved all the way, and will probably take about 15 minutes by car. San Georgio has a nice, sandy beach, sheltered from the north winds which are sometimes a problem in the Cyclades. You can catch a boat from there to the island opposite, Despotiko, which is uninhabited, has more beaches, and an archaeological site now being excavated. There are a couple of tavernas in San Georgio, but for any shopping or nightlife you would have to drive into town.

Most of the rooms at Kouros Village are overlooking the pool, but a few face the sea. You wouldn't have much privacy on the balconies of the pool-facing rooms. If you want to stay in town but are uncertain about Kouros Village, Check out Mike's Place or Kastro Hotel. Mike's Place has only a few rooms and apartments, but is has been renovated to a very high standard, and is run by a very nice lady named Lilian. It is right next door to Kouros Village, and is very quiet. Kastro Hotel is at the other end of town, about five minutes walk to the center, and five minutes to the popular Psaraliki beaches. Guests I have spoken to are very satisfied with Kastro Hotel.

Late May is still fairly quiet on Antiparos, so there isn't much hubbub around the harbour, or anywhere else in town for that matter. There are a few nightclubs on the square that get most of their business after midnight. Before then nightlife consists of dinners in the tavernas, and drinks in the many cafes along the main street. Most people promenade up and down the pedestrian-only main street before settling down for drinks or a meal. You will see children playing in the street, and yiayias (grandmothers) sitting in their chairs watching over them while the parents are at work in the shops and cafes. I'm getting homesick for Antiparos just writing this!

Thank you all so much for your very helpful information. I'll revisit websites and decide what works for us this trip. I'm sure no matter what we pick we will have a wonderful visit.

Heimdall, If I'm having withdrawals for Greece after only one visit I can only imagine how much you must miss it!

I see above that someone mentioned Ambelas. We stayed in a small house there last year and loved it. We were the only Americans in town. There were lots of Germans, Brits, and a few Greeks. There's a small beach in town, and two tavernas which were pretty good. The drive into Naoussa took about fifteen minutes, and it was only a little bit further in the other direction to a well-known windsurfing beach. ( I think it was called Golden Beach, but I can't quite remember.) Nauossa had some wonderful restaurants and shops. The end of May was a great, unhurried time to explore the island. We even found parking in Parikia on the day that we chose to visit the famous church! Anyway, we had a fantastic time. I'd highly recommend a visit!

Thank you, Weadles, I'll check it out.

I received a response from Mike's Place. However, they are not open yet in May and the first part of June either as elections are June 6th.

I will send a note to Kouros Village instead. Let's hope Antiparos is open for business in May.

We combined Santorini with Rhodes. Other than getting our things stolen from the room and our puddle jumper seats being given away, it was an interesting contrast to Santorini.
We stayed within the ancient walls that surround a good share of the island.
From Rhodes we ferried over to Turkey.

Beachgirl
The elections in Greece will take place on May the 6th

I have been to Antiparos many times in the latter half of May, and most things are open by then. There must be some misunderstanding, because Mike's Place has always been open by the last week of May when I have stayed there myself. You will be happy with Kouros Village, though, so go ahead with your plans.

Yes, the Greek general election has been called for May 6th.

Sorry the election date I posted was wrong. I only repeated what Lilian from Mike's Place put in her email to me.

Thanks.

Lilian lives in Glyfada (Athens) in the winter, and moves to Antiparos in the spring to open up Mike's Place. Perhaps she has decided to open later this year. I spoke to her on the phone only a couple of weeks ago, and was under the impression she would be there before the end of May.

Heimdall, We arrived on Antiparos yesterday and ii can see why you love it so. I could easily spend my entire holiday here.

Hi BeachGirl,

Antiparos is a special place, and I'm glad you are enjoying it there. If you have a meal at Yorgis Taverna, say hello to Yorgis and his son Benos from Don (they don't know me as Heimdall). You can walk into the kitchen to see what is on offer that evening, and may even be handed a free ouzo. Have a great time on your trip.

What on earth are you going on line when you are on the Greek Islands?
Go out, explore,soak in the ambiance and enjoy!

There is no life without Internet mariha !!!!!

Heimdall, Yorgis was not open yet when we were there. I think we left on Saturday and he was getting ready to open that week. Painting and cleaning things us - he was fun to chat with.

mariha2912, I know I know. We were back at the room for some shut eye and I got on to check email. Otherwise, we were doing just that - exploring, soaking in the ambiance and enjoying Greece!

In Athens and heading back to the states in the morning. Antiparos, Folegandros (wow!) and a return to Oia, Santorini - fantastic holiday.

Thanks again to all who again helped plan a wonderful Greek holiday.

Have a great and relaxed holiday

...have a nice trip back home : )))

Antiparos seems just the perfect place to unwind. Would a solo female be comfortable there? I am an avid swimmer , is the beach walking distance to either Mikes Place or the Kastro hotel?
Final question...how is early September? After 9/12. Beaches still warm? Resaturants are open??
Thanks so much in advance

Hi foodiern,

Antiparos is indeed the perfect place to unwind, and solo females feel very comfortable there. I've been going to Antiparos once or twice a year for the last 15 years or so, and consider the island my second home. Many of the visitors, like myself, are regulars, but are very friendly and welcoming to newcomers. August is absolutely manic, but it's almost like someone pushes a button on the 1st of September, turning the island into a quiet haven. By the 12th of September it will be getting very quiet, but it's a great time to be there, because cafe and taverna owners have more time to talk. Go to the same place two days running and you will be greeted like an old friend.

Weather will still be warm, although sometimes it gets windy. This happens all over the Cyclades, but Antiparos has some beaches where you can shelter from the wind. Water temperature will be ideal for swimming. Some of the hotels and restaurants begin to close after the 1st week of Sep, but there are plenty of places that stay open until the end of the month. I'm not sure what Lilian's (owner of Mike's Place) plans are this year, but she sometimes closes by the middle of the month. I always stay at Mike's Place when on Antiparos.

Mike's Place is on the water, but the beach there is very shallow and popular for families with small children. The nicer beaches, Psaraliki I and II are 15 minutes walk to the south. Also 15 minutes walk is the camping beach, where you can wade/swim across to Diplo, an uninhabited islet. Bring your flip-flops and you can walk around Diplo, possibly having the entire island to yourself.

Kastro Hotel is just up the hill from Psaraliki II, about 5 minutes walk. The hotel is larger than Mike's Place, and has a swimming pool. It's not on the water, but has very good views across the strait to Paros. I've never stayed there, but have visited the hotel and met the friendly owners. Clients I have spoken to are very happy with Kastro. Psaraliki II has two beach bars, Time Marine, and at the other end of the beach my favourite, Fanari's.

Some of my favourite places for food & drinks: Yannis Place for breakfast and evening drinks (Margarita is also good); Yorgis Taverna and Pavlos Place for evening meals; 5F for gyros; Lollo's for authentic Italian; Vicky's for ice cream. Vicky's has a fun website with a novel page showing how to get there from Athens Airport: http://www.vickys.gr/ — try it out!

Heimdall, there are apartments next to Mike's Place. They had a sign for rent but no name or number. You don't happen to know who's place that is do you?

>> Go to the same place two days running and you will be greeted like an old friend. <<

I can vouch for that as we ate at a couple of places several times and they treated us like locals upon each returning visit. Such warm hospitality. Pavlos Place was delicious! And, we were treated to music and singing from Pavlo. Ahh, you have me pining for a return already!