Blog - Read More About Your Favourite Islands

​Paros is sometimes called Mykonos' little brother. Despite the fact that thousands descend on Paros each summer, the island has managed to maintain an authentic Greek island atmosphere which makes it more relaxed than its neighbour. Not only that, but it has so much to offer. In this blog we’ll narrow Paros’s many delights into a top 5 of things to do and places to visit on the island. 

How to get there
Paros does have an airport but you can’t fly directly into it from the UK as it is for domestic flights only, therefore you have to fly from Athens or in the summer, Thessaloniki and Heraklion. Flights from Athens only take around 40 mins. Alternatively you can take the ferry to get to Paros, not only is it one of the largest islands in the Cyclades but it is also one of the main ports and therefore is usually one of the first stops on the route. Its also great if you’re wanting to island hop as it has great links with other islands in the Cyclades. 

1 - Parikia
The islands main port and capital town, Parikia should be high on your list of things to do when on Paros. Full of the typical whitewashed houses you expect from the Cyclades, it makes for stunning scenery. As well as these, there are the remains of the Kastro (castle) which was built by the Venetians in the 13th century. Parikia is filled with close streets bustling with cafes and tavernas that stretch all the way down, and along the waterfront providing a scenic spot for food. If you want to be in the middle of everything that is happening on the island Parikia is a good place to stay, and it is very accommodating to tourists with all the amenities you could need such as banks and supermarkets. Parikia is also home to one of the places you should definitely visit when on Paros, Panagia Ekatontapiliani, a church which is one of the most important Byzantine monuments in all of Greece. If you’re on the island on the 15th August then you’re in luck as it is the feast day for the Dormition of Our Lady, to which the church is dedicated and there is a huge celebration on the island. 

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades islands and is slowly becoming more popular for tourists. With an airport for internal flights and excellent ferry links, its not a difficult place to get to and is great if you’re looking to stay on one island or as part of an island-hopping trip. In this blog we’re going to show you why, if you’re looking at the Cyclades, Naxos should be your first choice.  

How to get there
As we mentioned earlier Naxos has a domestic airport and excellent ferry links. If you’re going to fly we recommend flying into Naxos via Athens, Mykonos or Santorini. As Naxos is on the main Cyclades ferry line, boats are regular and so it is not difficult to get to, no matter where you are coming from. We will sort ferry times to line up with flights at the time of enquiry.

Come for the beaches
Many people come to Greece for the beaches and Naxos can certainly deliver on that front. Being the largest island in the group, it has plenty of beaches (over 90kms). It has several organised beaches but there are many which aren’t and can be a lot more private. Most of these organised beaches are in Naxos Town or the nearby Agios Prokopios. Those looking for the smaller, more quiet beaches can travel around the island, either via public transport, excursion or hire car. Most of Naxos’s beaches have fine white sand, there are however some pebble beaches and rocky ones as well. Its many beaches make it perfect for a number of water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing.