Thinking about taking the ferry from Paros to Antiparos?
Matthew and I spent part of our honeymoon in Paros. We were looking for things to do around the island and saw that one of the best things to do was to go to another island nearby – Antiparos!
Antiparos is only a 7-minute (yes, maybe even less to be honest) ferry ride from Paros. The island is pretty small but it’s worth visiting for a day trip or a weekend trip!
You can visit the famous cave that’s 500 meters deep, lay on any of the beautiful beaches near town and you’ll hear from the locals about how Tom Hanks has a house in Antiparos! It must be good right?!
Taking the ferry from Paros to Antiparos isn’t as difficult as you think. In this blog post, we’re going to share all the details about which port to depart from, how much a ferry ticket costs, the schedule and so much more!
Here’s all the details on how to catch the ferry from Paros to Antiparos.
Where Is Antiparos Located?
Antiparos is an island located only about 9 kilometers from Paros.
It’s really not that far from Paros as it only takes a 7-minute ferry ride to reach the island of Antiparos.
Ferry Paros Antiparos – All You Need To Know
Antiparos is famous for its deep cave, beautiful beaches and funny enough – the locals love to boast that Tom Hanks has a house/villa on Antiparos.
The island isn’t as developed and that’s why we definitely recommend visiting Antiparos but staying in Paros. After visiting all the major sites, all there is left to do is chill on the beach.
This makes Antiparos the perfect day trip for tourists visiting the stunning island of Paros. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Antiparos.
How Long Is The Ferry From Paros To Antiparos?
The ferry from Paros to Antiparos takes only about 7 minutes.
It’s short and sweet! We were so excited to get on and wished it was a little longer lol. When you take the ferry, you can see Antiparos the whole time if you face it that way. There are plenty of seats at the top of the ferry the middle section also has seats. We went to the top for the views since it’s only a few minutes! Your car and motorbike will be just fine.
During the summer season, there will be more people traveling from Paros to Antiparos. This means that you might have to wait to catch the ferry especially if you want to take your car with you. They are pretty frequent though, you will eventually get on your way to Antiparos!
Matthew and I went in October and there were barely any other people on the ferry with us! I think it’s one of the best times to visit Greece, to be honest.
Where To Catch The Ferry?
When you’re trying to take the ferry from Paros to Antiparos, the best port to depart from is Pounta. Once you look at the map, you can see exactly why! The ferry basically goes in a straight line from Pounta to Antiparos.
The town of Pounta isn’t very big and it’s easy enough to arrive by car or by motorbike like us. On Google Maps, simply type in Port of Pounta and go all the way to the end for the ferry.
You can depart from the main port, Parikia now but it takes longer and it’s less frequent than the ferry from Pounta. The Pounta port is definitely the best, fastest port to get you there in literally 7 minutes!
Antiparos Ferry Timetable
The ferry schedule from Paros to Antiparos is fairly frequent – every 30 minutes or so. During peak season (summer months), you can expect it to be a little more frequent and during low season, make sure to double-check the schedule.
The timetable also depends on where you’re departing from. You can either go from Pounta to Antiparos or Parikia to Antiparos. The Pounta ferry is faster and runs much more frequently!
The ferry Paros Antiparos runs daily Monday – Sunday, as long as the wind and weather allow it.
The timetable for the ferry from Pounta to Antiparos starts at 7:15am till 11:30pm.
The ferry schedule from Parikia to Antiparos is very infrequent. The ferry from Parikia to Antiparos starts at 10:05am till 6:30pm. There’s no rhythm or rhyme as to when it runs (hourly vs. half-hourly). Just check the Parikia to Paros timetable here for the exact timings.
If you want the exact timings depending on the specific dates (it change in Greece by the week sometimes), check out this website for the latest timetable.
Paros To Antiparos Ferry Prices
What does a 7-minute ferry from Paros to Antiparos cost? Only €2 per person, one-way!
I believe they only offer one-way tickets and it’s the same price. Most times, you will pay as you board the ferry – there isn’t really a kiosk with a cashier waiting for you. You just say how many tickets you want and pay the ferry people directly. You can’t book online or in advance!
Remember:You can only pay in cash and in Euros. They *do not* accept credit/debit cards.
Can You Take A Car or Motorbike On The Ferry to Antiparos?
Want to take your car or scooter with you? You absolutely can! We drove our scooter from Naoussa to Pounta and hoped we could take it with us – there were no issues with that!
We highly recommend bringing your car or motorbike because it’s not easy to get around the island without it. We took our motorbike onboard and it only cost us €2. This gives you more freedom to roam around and see all you want as the buses in Antiparos (if any) are infrequent!
The cost of taking your car onboard will be €7.5 and a scooter only costs €2.
3x Cool Things To Do In Antiparos For A Day Trip
You’ve made it to Antiparos! What now?!
Well… there are quite a few things to do while you’re on this beautiful island. Matthew and I only spent a day touring around with our scooter and it was fantastic!
Here are 3 cool things to do in Antiparos in a day:
1. Visit the Cave of Antiparos
The Cave of Antiparos is a top-rated activity on this Greek island. Why?
It’s famously known for having the oldest stalagmite in the world (42 million years old, they say). Visiting this cafe is once in a lifetime experience because of how old it is, how well preserved and how far down you can go. In fact, a lot of people that are sensitive to air pressure might not want to wander much further down than the upper section.
The entrance is only €6 and it’s more than worth it! I bet you won’t find a better cave in all of Greece. If you visit during the summer, it will be a nice cool change of weather inside the cave dropping down to 16°-17°C.
Prepare to get some walking down while visiting the Cave of Antiparos because there are about 400 steps down (which you eventually have to go back up). We recommend bringing your own water and snacks as there isn’t a cafe or kiosk up there.
If you’re taking a scooter you might struggle to get to the caves. It’s very high up the mountains and we had maybe a 70cc scooter which took us quite a while to get to the top lol!
Note:The cave isn’t open during the low season. We showed up and missed it only by a few days which sucked! It’s only open Monday – Sunday from 10am to 3:30pm throughout the year (except for low season).
2. Visit The Beaches Around Antiparos
There are plenty of beaches all across the island. Matthew and I visited one nearby the port just before we left to go back to Paros. Here are some of the most popular beaches to enjoy in Antiparos:
- Antiparos naturist beach (although can be a nude beach, we found most people clothes including us)
- Paralia Panagia Beach
- Paralia Sifneiko Beach
The water is super clear but it was way too cold for our liking to get in for a swim. When we went in mid-October, there were barely any people but I’m sure in peak season there’s a bit more of a crowd.
3. Explore Antiparos Town
You don’t need more than a day to explore this Greek island but if you want some peace and quiet – it could be a great place for a weekend trip!
There are a couple of restaurants you can visit although the restaurants in Paros were much better, in our opinion. You can sit by the harbor and sip on a coffee, and watch the ferry make the trip across the two islands.
The town isn’t very big so you can easily walk around every little corner which is so much fun in Greece. You might see some beautiful bougainvillea against the famous white houses and there are plenty of spots to take photos. It’ll probably only take you about a half hour to an hour to explore the entire downtown area.
Is Antiparos Worth Visiting?
Yes, if you’re staying in Paros it’s a worthwhile trip!
The ferry from Paros to Antiparos is not even difficult to figure out and manage. Once you get to the Pounta port, hop on the next ferry, pay €2 and you’re off for the day!
Antiparos island is famous for its deep cave that you can go down about 100 meters and see all the beautiful stalagmites. There are plenty of beaches to relax and enjoy the sound of the ocean. It’s the perfect day trip from Paros!
