Ferry or Plane? How to Get to Paros & How to Move Around

How to Travel to Paros

Paros is a green and flat island in great contrast with the neighboring Naxos, known for its imposing Mount Zas and the rather hilly landscape.

Can you Fly to Paros? Getting to Paros by Plane

The airport of Paros is about 12 km from the capital, Paroikia (also written Parikia). Direct flights from Athens (with Olympic Air) reach Paros from 2 to 4 times every day, depending on the season.

Once you make it to the airport of Paros, you can either hire a taxi, rent a car, or take the bus that — in summer — takes you to the island’s capital.

How to Get to Paros by Ferry

The Port of Paroikia is the real ferry hub in the Aegean. Ferries arrive and depart from and to every island in the region, serving almost all the Cycladic Islands and some islands in the Dodecanese.

Ferries also depart from the port of Naoussa on special occasions. Always check beforehand your ports of arrival and departure. Pay special attention if arrive and depart from different ports.

Ferries to Paros from Athens

There are 3 to 5 daily ferries from the Port of Piraeus and one weekly ferry from Lavrio Port that has stops on the islands of Kea and Kythnos.

Traveling to Paros From Other Greek Islands

Probably the most significant ferry hub in Greece, there are endless ferry routes that reach Paros from other islands. This is great news either if Paros is your final destination or if you’re island hopping.

Paros is a connection place to board boats for more remote islands too.

There are ferry connections between Paros and the following islands: Crete, Antiparos, Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, and some other islands, let’s see them in detail.

Crete to Paros

There’s a daily ferry connecting Paros to the Port of Heraklion and, in summer, it’s also possible to board the boat service that twice a week departs from Rethymnon.

Chania is also a port with daily ferries bound to Paros in summer.

Antiparos to Paros

There are two ports where you can catch a ferry to the nearby Antiparos. One departing from Paroikia, with a sailing time between 30 and 40 minutes, and another one from the more distant port of Pounda.

The ferry that connects Pounda and Antiparos departs every 30 minutes in summer and the crossing time is less than 10 minutes. You can board this ferry in your car as well.

Santorini to Paros

There are two to three daily ferries and the travel time can range from two to three hours.

If you’re spending a holiday in Paros, taking a day trip (or a two-day trip) to Santorini can be really convenient.

Mykonos to Paros 

There are 2-5 daily ferries connecting Paros to Mykonos and the trip takes anything between 1 to 2 hours.

Naxos to Paros

From three to five or six daily ferries, depending on the season. The trip is about an hour which makes it quite easy to visit both islands during your trip to Greece.

The sailing time is less than an hour. Planning a day trip to Paros or to Antiparos can be a winning idea for those spending their holidays in Naxos.

Ferry Routes from Paros to Other Greek Islands

Amorgos: 2-3 daily ferries

Anafi: 1 ferry a week with a very long sailing time, about 8 hours.

Astypaleia: 1-4 weekly ferries. The trip lasts up to 5 hours.

Folegandros: around three weekly ferry trips, the sailing time is 3.5 hours.

Kalymnos: One weekly ferry; the trip is about 8 hours long.

Kos: 1 weekly ferry, again with a very long cruising time, about 9 hours.

Kimolos: It can be reached twice a week, and the trip lasts a bit more than 4 hours.

Milos: About four ferries per week (more in the high season).

Sifnos: 1-2 weekly connections.

Rhodes: 1 weekly ferry with a 15-hour ride.

There are also ferries to Syros, Serifos, Tinos, and Tilos.

Finally, you can also reach the Small Cyclades with this ferry schedule:

Ano Koufonisi:  1-2 daily boats, three hours sailing time.

Donoussa: 3-5 daily boats.

Iraklia: 3 weekly boats.

Skinoussa: 1-3 weekly connections; the sailing time is one and a half hours.

Moving Around in Paros

The bus station is just meters away from the center of the capital as well as from the Port of Paroikia.

From here, it’s possible to catch a bus to get to the village of Naoussa, the port of Pounda, and other local destinations, such as the mountain settlement of Lefkes.

Rent Your Own Vehicle in Paros

Nothing better than renting a car or a motorcycle to discover the island.

Remember that, during summer, several areas in the urban areas are close to the traffic with many roads devoted only to pedestrians. Taxis are affordable and a great option if you are not into driving abroad.
>> Check for car rental in Paros.

General Information about Paros

Old settlements, whitewashed churches, mouthwatering gastronomy, fishing villages, stunning beaches…

Paros is the most iconic island in Greece. Besides, the island is full of entertainment opportunities for every kind of tourist, no matter age or budget availability. 

For all these reasons, being such a popular destination, it’s not really difficult to reach Paros almost at any time of the year while spending about four days in Paros can turn into an unforgettable adventure!

Just a few miles from another important Greek Island, Naxos, the island of Paros enjoys a central position in the Cycladic cluster of islands.

It’s close to smaller islands such as Antiparos and the Small Cyclades and can be a great place to visit if you’re island-hopping in Greece.