Paros by road, Antiparos across the water
A Paros island tour packs the main town, a hill village, a fishing harbour and a hop over to Antiparos into one eight-hour day with an English-speaking guide. Two listings run that day: a guided discovery tour at $71 per person and a bus tour with the ferry to Antiparos at $73 per person. Here is the route, what each price covers and which one to book.
Quick answer
The short answer. Book the guided discovery day at $71 per person: it has 377 reviews at 4.7, pickup is included, and it covers Parikia, Antiparos, Lefkes and Naousa with an English-speaking guide. The bus tour at $73 per person visits the same four places, spells out the ferry from Pounta, and is rated 4.5 from 47 reviews. Lunch is not in either price.
Two tours, side by side
Both prices are per person. Lengths and ratings are the live listing figures.
| Tour | Price | Length | Route | Getting around | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery day, guided | $71 per person | 8 hours | Parikia, Antiparos, Lefkes, Naousa | Air-conditioned coach, pickup included | 4.7 · 377 |
| Bus tour and ferry | $73 per person | 8 hours | Parikia, Antiparos, Lefkes, Naousa | Bus to Pounta, then the ferry across | 4.5 · 47 |
Stop by stop
Both listings follow the same order through the day. Where one says more than the other, we say which.
Narrow lanes of whitewashed houses and bougainvillea, the Venetian Castle and the Church of Saints Constantine and Eleni above the sea. The discovery day adds Panagia Ekatontapyliani, the «Church of a Hundred Gates», a Byzantine church that has stood for more than sixteen centuries.
The bus tour drives to Pounta and takes the ferry over. On the discovery day you walk the lanes around the 15th-century Venetian fortress. On both, Antiparos is where you get time on your own for lunch or a swim.
A hillside village of cobblestone streets, pine trees and traditional Cycladic houses, back on Paros in the middle of the island.
A fishing harbour lined with boats, cafes and small shops. Both tours end the day here, so it is a good place to stay on for dinner if your hotel is close.
The discovery day
The tour with 377 reviews and the longest list of named stops.
The discovery day has the most reviews of the two: 377, rated 4.7, at $71 per person. It runs for 8 hours and starts with pickup from your hotel or a meeting point nearby; the listing asks you to check availability for the details in your area.
You travel between the stops in a modern, air-conditioned coach, and a live guide tells the history and the local stories in English. The listing names the most places of the two: Panagia Ekatontapyliani in Parikia and the Venetian fortress on Antiparos are on its route, along with the castle and the church above the sea, Lefkes and the harbour at Naousa.
One thing the description leaves out is how you cross to Antiparos. If that matters to you, read the itinerary on the listing before you book. Reserve now and pay later is offered, and so is free cancellation.
The bus tour
The one on our list of ten, and the one that names the ferry.
The bus tour is the Paros island tour on our own list of ten trips: $73 per person for 8 hours, rated 4.5 from 47 reviews. It starts in Parikia with the old town, the Venetian Castle and the church of Agios Konstantinos and Eleni. A bus takes you on to Pounta, the ferry carries you over to Antiparos, and after your time there the day continues to Lefkes and ends in Naousa. The guide speaks English, and a transfer is offered.
Mario from Australia called it «A good overview of Paros and Antiparos. Comfortable bus to ride in with a very knowledgeable guide.» Elaine from the United Kingdom wrote: «We had good amount of time on Antiparos (about 1.5 hrs). The village of Lefkes was so pretty & great views if you went up to the church.»
She is also frank about the pace. By her count the group spent over two hours in Parikia and had about 20 minutes in Naousa at the end, and the walk up to the church in Lefkes left little time for a drink. Another traveller notes the itinerary changed on the day. Angela from the United Kingdom has the practical tip: «Do this at the start of your Paros visit.» Then you know which village to go back to.
What the price covers
Read this before you compare the two prices.
Both tours come with an English-speaking guide for the whole day.
An air-conditioned coach on the discovery day; a bus and the ferry from Pounta on the bus tour. Neither listing says if the ferry ticket is in the price, so ask when you book.
Included on the discovery day, with details on the listing. The bus tour offers a transfer; one traveller was sent to the wrong windmill, so confirm your meeting point.
Both give you time on your own on Antiparos for lunch or a swim. Bring money for a meal.
Before you go
Eight hours on the road and on foot goes better with these sorted.
Check the pickup or start point on your booking the evening before, and keep the contact number with you.
Antiparos is your stop for lunch or a swim. Bring swimwear, a towel and sun cream.
Parikia and Lefkes are lanes and cobblestones, and the church in Lefkes is up a slope.
Our verdict
Book the discovery day. At $71 per person it is the lower price, it has 377 reviews against 47, and pickup is included. It is the Paros island tour we would pick for a first day on the island.
Want the ferry spelled out, or is the date full? The bus tour at $73 per person covers the same four places and names each leg of the day.
Book direct
The two island days, priced per person, and two trips on the water to add on another day: the full-day boat tour with lunch, and the snorkelling trip out of Naousa.
★ 4.7 · 377 reviews
★ 4.5 · 47 reviews
★ 5.0 · 652 reviews
★ 4.9 · 72 reviews
Pair it with a boat trip
An island tour shows you Paros from the road; the coves and sea caves around Antiparos are a different day. The most booked trip on this site, the full-day boat tour with lunch and drinks, costs $213 per person and has 652 reviews. Compare it with the rest in our list of ten trips.
Common questions
The guided discovery day costs $71 per person and the bus tour with the ferry to Antiparos $73 per person. Both run for 8 hours. Lunch is not in either price, so budget for a meal on Antiparos. Check child prices on the listing.
No. Both tours give you time on your own on Antiparos for lunch or a swim, and you pay for your own meal. One traveller on the bus tour had about an hour and a half on Antiparos.
The discovery day includes pickup from your hotel or a nearby meeting point; check the listing for your area. The bus tour offers a transfer too. One traveller was sent to the wrong windmill, so confirm the start point before the day.
On the bus tour, by bus to Pounta and then by ferry. The discovery day visits Antiparos but its description does not say how you cross, so read the itinerary on the listing. Neither says whether the ferry ticket is in the price; ask when you book.
For a first look, yes: one day covers Parikia, Lefkes and Naousa, plus Antiparos. The pace is tight at the end; one traveller had about 20 minutes in Naousa and went back by bus another day. Book it early in your stay.
Go deeper
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Self-drive boat rentalRenting a boat to drive yourself on Paros: the small boat, the newer boat, how many people and what each price covers.
Sunset boat tripsSunset boat trips from Paros: the shared trip with wine and the private sunset boat to Antiparos, compared.
Paros Antiparos: Full-Day Boat Tour with Lunch & Drinks
★ 5.0 · 652 reviews · 7 hours