Getting to Paros: Walk-Off Ferry Port at Parikia and Paros National Airport (PAS)

Sitting at the dead centre of the Aegean ferry web, Paros is the primary maritime hub of the Cyclades: almost every ferry sailing south from Athens to Naxos, Ios and Santorini, or crossing between Mykonos, Syros, Sifnos and Milos, stops at Paros's main port of Parikia.

1. Arriving by Ferry at Parikia Port (Walkable to Town & Buses)

All commercial passenger and car ferries (Blue Star Ferries, SeaJets, Golden Star and Fast Ferries) dock at the single pier in the centre of Parikia, marked at its entrance by the famous whitewashed 19th-century Harbour Windmill:

• Zero Port-Transfer Stress: the moment you walk 100 metres off the ferry ramp past the windmill, you are already standing in the middle of Parikia's waterfront promenade, and turning 100 metres to your right along the seafront brings you straight to the Central KTEL Bus Station (where buses wait for every major ferry arrival to take passengers to Naoussa in 20 minutes at current official rates ).
• Ferry Crossing Times to Paros:
  • From Athens (Piraeus or Rafina): 4 hours to 4 hours 15 minutes on the spacious, year-round Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus, or 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes by high-speed catamaran from Piraeus/Rafina.
  • From Naxos: 30 to 45 minutes (8 to 10 sailings daily).
  • From Mykonos: 40 to 55 minutes by catamaran.
  • From Santorini: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours by catamaran (or 3 hours on Blue Star).

2. Arriving by Air at Paros National Airport (PAS, 10 km South of Parikia)

Opened on its new expanded site near Aliki/Voutakos in 2016, Paros Airport (PAS) receives 6 to 10 daily 40-minute flights from Athens (ATH) operated by Aegean/Olympic Air and Sky Express. Public KTEL Airport Buses meet flights outside the terminal and run directly to Parikia Port (20 mins, ~standard fare), where you can connect seamlessly to the Naoussa bus, or you can take a metered taxi (15 mins to Parikia, ~standard fare; 25 to 30 mins to Naoussa, ~standard fare, standard fare).