Hello! I will be spending 8 or 9 day in the Cyclades in September and I am trying to find an island to stop over between Mykonos and Santorini. I am considering both Ios and Paros for 2 nights in between 3 nights in Mykonos and 3 nights in Santorini. I will be traveling with my boyfriend and my cousin and we are 26, 28, and 26 respectively. Our main interests are great beaches and great nightlife within a reasonably close proximity of the port (we do not plan on renting a car or scooters while visiting the island). Any recommendations?

I think Ios would be the best choice of these two for your age and for you interest in nightlife.

Absolutely. Ios is party central.

Thanks for your input. I have heard that Ios is a big time, but I have seen so much more about Paros, and I was just wondering whether Paris would be a better place to stop. While we will enjoy the beach and nightlife anywhere, we also want to enjoy a nice town and soak up the atmosphere of the Cyclades. Would Ios provide this plus the nightlife and beach scene that we are looking for?

Is that early September or late September? My understanding is that Ios is very lively on July/August but towards end of Sept it might feel far too quiet. Paros is more or less the ferry hub of Cyclades, it features large permanent population and its main town, Parikia, will definitely feel more busy. Paros is much larger though, and 2 nights1 full day is a very limited time to do it justice! Are you sure you do not wish to add those two nights on your other destinations? You'll be able to enjoy those more in leisure, your trip is not that long after all!

Mariah has a good point. <i>Ios is party central</i>, but the party is over at the end of August. Early September is still lively, but by the end of the month the island will be quiet. Small islands like Ios have a short season, with July and August the party months.

Paros is a hub for ferries in the Cyclades and has a larger permanent population. Parikia, the island's capital and port town, will still have a bit of life after the first week of September.

Again I agree, with Mariah — add those days to Santorini and/or Mykonos. You will waste most of the day getting to Ios or Paros, and most of another day getting from there to the next island. Although actual travel times are short, when you add the time it takes to pack, check out of the hotel, transfer to the port, wait for the ferry, & then check in at the next island, you've lost half a day or more. With ferry departures around mid-day, you won't have time to do much else in the morning before you leave, or in the afternoon when you arrive at the next island, so you have effectively killed the whole day.