Naxos vs Patros with 3 month old
 

Hi all,
My husband and I are considering traveling to a Greek island for a week at the end of August/beginning of September with our then 3 month old, before we both head back to work following parental leave. Would be looking for a trip where we can relax without feeling the need to see many "must dos", wander through nice towns, eat great authentic food, and possibly fit in a day trip to Delos which we couldn't get to during our last trip to Greece. Due to time constraints, we would want to fly from Athens rather than ferry, narrowing it down to these two islands. I don't want to be somewhere super touristy and am willing to rent a car, but the thought of lugging a car seat to Greece makes me want to cringe. Also don't want to spend the entire day/trip on the beach.

To get a sense for what we like: on our last trip to Greece, we LOVED Samos and the small town of Ireon where we stayed. We hated the vibe in Oia in Santorini.

Also any specific hotel recommendations? We'd be looking for a room with a balcony with a great view but are okay with very simple rooms!

Sorry; typo! Naxos vs Paros! (Infant on lap is not conductive to typing...)

Have you considered Naxos??? it has St George beach that is directly adjacent to the port town... which means you could walk along the level seafront pavement from the beach to the Town's seafront in 10-15 minutes, putting the infant in a cheap lightweight folding stroller or a baby backpack... and then enjoy the town interests -- antiquities, winding maze of lanes, shops, cafes etc. you would not need to rent a car except perhaps for 1 day, to zoom around the island (it has dramatic inland landscapes, mountain villages etc). If you go online to the car rental agencies you could determine which ones provide a carseat.

You can fly to Naxos!! It used to have only 1 flight a day, but lately there have been 2-3; check that first thing, and if it's good, book it! YOu can then see about lodgings. A thousand years ago, I went on an island vacation with a 5 month old, and I know that any relaxation for parents depends on being very near to the beach. On St. George beach There are several lodgings that have 1BR units w. separate main room + balcony or patio, plus a kitchenette El ... so u can feed tot on his/her schedule. It is very late to book now, but several to try are Studio THomais, Studio Kalergis, Studios Diogenis -- these 3 are directly on the beach & 1st 2 have patio units. If they are full, try Studios Naxos, where I stay, just about 50 feet off the beach another, Hotel Akrogiali, has 2rm apts. If all these are full, I an come up with others.

I'm suggesting this because I know what its like when a baby is this young -- and also when I go in My-June, the beach is sprinkled with Scandinavian babies, ages 6mos 5 years. Mothers in beach chairs breastfeeding. It is SO family friendly ... but as I say, you can get out into town and do interesting things...

Paros has everything that Naxos has to offer as well as being an hour closer to Delos and within easy shuttle ferry to Antiparos. There are several mellow beach areas suitable for the little one. The main village of Parikia has a wide selection of shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants to satisfy you.

I have also visited Paros 4 or 5 times. The reason I did not recommend it for parents with a very young child (I don't think Brotherlee has traveled with kids) is that it's more restful not to have to take a car or bus to a beach, with all the gear requied. The beach that is just on the fringe of Parikia, the Paros Port town, is decidedly mediocre ... not dirty, just not well-organized, and not tidied up that often, and not a good system for renting sunbeds & umbrellas (a must with babies). For childless couples or singles to get to more attractive beaches that's no biggie because they can rent a quad, or hop a bus, but isn't it better to be able to walk 20 yards or even 100 yards.

Here are some good photos ofNaxos town & island hilites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634605629689/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094558042/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7632113170279/
... St. George beach on the far end has the Flisvos Sports Club if either of you likes kayaking, canoeing or -- if the wind picks up - windsurfing or whatever they call it... boards with sails...

Travelerjan has a thing about Naxos, and always recommends that island. I am a little more open minded, and agree that Naxos is a good choice. I happen to prefer Paros, for the reasons mentioned by brotherleelove, and especially for its proximity to Antiparos.

If you want somewhere relaxing that's even better for families with small children, think about Antiparos. It's only 30 minutes from the ferry docks on Paros, has great beaches, and a very compact main town with a pedestrian-only main street. The whole town is stroller friendly, including the paths to the main beaches. There are many fine shops, cafes, and restaurants on the main street, and you can park the stroller next to your table while you eat.

It's easy to get back to Paros for sightseeing if you wish, taking the boat direct to Parikia or a bus from Pounta, which is the main access to Antiparos. If you hire a car you can take it on the ferry from Antiparos to Pounta.

A car is also handy for exploring the southern end of Antiparos, where there are more beaches and many beautiful villas, some owned by A-list celebs. There is also an archeological site, soon to be an open museum, on the island of Despotiko, which can be reached from Agios Georgios, the small settlement at the south of Antiparos. Despotiko is only just beginning to be excavated, but should eventually bcome a smaller version of Delos.

By the way, travelerjan's comment about needing a car to visit the Paros beaches is inaccurate, as there are more beaches accessible by bus on Paros than on Naxos. Depending upon where you stay, there are many beaches within walking distance of accommodation too. I've lost count of how many times I've been on Paros, and never once rented a car or scooter.

Looking at flights, Paros may make a bit more sense for us due to the timing (only one later flight available to Naxos the day that we'd likely be traveling and I don't relish spending the day in the Athens airport!), plus Aegean is currently running a promotion with cheap flights to Paros. I hadn't considered Antiparos, thinking it was just the land of the rich and famous, but that sounds like it might work really well for us. The ferry adds one more leg to our journey to our destination, but it sounds like it might be just what we'd be looking for...

I also think Antiparos is a good choice for young families.

While I too think St George beach is a very good option there are a couple of factors that should push you toward Antiparos.
It is as lovely as Heimdall says and also has a shallow beach right at the village. The big factor though you have already discovered yourself is the opening of the new airport recently has added lots of new seats to Paros. Naxos flights are likely mostly booked up.
Here is what antiparos is like.
Antiparos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632126687570/

Hi Alisa,

The "rich and famous" stay in villas outside of town, while Antiparos Town has many rooms, studios, and apartments for all budgets. Here is one of the nicer hotels in Antiparos Town, but there are many other more modest places: http://www.kastro.net

Actually it's easier to get to Antiparos than to many parts of Paros itself. For instance, Naoussa is about 20 minutes by bus or taxi from the Parikia ferry docks, and Piso Livadi, Drios, etc around 45 minutes. The boat that goes from the ferry docks to Antiparos takes about 20 minutes, and the bus/ferry combination via Pounta about 30 minutes. In many cases you can get off the ferry, hop on the direct boat, and be on your way before the big ferry even leaves the docks.

I don't take many photos on Antiparos, but here are a few, including one of the boat from the Parikia docks to Antiparos (with Speedline painted on the side). Toward the end of the album are photos of the Church of 100 Doors in Parikia, and a film set at Naoussa: https://www.flickr.com/photos/heimda...57627739415280