A paros naxos ios santorini tour links four Cyclades islands by ferry into one plan that starts in Athens. Browse more tours in Greece before you book.
The page covers the route, the season, each island stop, the ferries, the Athens days, entry rules, packing and a short FAQ.
What is a paros naxos ios santorini tour, and how does the route run?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour runs for twelve days. It joins four Cyclades islands by ferry and starts and ends in Athens. Paros comes first, then Naxos, Ios and Santorini, each with one free day, and a ferry returns to Piraeus.
The plan begins in Athens and stays there for two days. Day one is a landing and rest day. On day two the morning goes to the Acropolis rock and its museum, with time off afterwards. From day three, a paros naxos ios santorini tour belongs to the sea and the islands.
The four islands differ in size. Wikipedia gives Paros an area of about 196 square kilometres and Naxos about 430. Ios covers about 109, and the Santorini municipality has a land area of about 90. Each number is in square kilometres, and a paros naxos ios santorini tour moves from larger islands to smaller ones.
Naxos is the next neighbour of Paros, with a narrow channel between them, as Wikipedia describes it. The same source places Ios midway, with Naxos before it and Santorini after it. So the chain of a paros naxos ios santorini tour follows islands that sit next to each other.
Wikipedia lists Parikia harbour on Paros as a ferry and catamaran hub of the Aegean islands. It names sailings each day to Piraeus, Naxos, Ios and Santorini. So the ferry links of a paros naxos ios santorini tour all appear in a single source.
The route starts at Piraeus, the port of Athens. Wikipedia ranks it second in Europe for passenger traffic. Paros lies about 150 km from Piraeus. Santorini is about 200 km from the mainland. That is why a paros naxos ios santorini tour gives the return sailing a whole day.
The sections below keep to the same order as the days. Next come the Athens days and the Acropolis, then one ferry and one island at a time. The last parts cover entry rules, packing and sea conditions, then questions. Read straight through, or jump to your island and keep the paros naxos ios santorini tour in mind.
Which season suits a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour meets the meltemi in summer. According to Wikipedia, this Aegean north wind arrives in late spring and lasts until mid-September. The season you pick decides how windy the four ferry mornings feel.
Wikipedia describes the Greek climate as mainly Mediterranean, with local differences from place to place. It adds that a hot semi-arid climate is found in Piraeus and in much of the Cyclades. A paros naxos ios santorini tour therefore starts and ends in dry country. The islands between share that dry air.
Sunshine and dry air define summer, Wikipedia says. Showers or thunderstorms bring the only rain. Warm evenings follow hot days. On a paros naxos ios santorini tour the sea helps too. Wikipedia says the sea breeze and cooler water keep coastal heatwaves mild.
Skies stay fine and clear while the meltemi blows, according to Wikipedia. Afternoon is the peak time for the gusts, while night brings calmer air at times. Sometimes the wind holds for days on end. A paros naxos ios santorini tour in summer therefore means bright skies and a steady breeze.
Wikipedia calls the wind a danger to sailors, because it arrives in clear weather with no warning. Gusts can reach Beaufort force seven to eight. Wikipedia adds that inter-island ferries stay in port at that strength. Plan the four sailings of a paros naxos ios santorini tour with that in mind.
Winter is different. Wikipedia calls winters wet, and it says any snow melts soon. Winter rain can be persistent. The page gives mid-September as the end of the meltemi span, so later weeks fall outside it. Check the ferry timetable for your own dates before you fix a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
What happens on each day of a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Each day of a paros naxos ios santorini tour has one job. You land, see Athens, sail, or enjoy a free island day. Two days belong to Athens and eight to the islands. One day is the sea back, and one is the flight home.
- Day 1: Arrival in Athens, with free time until the next morning.
- Day 2: A morning tour visits the Acropolis site and its museum; the afternoon is yours.
- Day 3: You go to the port and take the ferry to Paros.
- Day 4: A free day on Paros, an island of white churches and sandy beaches.
- Day 5: You take the ferry to Naxos, the biggest Cyclades island.
- Day 6: A free day on Naxos, with high mountains, fertile valleys, sandy beaches and villages.
- Day 7: You take the ferry to Ios.
- Day 8: A free day on Ios, with small bays, mountain chapels, vineyards, sandy beaches and evening life.
- Day 9: You take the ferry to Santorini.
- Day 10: A free day with a half-day volcano cruise, the hot springs, Thirassia and the town of Fira.
- Day 11: You take the ferry back to Piraeus and spend the night in Athens.
- Day 12: Travel to Athens airport for your departure flight.
Athens gets the gentle start. A paros naxos ios santorini tour gives it two days: one for landing and one for the Acropolis. Both afternoons stay open for your own plans. Nothing is rushed before the first ferry morning arrives on day three.
Four island bases follow, each with one ferry morning and one free day. You sail, settle in, then enjoy a whole day on one island. That repeating rhythm shapes a paros naxos ios santorini tour. It does not change from island to island.
The islands also differ in height. Wikipedia lists a single mountain of 724 metres on Paros and a highest elevation of 1,001 metres on Naxos. Ios reaches 723 metres at Kastro. So a paros naxos ios santorini tour offers hills and mountain views on three of its four islands.
The last days are short. Day eleven is spent on the sea, and Athens gives you one last night. Day twelve is only the departure morning. Because a paros naxos ios santorini tour ends with a fixed flight, that night in Athens is a useful buffer.
How do the Athens days work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour opens with two Athens days. Day one is the landing, and day two is the sightseeing morning. The ferries begin on day three. Wikipedia gives the city the nickname the glorious city, and the plan spends two nights there.
On day one the plane touches down at the airport near Spata, in Attica. Wikipedia says studies looked at 19 different locations before this area was chosen. A paros naxos ios santorini tour keeps the rest of that day free after the hotel transfer.
Wikipedia states that Eleftherios Venizelos gave the airport its name. A tunnel below ground connects the main terminal with the satellite terminal. After the long flight, the calm hours of day one go to resting, showering and an early dinner.
Day two is the sightseeing morning. Wikipedia describes classical Athens as a centre for democracy, the arts, education and philosophy. A paros naxos ios santorini tour gives that story one morning, led by the Acropolis and its museum.
Wikipedia says the city kept Roman and Byzantine monuments, and a smaller number of Ottoman ones. Within the city limits, the ground rises from about 70 metres to 338 metres. So the centre is hilly, and walking shoes help on the morning tour.
Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games, as Wikipedia states. It hosted the Summer Games again 108 years later. A paros naxos ios santorini tour fits one modern sight into the free afternoon, if the traveller wishes.
Wikipedia lists the Byzantine and Christian Museum among the cultural institutions of the city. It also says Athens joined the Global Network of Learning Cities run by UNESCO. The free afternoon has no set plan, so the traveller picks one place and soaks it up slowly.
Day two ends with packing. Put the passport, the ferry ticket and a small deck bag on top. A paros naxos ios santorini tour rewards an early night, since day three starts at the port.
What do the Acropolis and its museum add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
On a paros naxos ios santorini tour, the Acropolis Museum is the place for the finds from the rock. Wikipedia says it sits only 280 metres from the Parthenon. So the morning pairs the hill with its objects without a long walk.
Wikipedia describes the Acropolis Museum as an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the Acropolis site. A paros naxos ios santorini tour visits it for the objects that the rock itself no longer holds. Together, hill and hall tell one story.
Wikipedia calls the museum the biggest modern building put up this close to the ancient site. The design was revised, so the building sits raised above the ground. This protects the ancient remains below, left untouched under the floor.
Bernard Tschumi took the final competition together with the Greek architect Michael Photiadis. Visitors on a paros naxos ios santorini tour step into a long, rectangular first hall. Wikipedia says the sloping floor echoes the climb up to the rock, so the visit starts like an easy ascent.
The first level holds the findings from the slopes of the Acropolis. Roman and early Christian finds appear on the same floor, as Wikipedia lists them. The old city is thus shown in layers, from the rock down to the later town around it.
The top level carries the Parthenon marbles and sits askew on the floors below. That gives it the same compass direction as the ancient temple. A paros naxos ios santorini tour ends the museum visit in that hall.
Opening days and entry rules are set by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Check the current rules before the morning of day two. This page gives no hours, because they change with the season. A paros naxos ios santorini tour runs smoothly once the slot is checked.
Akropoli metro station stands next to the entrance, which opens onto Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, as Wikipedia states. That makes the return to the hotel easy. Afterwards, pack the deck bag, since the next morning belongs to the ferry.
How does the ferry from Piraeus to Paros work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour leaves Piraeus on day three. Wikipedia places the port eight kilometres southwest of the Athens centre. The ferry then crosses the sea to Paros, the first island of the chain. Day three is the first of four ferry mornings.
Wikipedia says the municipality of Piraeus is the fourth largest in Greece. The University of Piraeus is among the largest universities in the country. A paros naxos ios santorini tour starts in a big, busy city, so leave time for the transfer.
At the harbour entrance once stood the Piraeus Lion, a colossal ancient statue. Francesco Morosini carried it to Venice in the seventeenth century. The Ottomans later called the harbour Aslan Liman, which means Lion Harbour, as Wikipedia explains.
The Long Walls once secured the route between Athens and its port. Piraeus is a rocky outcropping with the steep hill of Munichia, Wikipedia says. Today the road covers eight kilometres. It is a short drive, but an early start needs a clear luggage plan.
The ferry arrives at Parikia, the capital of Paros. Wikipedia says the houses of the town follow the Cycladic style, with flat roofs and whitewashed walls. A paros naxos ios santorini tour then goes by road to the hotel, as the plan sets.
Wikipedia reports that Paros is made of marble. The fine white marble of the island gave rise to the word Parian. That word names marble or porcelain of like quality. A traveller arrives on an island with its own stone.
No source read for this page states rules on tickets, boarding passes or luggage, so ask the provider before booking. Carry the ticket, the passport and a small bag for the deck. A paros naxos ios santorini tour repeats this routine on days five, seven, nine and eleven.
The sea can change a sailing. Ask the provider on the evening of day two, and again on the morning itself. A paros naxos ios santorini tour with a spare hour handles a late boat calmly.
What does Paros add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour gets its first island stop from Paros, the second largest island of the Cyclades. As Wikivoyage describes it, Paros lies in the middle of the chain. The ferries to Naxos and Santorini make a stop there first, so it is a natural opening.
Day three ends at Parikia, the chief harbour town, after the sailing from Piraeus. Wikipedia names Naxos, Ios and Santorini among the islands with sailings from this harbour. Wikivoyage gives Paros an area of 196 square kilometres. Parikia is the main town. For this paros naxos ios santorini tour, Parikia is the base for day three and day four.
Wikipedia counts 4,500 residents in Parikia. The port, it says, gave Paros the strength of a naval power. Narrow cobbled paths, old churches and small shops fill the old centre. Vines shade the houses, which stand among gardens of oranges and pomegranates. A paros naxos ios santorini tour here is a walking visit.
Panagia Ekatontapiliani is the church to see in Parikia. Its name means the Church of 100 Doors, though Wikipedia says it has 99 at the moment. A legend adds a hidden hundredth door. The complex has a main chapel, two more chapels and a baptistery. This church gives the paros naxos ios santorini tour a Byzantine stop.
Wikipedia says the church dates to the year 326, and Emperor Justinian the Great later had it remodelled. An ancient gymnasium stood there first. Wikipedia notes frescoes on the walls and a museum named the Ecclesiastical Museum of Parikia. An earthquake damaged the church in the eighteenth century, and later work restored it gradually.
Wikipedia says Paros was known for fine white marble. Wikipedia lists three main ancient quarry sites: Chorodaki, Marathi and Agios Minas. The Medici Venus is another work cut from this stone. Working quarries and abandoned ones remain on the island today. A paros naxos ios santorini tour therefore passes the source of that stone.
What do the beaches and villages of Paros add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
The beaches and villages of Paros give a paros naxos ios santorini tour its first sand and village life. Wikipedia counts beaches at Pounda, Logaras and Agia Irini, among others. Wikivoyage names the villages Lefkes and Marpissa. It ranks Paros third in popularity of the group.
Near Drios, Wikipedia places Golden Beach, in Greek Chrissi Akti. Wind blows hard and steadily in the strait there, and Wikipedia says windsurfers favour it. Wikivoyage describes Kolymbithres as a beach with huge rocks and sandy coves. It names Laggeri for peace and quiet, with sand dunes. A paros naxos ios santorini tour finds each beach different.
Wikivoyage says Logaras is very nice for families, and that Pounta and Farangas have plenty of amenities. At Aliki, divers can explore the remains of an ancient town on the seabed. The island has a coastline of 120 kilometres. A paros naxos ios santorini tour has far more sand than one free day can use.
Lefkes lies in the middle of the island. Wikivoyage mentions its nice tavernas and its alleys. Wikipedia lists Lefkes as a village of Paros. Wikivoyage also names Marpissa, which has well-preserved old houses and a traditional atmosphere. Reaching these villages means leaving the harbour, so a paros naxos ios santorini tour gains a quieter side.
White churches are part of the island picture. Wikipedia’s photos include a church named Zoodohos Pigi. Wikipedia names a preserved windmill in the port of Parikia. It also shows a windmill of the traditional Cyclades design in Marmara. The Frankish Castle is on the list of sights, and marble is the rock of the island.
Antiparos is the smaller island, west of Paros. Wikivoyage lists boat trips from Paros to Antiparos, Despotiko and the Panteronisia, places that cars cannot reach. Wikipedia names a narrow strait between Paros and its sister island. One free day is short, so a paros naxos ios santorini tour keeps those trips for another visit.
How does the free Paros day fit a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
The free Paros day fits a paros naxos ios santorini tour as the one full day between two ferry days. It runs in three parts. Spend a morning on one beach, an afternoon in Parikia or Lefkes, and an evening on the waterfront. Nothing needs a booked time.
Start with one beach. Wikivoyage says that walking works within the resorts and that bus services run between the towns. That is enough to reach a beach. Wikivoyage also warns to check any rented scooter or quad carefully before choosing it. A relaxed paros naxos ios santorini tour needs only one beach a day.
For the afternoon, Parikia rewards slow walking. Behind the seafront, Wikivoyage points to shops along the lanes of the old town. Wikipedia adds the small Archaeological Museum of Paros, which holds finds from sites on the island. The castle above the village and the church by the sea are close. Both fit a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
Lefkes is the other choice for the afternoon. Wikivoyage says the village has nice tavernas and alleys worth a walk, and the bus links the island towns. It gives the day an inland feel after the sea. Choosing one of the two keeps the day calm, which suits a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
The evening belongs to the waterfront. Wikipedia says the cafes and restaurants along the harbour of Parikia attract visitors. It adds that the town has a vivid nightlife. Wikivoyage points to the seafront tavernas of Parikia. Old town lanes lie right behind. After dinner, a short walk ends a paros naxos ios santorini tour day well.
Pack before bed, because day five starts with the ferry. Naxos lies to the east of Paros, as Wikipedia places it. Wikivoyage lists Naxos among the islands reached by boat from Paros. The next stop on the paros naxos ios santorini tour is therefore close, and the second island begins. Wikivoyage also lists Ios and Santorini as boat trips onward.
How does the ferry from Paros to Naxos work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
On day five, a paros naxos ios santorini tour crosses by ferry from Paros to Naxos. Wikipedia gives the gap between the two islands as 8 kilometres, across a narrow channel. Naxos lies to the east, so the morning sail runs one short step along the Cyclades chain.
Parikia is the port of departure. Wikipedia says sailings each day link its harbour with Piraeus, Heraklion and island ports such as Naxos and Ios. The island is round, with one mountain of 724 metres. A paros naxos ios santorini tour begins its first island ferry morning at this busy quay.
Wikipedia adds figures for the arrival. Naxos holds 20,578 people, and the harbour town holds 8,897 of them. A traveller on a paros naxos ios santorini tour thus lands in a real island town. The crossing is short, but the weather still matters on the day.
Wikipedia records an old tale about the north winds. Philip II of Macedon timed his campaigns by the etesians. Those winds slowed any fleet sailing north from the south. The sea has always obeyed the wind. Remember this on a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
So the plan gives each crossing a morning of its own and nothing tight behind it. On day five the tour needs a road transfer to the harbour and the sail. A drive to the hotel follows. The afternoon in Naxos Town stays free. A paros naxos ios santorini tour leaves room for delay.
Wikipedia reports that Herodotus described Naxos around 500 BC as a prosperous Greek island. The traveller reaches that island on day five with the bags in hand. Moving days like this keep a paros naxos ios santorini tour simple. Each morning has one task, and the free hours come after it.
What does Naxos Town add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Naxos Town, called Chora, gives a paros naxos ios santorini tour its first large island town. Wikipedia counts 8,897 inhabitants and says people have lived in the town continuously since prehistory. Its landmark is the Portara, a marble doorway on the islet Palatia, at the harbour’s northern tip.
The name Portara translates as large door. Wikipedia says the tyrant Lygdamis began the temple of Apollo around 530 BC. A causeway links the islet with the town, so the doorway is a short stroll from the port. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can reach it on foot in the free afternoon.
The temple was never finished. Wikipedia says Lygdamis lost power at the latest around 524 BC, and building stopped. The frame now has five marble pieces, up to 20 tons each, and there were four at first. Builders hauled the stone from Flerio, roughly 10 kilometres off. Carved bumps once held the lifting ropes.
Wikipedia gives the temple a length of 38 metres and a width of 16. Its axis points towards the sacred island of Delos. A Christian church rose on the ruins in the fifth century AD. A cut in the threshold made room for its door. A paros naxos ios santorini tour meets layers of time here.
In prehistory, Wikipedia says, the islet is believed to have been fortified. The huge gate pieces were too heavy to move, so they stayed. Marco Sanudo built the Kastro, the town’s fortress, on the old acropolis, and a Catholic cathedral stood inside it. A paros naxos ios santorini tour passes both.
The Old Town has four parts: Nio Chorio, Grotta, Bourgos and Kastro. Wikipedia describes Bourgos as a tight web of winding lanes with three gates. It has arched passageways, small squares and a high density of churches. Wikipedia adds that the layout was meant to confuse pirates. A paros naxos ios santorini tour suits slow wandering here.
Beneath the square by the Orthodox Cathedral lies an underground museum called In-Situ, as Wikipedia states. It shows parts of the old city under the present streets. Grotta, the northern beach district, holds Mycenaean remains, partly underwater. These sights give the free hours of day five a clear shape. A paros naxos ios santorini tour needs no more.
What do the mountains and villages of Naxos add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Inland, Naxos climbs to high mountains and old villages, and Wikipedia ranks it first among the Cyclades by area. Mount Zas rises 1,001 metres above sea level and tops every other summit of the group, as Wikipedia states. This inland side sets Naxos apart from the other stops on a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
Wikipedia puts the area of Naxos at 430 square kilometres. Glynado, Koronos, Agios Arsenios and Vivlos are among its villages, with Filoti and Apiranthos. The Cyclades page notes that Naxos is the exception to the rule of thin soil on the islands. Day six of a paros naxos ios santorini tour shows the greener side of the chain.
Filoti is the village beneath Mount Zas, and Wikipedia says the mountain overlooks it. The mountain carries the name of Zeus, who is said to have spent his childhood there. Wikipedia places Zeus’s cave on the western slope, around 628 metres up. Hikers have two ways to the summit.
The easier path starts from the chapel of Agia Marina. The other begins near the Aria Spring, passes the cave and is harder. Both are walking paths, so a free day can hold a gentle stroll or a long climb. A paros naxos ios santorini tour sets no timetable for day six.
Apeiranthos stands 28 kilometres from the capital, towards the north-east. Wikipedia gives its height as 650 to 700 metres, on the foothill of Mount Fanari. It holds four museums, from archaeology to natural history. Its population of 722 makes it the second largest village after Filoti. It is the mountain stop of a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
Wikipedia also records that Naxos supplied emery, a rock rich in corundum that served as an abrasive. It notes that Lygdamis ordered a temple of Demeter at Sangri too. Both facts show why the island mattered in ancient times. A paros naxos ios santorini tour thus passes through a place with a long working past.
Wikipedia adds that people lived in Zas Cave in the Neolithic era. Finds there included stone items from Melos and copper items, a dagger among them. Gold turned up in the cave too. On day six, a paros naxos ios santorini tour can pair this old cave with a mountain walk.
How does the free Naxos day fit a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Day six of a paros naxos ios santorini tour has no ferry, so the whole day belongs to Naxos. Wikivoyage describes beaches south of Chora, a walkable old town and a marble gate on the harbour islet. One morning, one afternoon and one evening cover all three.
Begin with the sea. Wikivoyage says beach communities stretch south along the coast from Chora, and it names white granite sand. Wikipedia pictures Agios Prokopios Beach and Mikri Vigla Beach. A paros naxos ios santorini tour leaves the choice of bay to you. Wikivoyage counts 10 local bus lines on the island.
Weather shapes the plan. Wikivoyage says the west coast is sheltered and flat, and that sea breezes keep the shore from feeling stuffy. It adds that summer rain storms are rare but very heavy. Marble paths then turn slippery. A paros naxos ios santorini tour therefore wants shoes with grip.
In the afternoon walk the Old Town. Wikipedia calls it the historic centre of the city. In the Bourgos district, it describes narrow, winding streets, likened to a labyrinth. They are believed to have confused pirates. Only three gates led in. A free Naxos day on a paros naxos ios santorini tour suits slow walking.
If the weather turns, Naxos Town has indoor stops. Wikivoyage lists an archaeological museum with Bronze Age Cycladic artefacts. It also lists a small museum built over the Mycenaean town at Grotta. The Greek Orthodox Cathedral, says the same page, holds a wealth of marble ornamentation.
Venetians raised the Kastro in the early thirteenth century, says Wikivoyage, on high ground over the harbour. At dusk go down to the Portara. Wikipedia says its surviving door frame has five marble pieces, and summer sunsets draw crowds. A paros naxos ios santorini tour gives this view its own evening.
Day seven brings the next ferry, so keep the night calm. A beach in the morning, a slow walk and the gate at dusk make a full day. Wikivoyage notes a lack of cruise ships at Naxos. The paros naxos ios santorini tour then needs only a packed bag.
How does the ferry from Naxos to Ios work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
The ferry from Naxos to Ios on day seven moves a paros naxos ios santorini tour one island south. Wikipedia says Ios lies midway between Naxos and Santorini. You board at the port of Naxos and land at the port of Ios, below the main village.
Naxos port is simple to use. Wikivoyage calls the island a central hub of sea transport, with links in all directions. Ferry ticket offices stand along the quay in Chora. In a paros naxos ios santorini tour the tickets are arranged already. This is only a check before the morning.
Wikivoyage names left luggage at an agency right in front of the dock. That helps if a free hour remains before the boat. Sources differ on sailing times, so ask the provider for the exact hour. A paros naxos ios santorini tour runs smoothly with that hour written down.
The sources I read give no sailing time for this crossing, so this page names none. Wikipedia describes Ios as largely hilly, with cliffs falling steeply to the sea. It says the port lies on Ormos harbour. A paros naxos ios santorini tour reaches a steep island here.
A footpath climbs the hillside from the port to Chora, as Wikipedia states. The same page says steep stairways leave the village largely inaccessible to cars. So the bags need thought. The paros naxos ios santorini tour has a transfer to the hotel; ask where the vehicle stops.
Wikipedia also notes new paved roads on Ios, paid for in part by European Community funds. Road work of this kind matters for the transfer from the port. It does not change the stairs of Chora itself. A paros naxos ios santorini tour still ends the climb on foot.
Day seven is the third of four ferry mornings. Keep a small bag with water, a swimsuit and a jacket for the deck. Wikipedia says the safe natural harbour of Ios made it useful on the sea roads to Crete in prehistory. The day ends with a quiet settling in.
What does Ios add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Ios adds a small, hilly island to a paros naxos ios santorini tour. It brings a whitewashed Chora with narrow alleys and steep stairways. Lying between Naxos and Santorini, it is the third base of the plan, before the caldera. Day eight is free for it.
Chora is the main village. Wikipedia calls it quintessentially Cycladic, with whitewashed architecture and narrow alleys. It traces the name Chora to the Greek term for a main settlement. A paros naxos ios santorini tour spends much of day eight in and around it, on foot.
Evenings are lively. Wikipedia lists restaurants, boutiques, bars and discotheques along the central path of Chora. Because the stairways keep cars away, everyone walks. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can start day eight slowly for that reason.
A scenic amphitheatre crowns the hill of Chora, and Wikipedia credits the German architect Peter Haupt. The same page shows windmills, the Church of Saint Irene and the Odysseas Elytis Theatre. A paros naxos ios santorini tour passes them on one slow climb.
Outside Chora the island is hilly. Its highest point is Kastro, also called Pyrgos, at 723 metres in the centre. Wikipedia also gives a coastline of 86 kilometres. Small settlements sit behind the main beaches. A paros naxos ios santorini tour has room for one beach here.
Three more peaks stand around Kastro: Xylodema, Kostiza and Prophetis Elias. Wikipedia says the island is almost entirely metamorphic rock. A paros naxos ios santorini tour sees these hills as a rising skyline from the ferry deck. They give the island its steep shape.
Ios has an old past too. Wikipedia says it was under Minoan and then Mycenaean influence. In antiquity it was also called Phiniki, after the Phoenicians. The island is known for skotiri, a sour cheese, and tsimedia, pumpkin flowers stuffed with rice. Dinner on day eight can taste both.
What do the beaches of Ios add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour gives Ios its own free day on day eight. The sea is the main business here. Of the 86 kilometres of shore, Wikipedia counts 32 kilometres as sand, so the day can stay slow.
Mornings on Ios belong to the beach. The sand sits at the foot of steep slopes, because Wikipedia calls the island largely hilly. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can start with a swim and then turn towards the village for the afternoon.
Wikipedia names three beaches: Theodoti, Kalamos and Manganari. Behind each of them lies a small group of houses. The plan speaks of small bays, and Manganari is the name that fits that picture. A paros naxos ios santorini tour leaves the choice of bay to you on the day.
Chora fills the afternoon. Its alleys are narrow and its stairs are steep. Wikipedia says cars can hardly enter the village. A paros naxos ios santorini tour suits this afternoon to a slow walk in sturdy shoes.
An amphitheatre crowns the hill above Chora, Wikipedia says. A German architect, Peter Haupt, designed it. Wikipedia also pictures windmills on the hill of Chora. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can end the climb up there.
The island is built of rock more than soil. Wikipedia says Ios consists almost entirely of metamorphic rocks. The four highest peaks are Kastro, Xylodema, Kostiza and Prophetis Elias. Kastro reaches 723 metres. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can look up at them from any bay.
The village is also where the evening happens. Wikipedia describes the central path of Chora as a mix of restaurants, boutiques, bars and discotheques. Evenings there are the busy part of the day, and the free day on Ios ends in this lane.
Food closes the day. Skotiri is a sour local cheese that smells of summer savory, Wikipedia says. Tsimedia are pumpkin flowers filled with rice. The day can end at a table with these dishes of the island.
Ios also had a nickname. Wikipedia says travellers once called it Little Malta, because the island had a name as a haven for pirates. A paros naxos ios santorini tour passes a coast with that old reputation.
How does the ferry from Ios to Santorini work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Day nine of a paros naxos ios santorini tour is a short move south by ferry. Wikipedia places Ios between Naxos and Santorini. Both islands belong to the Thira regional unit, so this crossing stays inside one local district.
The morning follows the pattern of the other ferry days. A paros naxos ios santorini tour begins when a transfer takes you down to the harbour. Wikipedia names the harbour of Ios as Ormos, with the main village standing up the hill.
Ios has 2,299 people, Wikipedia says, and the island held 3,500 in the twentieth century. Santorini has 15,480 inhabitants. A paros naxos ios santorini tour therefore moves from a small island to a larger one.
Ios has a long link with the sea. Wikipedia says its safe natural harbour made it a stop on the sea roads to Crete in prehistory. The same sea now carries the ferry to Santorini, where volcanic activity began about two million years ago.
Santorini carries more than one name. Wikipedia says the old name Thera returned for the island and for its main city. A tradition also calls it Strongyle, meaning the circular one. A paros naxos ios santorini tour lands on an island named for its shape.
The arrival day stays free. Wikipedia lists a cathedral, the Three Bells of Fira and two museums in the main town. A paros naxos ios santorini tour handles the hotel transfer first and leaves the afternoon open for a first walk.
Fira looks out on the volcanic island Nea Kameni. It sits at the centre of the caldera, with Thirassia beside it. The boat trip of the next day on a paros naxos ios santorini tour sails to these islands. Keep a small bag with swim things near the top of the case.
What do the caldera and the cliff towns add to a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour ends its island days beside a drowned volcano. The Volcanic Explosivity Index ranks the Minoan eruption at 7, Wikipedia says. Its crater is now a bay, and the cliff towns look onto it.
The blast was huge. Wikipedia gives an eruption column of 30 to 35 kilometres in height. The column reached the stratosphere. A paros naxos ios santorini tour views the bay that this event left behind, with the cliffs as its walls.
The eruption gave a warning. Wikipedia reads the thin first ash layer as a sign of months of activity before the main blast. The island’s people probably left in that time. A paros naxos ios santorini tour sees the result of the final phase.
Fira holds a cathedral called Ypapanti. An earthquake destroyed the church that stood there before, Wikipedia says. Wikipedia places the Museum of Prehistoric Thera beside the cathedral. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can use the free day for these two stops.
The way up to Fira offers a choice. Wikipedia lists the zigzag footpath, which people walk or ride on donkeys. The cable car has its lower station beside the port. A paros naxos ios santorini tour can take either route to the cliff top.
Oia faces the sunset. Wikipedia says the position of the village gives excellent sunset views across the caldera. It sits on the cliff top at about 150 metres and carries the nickname Eagle’s Nest. A paros naxos ios santorini tour reaches it in the late afternoon.
Sunlight stays in Oia far longer than in Fira, Wikipedia says. Boat cruises of the caldera leave from Oia or from Fira, it adds. This links the cliff towns to the cruise of day ten, which sails out onto the same water.
Wikipedia says Oia has grown into a tourist town that gets crowded with people in summer. Its paths are narrow. Amoudi Bay lies below, and walkers and mule riders both reach the bay of Armeni. Leave time for the sunset crowd.
Sea captains left grand houses behind. Their neo-classical mansions stand in rows up the slope, Wikipedia says. Blue-roofed churches with cupolas stand between the narrow alleys. The village once grew rich on trade from Alexandria to Russia.
How do the Santorini days fit a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
Day ten of a paros naxos ios santorini tour is a free day on Santorini. It holds a half-day cruise inside the caldera. The boat visits Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni. Thirassia stands at the edge of the same volcanic island group, so the cruise shows the whole ring.
Wikipedia describes the Santorini caldera as a large, mostly submerged volcanic crater. Two small volcanic islands lie near its centre. A simple Wikipedia page gives it about 12 by 7 km, with 300 m cliffs. The cruise of a paros naxos ios santorini tour sails across this flooded crater.
The same simple page says the caldera lies 120 km north of Crete. So the boat leaves the Cyclades chain behind and sails over the sunken heart of one island. A paros naxos ios santorini tour therefore spends its half day on the water that fills the old crater.
Wikipedia places Nea Kameni inside the flooded caldera and calls it nearly round. Dacite lava and ash built it, along with its neighbour. The name means “new burnt”. A gravel path leads walkers up to the 130-metre-high top. This walk gives a paros naxos ios santorini tour its volcano.
The name Palea Kameni means “old burnt”, and the island neighbours Nea Kameni. The plan sets a swim at the hot springs, where the water looks green and yellow. Pack swimwear in the day bag, plus a dry layer for the boat ride back. Water on deck can feel cool in the wind.
Wikipedia lists five villages on Thirassia: Agia Eirini, Agrilia, Manolas, Ormos Korfou and Potamos. Wikipedia lists Thirassia and Aspronisi at the periphery of the group, with the Kameni islands at the centre. From the deck the islands form one ring around the water. After the stop, the boat returns to Santorini.
The afternoon stays free for Fira, the island capital, and for Akrotiri. Fira has whitewashed houses on a steep cliff, as the plan notes. Wikipedia calls Akrotiri a Cycladic Bronze Age settlement site on Santorini. Both places suit a slow afternoon after the boat. A paros naxos ios santorini tour sets no other task that day.
How do the ferry back to Piraeus and the departure day work on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour ends with a ferry from Santorini to Piraeus on day eleven. A flight leaves on day twelve. Wikipedia names Athinios as the primary ferry port of Santorini, with services to Piraeus, other Cyclades, Crete and Rhodes.
Athinios sits below volcanic cliffs, and Wikipedia says a road zigzags up them. On day eleven the road down to the port is part of the morning. A paros naxos ios santorini tour gives the morning to this move, so keep it calm. Allow time for the bends.
Luggage matters on this day, because the road, the port and the ferry all involve carrying bags. Fira stands on a steep cliff, so lift bags with care on the steps. Keep tickets, passports and the airport papers in a small bag. That bag stays with you on the deck.
The crossing runs north, back along the Cyclades chain, to the mainland. Wikipedia says Piraeus had three deep-water harbours in ancient Greece: Cantharus, Zea and Munichia. It stands eight kilometres south-west of the city centre, along the Saronic Gulf. The last night of a paros naxos ios santorini tour is in Athens.
Wikipedia gives the airport the code ATH and puts it at Spata, in the region of Attica. It has two terminals, the main one and a satellite terminal reached by an underground link. Look for both names on your flight papers. Plan a spare buffer ahead of the flight on day twelve.
Airlines differ in the weight of bag they carry, so read your own ticket rules at home. A paros naxos ios santorini tour holds five sailings and two flights. Pack with that limit in mind, because stairs add weight to every bag. The route closes at the airport in Athens, where it began on day one.
Which entry rules, packing points and sea conditions matter on a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour stays inside Greece, which belongs to the Schengen Area. Wikipedia says this area abolished border controls between its members. Carry your passport or ID card, and check the rule for your own country before you travel.
Simple Wikipedia adds that passengers go through immigration checks when they enter or leave the Schengen Area. Ask your own government for the exact papers before you book the trip. The papers depend on your passport, not on the islands. A paros naxos ios santorini tour does not change those rules.
Wikipedia says the stairways of Chora on Ios leave it largely inaccessible to cars. Cobbles and stairs belong to the walk in each old town, so plan slow steps. The old Bourgos district of Naxos Town has winding streets and a high density of churches.
Wikipedia says the houses of Bourgos stand very close together, and its streets are narrow. Wear flat shoes with grip for cobbles and steps, because the plan walks them daily. Take a sun hat and a light layer for the decks.
Wikipedia describes Ios as largely hilly, with cliffs that drop steeply to the sea. Four ferry mornings fall on days three, five, seven and nine. Wind can change a sailing. Ask the ticket seller how a cancelled sailing is handled, and read the boarding pass for the port. Keep a spare buffer before day twelve.
Access differs from island to island. Ios Chora has steep stairways, and the Athinios road climbs a cliff. Ask about wheelchair access at each stop, since the answer changes with the place. A paros naxos ios santorini tour has steps in the old villages. Plan the walks with that in mind.
Children join this plan with extra care. Four ferry mornings make long days, so pack water, snacks and a small game for the deck. The stairs in Fira and the island villages need a firm hand for young ones. Ask the provider about both points before booking a paros naxos ios santorini tour.
What else do travellers ask about a paros naxos ios santorini tour?
What does the name Cyclades mean?
A paros naxos ios santorini tour moves through the Cyclades. Wikipedia explains the name through the Greek word kyklos, which is close to cycle. The islands form a ring, and Delos sits at the centre of that circle.
Wikipedia calls the group an archipelago of about 220 islands. Ermoupoli on Syros is its chief town. The smaller Lesser Cyclades include Donousa and Koufonisia. Wikipedia adds that two islands of the group are volcanic, Milos and Santorini. It places the Sea of Crete along the southern edge.
Delos kept its reputation as a sanctuary throughout antiquity. Wikipedia also describes a farming and seafaring culture that came from Anatolia. Its flat marble figures still puzzle researchers, because looters destroyed their context. A paros naxos ios santorini tour crosses the home of that culture.
What is Parian marble, the stone of Paros?
Parian marble is the white stone of Paros, the first island of a paros naxos ios santorini tour. Wikipedia says workers quarried it on the island during the classical era, for sculptures.
Wikipedia names the main ancient quarry sites as Chorodaki, Marathi and Agios Minas. Workers also dug shaft quarries to mine the stone. A subtype called Parian lychnites was valued in antiquity for sculptures. The Winged Victory of Samothrace is carved from it. Its main rival was Pentelic marble.
Parian ware is a different thing. It is an unglazed biscuit porcelain, developed in England and cast in moulds for small busts and figurines. Wikipedia describes Paros as a round, plump-pear shape formed by a single mountain. A paros naxos ios santorini tour shows the island behind the name.
Is English understood on the islands, and how are the names written?
Wikivoyage says the population of Paros can speak English, except the older generation. Shops, bars and restaurants have somebody who speaks English, Italian or German. That eases a paros naxos ios santorini tour in the towns.
Names change from sign to sign. Wikipedia says Ios is also spelled Io or Nio, and Cycladic islanders call it Nio. It also gives the local form Nios. In Latin script languages the name appears as Nio or Io. Wikipedia says the name Nio dates back to the Byzantine era.
Santorini is officially Thira or Thera, as Wikipedia gives it. Wikipedia adds a link to Perissa: an old church of Saint Irene there gave the island its everyday name, Santorini. A paros naxos ios santorini tour ends on that island, whichever name a sign shows. Reading both forms on ferry boards avoids confusion.
What fills a free evening on Paros, Naxos or Ios?
Parikia has tavernas along its seafront, as Wikivoyage lists, and narrow streets with shops in the old town behind it. A free evening of a paros naxos ios santorini tour can begin with a slow walk there.
Wikivoyage adds that the old town of Parikia has the unique Cycladic atmosphere. Chora on Ios is a whitewashed village with narrow alleys and steep stairways. Wikipedia says its central path holds restaurants, boutiques and bars. At the top of its village hill stands a scenic amphitheatre, designed by a German architect.
On Naxos, the Bourgos district has very narrow, winding streets, which people liken to a labyrinth. Wikipedia also notes churches, small squares, arched passageways and white houses there. This quarter of a paros naxos ios santorini tour suits a walk after dark.
Why is the sea channel near Paros known for windsurfing?
Windsurfers favour the narrow channel between Paros and Naxos, as Wikipedia notes. A paros naxos ios santorini tour sails across that water, so the sport is easy to spot from the deck.
Wikivoyage names Dryos on the east coast, with its Chryssi Akti and Tserdakia beaches, as popular surfing places. Chryssi Akti means Golden Beach. Tserdakia, known as the new Golden Beach, hosted international windsurfing championships. Wikivoyage also calls Paros known for wind and kitesurfing.
Wikivoyage says boat trips around Paros visit Antiparos, Despotiko and the Panteronisia. It also describes Kolymbithres beach, with huge rocks and sandy coves. The free day of a paros naxos ios santorini tour leaves room for a boat trip or a beach.