Our Week on Antiparos - mid-June 2019
Jul 25th, 2019 | 07:28 AM
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Our Week on Antiparos - mid-June 2019
Background
Our family (DH, me, son age 8, son age 6) spent a bit over 3 weeks in Greece in June. This was our 5th trip to Greece (2006, 2009, 2011, 2018, and this year). It was the 3rd trip to Greece for oldest son as we brought him as an infant, and the second trip to Greece for younger son. DH and I speak a bit of Greek but are in no way fluent. We love (LOVE) ancient history and discovered a new love this trip snorkeling! Below is a brief write-up of our week in Antiparos.
Arrival
We took a ferry from Mykonos to Paros (we had flown into Mykonos from London after our overnight from the US). Caught a taxi at Parikia port on Paros which took us to Pounda port within 15-ish minutes. Then caught the ferry across to Antiparos (this journey took perhaps 6-7 minutes). Markos from Kastro Apartments was waiting for us at Antiparos port, as we had called him from Pounda port to let him know our arrival time.
Accommodation
We stayed at Kastro Apartments & Suites. This little place is like a slice of heaven on earth, truly. We had an incredibly spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment for 180E/night not including breakfast (see below). There was AC in both bedrooms and in the large living room. One of the bathrooms had a bathtub with handheld shower and the other bathroom had a large shower. The kitchen had all of the equipment needed to cook, however we only used the fridge. Its full-sized and perfect for keeping drinks and fruit (watermelon!) cold. The beds were comfortable and WiFi is fast and reliable. Each apartment has its own WiFi plus the entire property has WiFi. There are TVs in the unit but we didnt turn them on not sure what channels would have been available. We had a terrace with a drying rack in front and a large terrace with table and chairs and clothesline out back.
Breakfast 35E daily for our family and was served from 8:30-10:30 ish. In reality, it was ready a bit before these hours and available a bit after too. It was incredible! Homemade pastries and cakes, yogurt, fresh breads and jams, fresh fruits, meats, freshly prepared eggs in different ways on different days, and on and on. You wont want lunch after this breakfast!
Lunch we ordered lunch at the poolside bar twice as the kids had somehow worked up an appetite despite eating a mountain of breakfast. We had salad, club sandwich, and burger and all was excellent. Prices were reasonable.
Pool spotlessly clean, with comfortable loungers set around the pool deck and a shaded area with tables to eat. There is also a small whirlpool (I dont believe it is a hot tub) attached to the pool which guests of all ages seemed to enjoy. Pool towels were provided free of charge (we kept ours all week). There is a shallow end and a deep end. Pool temperature was glorious in mid-June. The pool is open from 11am to 7pm.
Play area there is a small playground on the property. Appropriate for kids ages perhaps 2-6. Our youngest son played on it for a few minutes, but the pool was the main attraction.
Grounds immaculate! Lovely gardens, well-maintained.
Management Magda and Markos and their beautiful daughter Margarita are the most wonderful hosts. Magda provided us with very helpful information about Antiparos and Paros upon arrival and was always available to provide advice when requested. We especially appreciated the tips on kid-friendly beaches on windy days (check out Panageia).
Location perfect! An easy walk into town (perhaps 4 minutes) yet away from any noise. 10 minutes walk to Psaralyki Beach 2. Perhaps 5-6 minutes walk to Sunset Beach. It takes 12-15 minutes to get all the way to the port.
Quirks 1. We noticed that after about 10pm, there was no hot water in the apartment. Not a problem we just made sure to shower before heading into town for dinner since we were frequently out late! Guessing this is due to a solar water heating system. 2. The pool hours are limited and frankly, a bit inconvenient to us with our travel preferences. The hours are due to labor restrictions, I believe. Ideally, we enjoy either a swim after breakfast before heading out to sightsee or we enjoy an evening swim after returning home from a full day of sightseeing. The 11am-7pm window doesnt really allow for either. If you want to enjoy the pool, it requires you to remain at the hotel during the daytime hours during which you could otherwise be exploring. 3. Just a head's up that a new building is under construction (likely finished by now) on the property which will add 6 units (~20 beds). 3 of the units will have small private plunge pools. Given that the sun loungers around the main pool were always full with just the current number of units (~40 beds) we are guessing that loungers will need to be added since not all of the new units have plunge pools, and there isnt an obvious area to add more than a couple more.
Overall impression We loved our week at Kastro! It was a perfect base for the week for our first time on Antiparos. The only little thing that might keep us from returning was the limited pool hours. We completely understand the labor restrictions behind them and don't intend for this to be a complaint! Just for our family and the way we travel, pool hours of perhaps 9am-8pm work better. It's hard for the kids to walk back onto the property at 6:45pm after a full day and not be able to hop in and swim for an hour before dinner. Even if they spent the day swimming in the sea, LOL.
Meals
We didnt have a bad meal on Antiparos. Thats an understatement. We had nothing but wonderful food on Antiparos! I wish Id taken better notes on where we ate. A highlight was Argo restaurant which is a bit off the main path through town. Bring insect repellant if planning to sit outside (and you should sit outside for the ambience!). Antiparos town has many, many dining options within the main town and plenty of bakeries and ice cream shops as well. Our kids loved Vickys for ice cream and the proprietor was unfailingly patient in helping them perfect their ordering in Greek.
Transportation
We rented a large SUV from Aggelos for 40E per day, cash. It was standard transmission and had AC and was perfect to fit the four of us plus kid-gear. We picked up the car at the port one day and returned it there. The next day, when we decided we wanted to rent it for another couple days, they delivered it to us at Kastro and left the keys with Markos and Magda. When we were done with the car, we left it in the lot behind Kastro with money and key under the floor mat. Driving was easy, easy, easy. We loved the ability to stop and check out any swimming spots in the sea that looked appealing!
Next Up Activities
Our family (DH, me, son age 8, son age 6) spent a bit over 3 weeks in Greece in June. This was our 5th trip to Greece (2006, 2009, 2011, 2018, and this year). It was the 3rd trip to Greece for oldest son as we brought him as an infant, and the second trip to Greece for younger son. DH and I speak a bit of Greek but are in no way fluent. We love (LOVE) ancient history and discovered a new love this trip snorkeling! Below is a brief write-up of our week in Antiparos.
Arrival
We took a ferry from Mykonos to Paros (we had flown into Mykonos from London after our overnight from the US). Caught a taxi at Parikia port on Paros which took us to Pounda port within 15-ish minutes. Then caught the ferry across to Antiparos (this journey took perhaps 6-7 minutes). Markos from Kastro Apartments was waiting for us at Antiparos port, as we had called him from Pounda port to let him know our arrival time.
Accommodation
We stayed at Kastro Apartments & Suites. This little place is like a slice of heaven on earth, truly. We had an incredibly spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment for 180E/night not including breakfast (see below). There was AC in both bedrooms and in the large living room. One of the bathrooms had a bathtub with handheld shower and the other bathroom had a large shower. The kitchen had all of the equipment needed to cook, however we only used the fridge. Its full-sized and perfect for keeping drinks and fruit (watermelon!) cold. The beds were comfortable and WiFi is fast and reliable. Each apartment has its own WiFi plus the entire property has WiFi. There are TVs in the unit but we didnt turn them on not sure what channels would have been available. We had a terrace with a drying rack in front and a large terrace with table and chairs and clothesline out back.
Breakfast 35E daily for our family and was served from 8:30-10:30 ish. In reality, it was ready a bit before these hours and available a bit after too. It was incredible! Homemade pastries and cakes, yogurt, fresh breads and jams, fresh fruits, meats, freshly prepared eggs in different ways on different days, and on and on. You wont want lunch after this breakfast!
Lunch we ordered lunch at the poolside bar twice as the kids had somehow worked up an appetite despite eating a mountain of breakfast. We had salad, club sandwich, and burger and all was excellent. Prices were reasonable.
Pool spotlessly clean, with comfortable loungers set around the pool deck and a shaded area with tables to eat. There is also a small whirlpool (I dont believe it is a hot tub) attached to the pool which guests of all ages seemed to enjoy. Pool towels were provided free of charge (we kept ours all week). There is a shallow end and a deep end. Pool temperature was glorious in mid-June. The pool is open from 11am to 7pm.
Play area there is a small playground on the property. Appropriate for kids ages perhaps 2-6. Our youngest son played on it for a few minutes, but the pool was the main attraction.
Grounds immaculate! Lovely gardens, well-maintained.
Management Magda and Markos and their beautiful daughter Margarita are the most wonderful hosts. Magda provided us with very helpful information about Antiparos and Paros upon arrival and was always available to provide advice when requested. We especially appreciated the tips on kid-friendly beaches on windy days (check out Panageia).
Location perfect! An easy walk into town (perhaps 4 minutes) yet away from any noise. 10 minutes walk to Psaralyki Beach 2. Perhaps 5-6 minutes walk to Sunset Beach. It takes 12-15 minutes to get all the way to the port.
Quirks 1. We noticed that after about 10pm, there was no hot water in the apartment. Not a problem we just made sure to shower before heading into town for dinner since we were frequently out late! Guessing this is due to a solar water heating system. 2. The pool hours are limited and frankly, a bit inconvenient to us with our travel preferences. The hours are due to labor restrictions, I believe. Ideally, we enjoy either a swim after breakfast before heading out to sightsee or we enjoy an evening swim after returning home from a full day of sightseeing. The 11am-7pm window doesnt really allow for either. If you want to enjoy the pool, it requires you to remain at the hotel during the daytime hours during which you could otherwise be exploring. 3. Just a head's up that a new building is under construction (likely finished by now) on the property which will add 6 units (~20 beds). 3 of the units will have small private plunge pools. Given that the sun loungers around the main pool were always full with just the current number of units (~40 beds) we are guessing that loungers will need to be added since not all of the new units have plunge pools, and there isnt an obvious area to add more than a couple more.
Overall impression We loved our week at Kastro! It was a perfect base for the week for our first time on Antiparos. The only little thing that might keep us from returning was the limited pool hours. We completely understand the labor restrictions behind them and don't intend for this to be a complaint! Just for our family and the way we travel, pool hours of perhaps 9am-8pm work better. It's hard for the kids to walk back onto the property at 6:45pm after a full day and not be able to hop in and swim for an hour before dinner. Even if they spent the day swimming in the sea, LOL.
Meals
We didnt have a bad meal on Antiparos. Thats an understatement. We had nothing but wonderful food on Antiparos! I wish Id taken better notes on where we ate. A highlight was Argo restaurant which is a bit off the main path through town. Bring insect repellant if planning to sit outside (and you should sit outside for the ambience!). Antiparos town has many, many dining options within the main town and plenty of bakeries and ice cream shops as well. Our kids loved Vickys for ice cream and the proprietor was unfailingly patient in helping them perfect their ordering in Greek.
Transportation
We rented a large SUV from Aggelos for 40E per day, cash. It was standard transmission and had AC and was perfect to fit the four of us plus kid-gear. We picked up the car at the port one day and returned it there. The next day, when we decided we wanted to rent it for another couple days, they delivered it to us at Kastro and left the keys with Markos and Magda. When we were done with the car, we left it in the lot behind Kastro with money and key under the floor mat. Driving was easy, easy, easy. We loved the ability to stop and check out any swimming spots in the sea that looked appealing!
Next Up Activities
Jul 25th, 2019 | 08:12 AM
#2
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
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Activities
Antiparos seems meant for slowing down and relaxing, really relaxing. Our favorite form of this was hopping into the car and driving to whatever swimming spot in the sea looked appealing. Panageia Beach was our favorite for crystal clear and calm water, shade under the tamarisk trees, and interesting things to see – little crabs, interesting rocks, small sea shells. Agios Giorgos has stunning views across to Despotiko. Psaralyki 2 is semi-organized with a small area where you can rent a couple sun loungers and umbrella for 10E. Agios Giorgos is also semi-organized. A pair of loungers and umbrella there were 12-15E depending on time of arrival. Panageia is blissfully unorganized and so peaceful!
In addition to all the relaxing, we also had 3 more organized days.
1. Captain Sargos boat trip to Despotiko archaeology dig, Livadi beach on Despotiko, and the sea caves. We drove down to the little town of Agios Giorgos at the southern tip and took the first boat trip of the day which departed at 11:30am. There was one other family on board with us. It’s just a few minutes across to Despotiko island where we walked uphill along a path to see the ongoing and active archaeological dig. We got an hour here. This was too short for us and likely too long for others, lol J. We enjoyed getting to talk with the archaeologists and our youngest son got to match up two pottery shards.
Next, we headed around Despotiko island to Livadi beach and were dropped off for ~3 hours to enjoy the beach in solitude. The only people on the beach for these hours were us and the other family from Germany. There is shade but no other facilities.
Last, we motored to the sea caves and got the chance to swim off the side of the boat for 10-15 minutes. Captain Sargos provided melon and wine upon getting back onto the boat. We got back to Agios Giorgos around 5pm, perhaps a bit after.
Price was 80E for the day (25E per adult, 15E per child).
You can also take Sargos’ boat across to Despotiko to see the ruins and straight back to Agios Giorgos for considerably less! 7E roundtrip for adults, half for kids.
2. Daytrip to Parikia on Paros. We took a morning ferry from Antiparos to Pounda port on Paros and then caught the bus to Parikia town. The ferry fare was perhaps 1,60 – 1,80E each (the kids weren’t always charged). The bus fare was 2E per person. We hopped off the bus close to the Archaeology museum.
The archaeology museum is small but excellent, and one of the gentlemen working there regaled the kids with mythology for a wondrous hour. They’re still talking about the Minotaur and about how on earth Theseus could have forgotten to change the sails from black to white.
We also saw the Panagia Ekatontapiliani church, AKA Church of 100 Doors. Skirts for borrow are just outside the entrance if you need them. This church is old, old and beautiful. It’s built atop the foundations of a temple – you can see the columns through glass panels in the floor at the front. It’s fascinating to me how “holy ground” seems to stay holy despite changes in religion. When in a museum, you often see votives of body parts that needed healing that are thousands of years old. In the modern church, you see these same votives attached to icons. Our needs and longings stay the same… healing, health of loved ones, and so forth.
We had lunch at a tavern near the port so the kids could watch the boats coming and going, and also wandered through town to see the Ancient Cemetery and the Hellenistic Sculpture Workshop. We’d like to come back to Parikia and spend more time in the future, as the old part of the town is the labyrinthine type of place we find charming.
3. Captain Ben’s boat trip. 180E for the 4 of us for the Meal Option (50E per adult, 40E per kid). You could opt for a cheaper non-Meal option if desired. This boat trip departed Antiparos port at 9:45am and the first stop was to pick up a few more passengers at Pounda port on Paros. Then it was off to the first swimming stop.
The scenery on the boat trip for the entire day was just stunning! Absolutely amazing. Inadequate words. We saw nesting gulls and even a sea turtle swimming. We stopped at a total of 5 different places to swim. Each swimming stop was about 20-30 minutes except the 3rd stop which was Livadi Beach on Despotiko – we had more than an hour here. The crew was incredibly safety-conscious. There were noodle-flotation-devices available for all who wanted them. There were also snorkel masks, fins, and goggles to borrow. If you wanted to cliff jump above the sea caves, there was a crew member stationed there to help you navigate up the rocks (and avoid sea urchins). You could jump off the back of the boat, off the side of the top deck if brave, or you could climb down the ladder. We did all three. At the last swimming stop, they opened up a slide from the top deck down into the water which was really fun.
There were folks from age 5-70 on board. There were several guests who did not swim and stayed on board the entire day. They too seemed to have a marvelous time. There were also a few guests who only left the boat at the 3rd stop – Livadi Beach. Here, there was an option to swim to the beach or you could get into a motor boat and be taken ashore if you didn’t want to swim or you wanted to bring a bag. Captain Ben’s crew unlocked chairs and loungers, so there was plenty of seating options on the beach. They also brought a variety of beach toys ashore. The kids loved learning to play beach tennis.
Food and drink was plentiful and excellent! We didn’t drink save a glass of wine with lunch, but there was a variety of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages provided. Not so much that guests became inebriated.
Boat – the boat was large and comfortable. We were assigned an area up front which was perfect for the kids to be able to see where we were going. We could go to the shaded portion of the boat with tables/benches anytime we wanted shade, and we could walk around on the upper deck too but didn’t have an assigned seating area up there. The crew seemed to truly try to ensure everyone was happy with their seating accommodation and that preferred areas were apportioned to passengers fairly. The bathroom as kept spotlessly clean.
We all enjoyed the day greatly and will definitely do this day out on Captain Ben’s boat again when we return to Antiparos.
Antiparos seems meant for slowing down and relaxing, really relaxing. Our favorite form of this was hopping into the car and driving to whatever swimming spot in the sea looked appealing. Panageia Beach was our favorite for crystal clear and calm water, shade under the tamarisk trees, and interesting things to see – little crabs, interesting rocks, small sea shells. Agios Giorgos has stunning views across to Despotiko. Psaralyki 2 is semi-organized with a small area where you can rent a couple sun loungers and umbrella for 10E. Agios Giorgos is also semi-organized. A pair of loungers and umbrella there were 12-15E depending on time of arrival. Panageia is blissfully unorganized and so peaceful!
In addition to all the relaxing, we also had 3 more organized days.
1. Captain Sargos boat trip to Despotiko archaeology dig, Livadi beach on Despotiko, and the sea caves. We drove down to the little town of Agios Giorgos at the southern tip and took the first boat trip of the day which departed at 11:30am. There was one other family on board with us. It’s just a few minutes across to Despotiko island where we walked uphill along a path to see the ongoing and active archaeological dig. We got an hour here. This was too short for us and likely too long for others, lol J. We enjoyed getting to talk with the archaeologists and our youngest son got to match up two pottery shards.
Next, we headed around Despotiko island to Livadi beach and were dropped off for ~3 hours to enjoy the beach in solitude. The only people on the beach for these hours were us and the other family from Germany. There is shade but no other facilities.
Last, we motored to the sea caves and got the chance to swim off the side of the boat for 10-15 minutes. Captain Sargos provided melon and wine upon getting back onto the boat. We got back to Agios Giorgos around 5pm, perhaps a bit after.
Price was 80E for the day (25E per adult, 15E per child).
You can also take Sargos’ boat across to Despotiko to see the ruins and straight back to Agios Giorgos for considerably less! 7E roundtrip for adults, half for kids.
2. Daytrip to Parikia on Paros. We took a morning ferry from Antiparos to Pounda port on Paros and then caught the bus to Parikia town. The ferry fare was perhaps 1,60 – 1,80E each (the kids weren’t always charged). The bus fare was 2E per person. We hopped off the bus close to the Archaeology museum.
The archaeology museum is small but excellent, and one of the gentlemen working there regaled the kids with mythology for a wondrous hour. They’re still talking about the Minotaur and about how on earth Theseus could have forgotten to change the sails from black to white.
We also saw the Panagia Ekatontapiliani church, AKA Church of 100 Doors. Skirts for borrow are just outside the entrance if you need them. This church is old, old and beautiful. It’s built atop the foundations of a temple – you can see the columns through glass panels in the floor at the front. It’s fascinating to me how “holy ground” seems to stay holy despite changes in religion. When in a museum, you often see votives of body parts that needed healing that are thousands of years old. In the modern church, you see these same votives attached to icons. Our needs and longings stay the same… healing, health of loved ones, and so forth.
We had lunch at a tavern near the port so the kids could watch the boats coming and going, and also wandered through town to see the Ancient Cemetery and the Hellenistic Sculpture Workshop. We’d like to come back to Parikia and spend more time in the future, as the old part of the town is the labyrinthine type of place we find charming.
3. Captain Ben’s boat trip. 180E for the 4 of us for the Meal Option (50E per adult, 40E per kid). You could opt for a cheaper non-Meal option if desired. This boat trip departed Antiparos port at 9:45am and the first stop was to pick up a few more passengers at Pounda port on Paros. Then it was off to the first swimming stop.
The scenery on the boat trip for the entire day was just stunning! Absolutely amazing. Inadequate words. We saw nesting gulls and even a sea turtle swimming. We stopped at a total of 5 different places to swim. Each swimming stop was about 20-30 minutes except the 3rd stop which was Livadi Beach on Despotiko – we had more than an hour here. The crew was incredibly safety-conscious. There were noodle-flotation-devices available for all who wanted them. There were also snorkel masks, fins, and goggles to borrow. If you wanted to cliff jump above the sea caves, there was a crew member stationed there to help you navigate up the rocks (and avoid sea urchins). You could jump off the back of the boat, off the side of the top deck if brave, or you could climb down the ladder. We did all three. At the last swimming stop, they opened up a slide from the top deck down into the water which was really fun.
There were folks from age 5-70 on board. There were several guests who did not swim and stayed on board the entire day. They too seemed to have a marvelous time. There were also a few guests who only left the boat at the 3rd stop – Livadi Beach. Here, there was an option to swim to the beach or you could get into a motor boat and be taken ashore if you didn’t want to swim or you wanted to bring a bag. Captain Ben’s crew unlocked chairs and loungers, so there was plenty of seating options on the beach. They also brought a variety of beach toys ashore. The kids loved learning to play beach tennis.
Food and drink was plentiful and excellent! We didn’t drink save a glass of wine with lunch, but there was a variety of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages provided. Not so much that guests became inebriated.
Boat – the boat was large and comfortable. We were assigned an area up front which was perfect for the kids to be able to see where we were going. We could go to the shaded portion of the boat with tables/benches anytime we wanted shade, and we could walk around on the upper deck too but didn’t have an assigned seating area up there. The crew seemed to truly try to ensure everyone was happy with their seating accommodation and that preferred areas were apportioned to passengers fairly. The bathroom as kept spotlessly clean.
We all enjoyed the day greatly and will definitely do this day out on Captain Ben’s boat again when we return to Antiparos.
Jul 25th, 2019 | 08:23 AM
#3
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Antiparos Impressions
Antiparos is a paradise, truly. We fell in love with snorkeling here. The calm, crystal clear waters are perfect for it. The Antiparians are friendly, helpful and kind. Especially to children. We bought snorkel masks and tubes at the local dive shop and the owner spent an incredible amount of time talking to the kids about snorkel techniques and tips. He drew us a map of all his favorite snorkeling spots and took extreme care to make sure the snorkel mask fit was correct on all of us, even burning off the oil from the manufacturer and explaining proper care for the equipment in detail. Everyone - everyone - was patient and helpful as we tried to use and improve our Greek. The town is small and easily navigable - we were able to let the kids wander to their favorite sweet shop and the toy store while we enjoyed an evening coffee.
Somehow, we ran out of time to see the large cave on Antiparos! Must have been all that relaxing, LOL. We will have to see it on our return as it looks really interesting. There is also a lot of history we didn't see on Paros since we only went over one day and didn't make it out of Parikia. Another reason to return...
Special Thanks
To Heimdall, travelerjan, stanbr, and billbarr. You all have helped us plan so much of our Greece travels over the years, and your generosity with your knowledge and expertise is SO appreciated. It really is. We have a saying in our family that all that is needed to have a great day on vacation is flexibility, patience, and a positive attitude. The kids have added a fourth thing. Fodorite suggestions and advice. Epharistoume poly!!!!
Antiparos is a paradise, truly. We fell in love with snorkeling here. The calm, crystal clear waters are perfect for it. The Antiparians are friendly, helpful and kind. Especially to children. We bought snorkel masks and tubes at the local dive shop and the owner spent an incredible amount of time talking to the kids about snorkel techniques and tips. He drew us a map of all his favorite snorkeling spots and took extreme care to make sure the snorkel mask fit was correct on all of us, even burning off the oil from the manufacturer and explaining proper care for the equipment in detail. Everyone - everyone - was patient and helpful as we tried to use and improve our Greek. The town is small and easily navigable - we were able to let the kids wander to their favorite sweet shop and the toy store while we enjoyed an evening coffee.
Somehow, we ran out of time to see the large cave on Antiparos! Must have been all that relaxing, LOL. We will have to see it on our return as it looks really interesting. There is also a lot of history we didn't see on Paros since we only went over one day and didn't make it out of Parikia. Another reason to return...
Special Thanks
To Heimdall, travelerjan, stanbr, and billbarr. You all have helped us plan so much of our Greece travels over the years, and your generosity with your knowledge and expertise is SO appreciated. It really is. We have a saying in our family that all that is needed to have a great day on vacation is flexibility, patience, and a positive attitude. The kids have added a fourth thing. Fodorite suggestions and advice. Epharistoume poly!!!!
Jul 25th, 2019 | 08:45 AM
#4
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,688
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What a wonderful trip report! I’m glad you enjoyed Antiparos, and got to do so many things. I always said I would save the cave for a rainy day, and it was several years before that happened. I fear you have caught the bug that impels so many people to return to Antiparos. Many of today’s visitors first came to AP with their parents, and are now bringing their own children back.
Jul 25th, 2019 | 10:23 AM
#7
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,688
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The direct boat from the Parikia docks is often cancelled with strong winds, but the landing craft car ferry from Pounta to Antiparos is only cancelled in the most severe weather. If the Pounta ferry is cancelled, the big ferries from Piraeus won't be running either. That's the main year-round access to Antiparos, with ferries running every 30 minutes from 7am until after midnight. In over 20 years of going to Antiparos I've never failed to get there from Paros.
Last edited by Heimdall; Jul 25th, 2019 at 10:25 AM.
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Jul 25th, 2019 | 01:41 PM
#10
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Echoing Heimdall, yes, we were told that the direct boats from Parikia to Antiparos do not always run in inclement weather, however the ferry between Pounda port on Paros and Antiparos town runs very reliably and very frequently.
Re: getting between Parikia and Pounda port, we did both taxi and bus. Bus tickets were 2E pp and the bus was clean and even air conditioned. It worked great for us. We took a taxi on the day we had all our luggage just to simplify things (and because there didn't happen to be a bus waiting when we disembarked our ferry). The taxi was 12E, I believe. Maybe 15E. Inexpensive for 4 people plus luggage either way. Plus we got a great overview of Paros from our driver, Katerina, who was the first female taxi driver on Paros!
A last highlight I forgot to mention is that we were there over Orthodox Whit Sunday (Pentecost) and were treated to wonderful traditional dancing in front of the church near the port. It went on for HOURS and everyone in the crowd was dancing and clapping along. It was one big family-friendly street party and we had a wonderful time!
Re: getting between Parikia and Pounda port, we did both taxi and bus. Bus tickets were 2E pp and the bus was clean and even air conditioned. It worked great for us. We took a taxi on the day we had all our luggage just to simplify things (and because there didn't happen to be a bus waiting when we disembarked our ferry). The taxi was 12E, I believe. Maybe 15E. Inexpensive for 4 people plus luggage either way. Plus we got a great overview of Paros from our driver, Katerina, who was the first female taxi driver on Paros!
A last highlight I forgot to mention is that we were there over Orthodox Whit Sunday (Pentecost) and were treated to wonderful traditional dancing in front of the church near the port. It went on for HOURS and everyone in the crowd was dancing and clapping along. It was one big family-friendly street party and we had a wonderful time!
Jul 25th, 2019 | 01:47 PM
#11
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Heimdall, interesting that you mention that about multiple generations visiting Antiparos. We became friendly with a couple Norwegian families while there and in both families, the parents had discovered Antiparos in the 70s and 80s with their parents and had wonderful memories of camping there. They were now back with their young families! One of the couple's mentioned that an article about Antiparos had been published in Norwegian in a widely read newspaper sometime in the 70s and that is why so many Norwegians visit Antiparos to this day.
We are now in the process of thinking through summer 2020. We'll have our usual 3 weeks plus a weekend - the last two weeks of June and the first week of July. I have lots of research and reading to do... early interest is in some sort of Milos, Sifnos, ?? itinerary. We would love to insert Antiparos into that itinerary, but the ferry connections don't appear easy from my preliminary research. As usual we are looking for places with some ancient ruins to explore (doesn't have to be a biggie - we are happy to look at pretty much any pile of old rocks, lol). Also looking for an island with a kid-friendly beach and laid-back, not-too-crowded vibe. I know I have not narrowed it down much, LOL!!, but please feel free to chime in if an idea pops into your much more knowledgeable head!
We are now in the process of thinking through summer 2020. We'll have our usual 3 weeks plus a weekend - the last two weeks of June and the first week of July. I have lots of research and reading to do... early interest is in some sort of Milos, Sifnos, ?? itinerary. We would love to insert Antiparos into that itinerary, but the ferry connections don't appear easy from my preliminary research. As usual we are looking for places with some ancient ruins to explore (doesn't have to be a biggie - we are happy to look at pretty much any pile of old rocks, lol). Also looking for an island with a kid-friendly beach and laid-back, not-too-crowded vibe. I know I have not narrowed it down much, LOL!!, but please feel free to chime in if an idea pops into your much more knowledgeable head!
Last edited by TexasAggie; Jul 25th, 2019 at 01:55 PM.
Jul 25th, 2019 | 08:43 PM
#14
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Joined: Apr 2004
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travelerjan, we followed our week on Antiparos with 9 nights on Naxos, your fave! Writing about that is next on my To Do list 
. We had gotten a taste of Naxos last summer with a 5 night stay and really enjoyed the longer visit this time.
. We had gotten a taste of Naxos last summer with a 5 night stay and really enjoyed the longer visit this time.
Jul 25th, 2019 | 11:02 PM
#15
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,688
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TexasAggie, now that you have been to Antiparos and know about the generations who have been coming there since the 70s, you may be interested in an ebook which is available in Apple Books. Older visitors still talk about the Golden Years. There are lots of wonderful photos of Antiparos in the 70s and 80s when it was a backpackers island. It wasn't until the 90s that I started coming to Antiparos, so I missed that period, but lots of my friends were coming then. The photos are fascinating:
Antiparos - The Golden Years
Antiparos - The Golden Years
Jul 28th, 2019 | 06:16 AM
#16
Joined: Jan 2004
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TexasAggie, John Ebdon was a British journalist, broadcaster and author who wrote three books about his love for Greece and his journeys there. I recommend them highly because his descriptions of travelling around the Greek islands forty years ago are insightful, humorous and absolutely accurate.
The books are now out of print but old copies are still available on Amazon. If you are interested, search for Ebdons Odyssey, Ebdons Iliad and Near Myths. A Love Affair with Greece.
The books are now out of print but old copies are still available on Amazon. If you are interested, search for Ebdons Odyssey, Ebdons Iliad and Near Myths. A Love Affair with Greece.
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