How to get to Paros island in Greece

By Dave Briggs · Published 2021-06-16 · Last updated 2026-07-18

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Most international travelers get to Paros by first flying in to Athens, Santorini or Mykonos, and then taking a ferry trip. You can also fly directly into Paros airport from both Athens and Thessaloniki. This guide shows you how to get to Paros in more detail.

Paros Greece

Paros is one of the more well known Greek islands in the Cyclades. Once a popular island with Greek students who had finished high school, it has now developed into a chic destination attracting visitors from around the world.

With its enchanting settlements where you can walk the backstreets and Labyrinthine alleyways for hours, beaches, cafes, and places of interest, Paros has enough things to see and do to keep you occupied anywhere from a few days to a week or two.

In this guide on how to get to Paros, I'll show you how to travel from Athens to Paros by ferry or plane, and also how to get to it from surrounding islands. Let's start out by looking at the flight options.

Flying to Paros Greece

Paros is one of the Greek islands with an airport, so flying there and back is always an option.

Paros National Airport has regular flight connections with both Athens and Thessaloniki. In some years, connections with Heraklion in Crete may also be possible.

While there was talk of it operating as an international airport with connections to some smaller European cities, the events of 2020 and 2021 have put that on pause.

If you're interested in flying from Athens to Paros, the two airlines to consider are Olympic Air and Sky Express. Flight times are around 40 minutes.

If you want to fly into Athens International Airport and then take a connecting flight to Paros, make sure to leave plenty of time between flights just in case of delays!

Most people, however, will find that taking a ferry is the best way to get to Paros when visiting Greece. Ferries are more convenient than flights from Athens or Thessaloniki, and they're also a more unique experience!

Related: Paros Travel Blog

Ferries to Paros

There are many ferry routes connecting Paros with mainland Greece as well as other Greek islands. These ferries are operated by different ferry companies, so when planning an island hopping trip, it's a good idea to have all your information in one place.

I like to use the Ferryscanner site to check schedules, work out which departure might be best, compare prices, and to book ferry tickets online. They have the most recently updated routes and most ferries to and from the Cyclades group can be booked here.

All ferries arriving to Paros do so at the port in the main town of Parikia. This is perhaps also the best area to stay in Paros if you are on the island for just a few days.

Athens to Paros by ferry

If you want to travel to Paros from Athens by ferry, you should note that ferries leave from all 3 Athens ferry ports, which are Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrio.

The majority of visitors will find a departure from Piraeus to be the most convenient, especially if they want to spend a couple of days in Athens city center first sightseeing.

If you intend to take a ferry directly after landing at Athens Airport, you may find Rafina port to be more convenient.

Lavrio Port is most useful for locals who live in that area who want to go to Paros from Athens, or people that have their own vehicle.

Take a look here for more travel schedules to Paros by ferry: Ferryscanner

Other Cyclades Islands to Paros by ferry

You can travel by ferry to Paros from a number of the other Greek islands in the Cyclades. The nearest islands to Paros with direct ferry connections include: Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Donoussa, Folegandros, Ios, Iraklia, Kimolos, Koufonisia, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini, Schinoussa, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos.

Find out more about how to reach Paros from these destinations by using the guides below:

Amorgos to Paros ferry

-- (2-3 ferries per day. Blue Star Ferries and SeaJets)

Anafi to Paros ferry

-- (2 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Andros to Paros ferry

-- (1 ferry per day. Golden Star Ferries and Fast Ferries)

Antiparos to Paros ferry

-- (Numerous crossings everyday from Parikia and Pounta)

Donoussa to Paros ferry

-- (4 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Folegandros to Paros ferry

-- (1 ferry per day. SeaJets and Blue Star Ferries)

Ios to Paros ferry

-- (At least 2 ferries per day. Blue Star Ferries, SeaJets, and Golden Star Ferries)

Iraklia to Paros ferry

-- (3 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Kimolos to Paros ferry

-- (3 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Koufonisia to Paros ferry

-- (2-3 ferries per day. Seajets and Blue Star Ferries)

Milos to Paros ferry

-- (1 and sometimes 2 ferries per day. SeaJets and Blue Star Ferries)

Mykonos to Paros ferry

-- (6-7 ferries per day in the summer. SeaJets, Golden Star Ferries, Minoan Lines, and Fast Ferries)

Naxos to Paros ferry

-- (9-10 ferries per day in high season. SeaJets, Golden Star Ferries, Minoan Lines, and Blue Star Ferries)

Santorini to Paros ferry

-- (6-7 ferries per day. SeaJets, Golden Star Ferries, Minoan Lines, and Blue Star Ferries)

Schinoussa to Paros ferry

-- (3 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Serifos to Paros ferry

-- (2 ferries per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Sifnos to Paros ferry

-- (At least 1 ferry per day. SeaJets and Blue Star Ferries)

Sikinos to Paros ferry

-- (1 ferry per week. Blue Star Ferries)

Syros to Paros ferry

-- (1-2 ferries per day apart from Wednesday when there is none. Blue Star Ferries and Minoan Lines)

Tinos to Paros ferry

-- (2-3 ferries per day. Golden Star Ferries, Fast Ferries, and Minoan Lines)

Crete to Paros

In addition to the Cyclades islands listed above, there is also a way to get to Paros from Crete. 2-3 ferries per day sail from Heraklion port in Crete headed to Paros, and you can choose a SeaJets or Minoan Lines boat.

Of the two, the Minoan Lines is the high speed crossing, taking just 4 hours and 35 minutes. Check ticket availability along with the schedule at Ferryscanner.

Astypalea to Paros

4 boats per week also sail from Astypalea island and Paros after 5 hours and 15 minutes of sailing. The ferry schedule currently has these vessels leaving on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

Where to stay in Paros

Two popular areas to choose hotels in Paros are Parikia and Naoussa. These are especially good choices for stays of just a couple of nights.

If staying in Paros longer, and especially if you want to hire a vehicle to get around the island, you could consider other location.

Check out my travel blog: Where to stay on Paros

Dave Briggs
Dave is a UK travel writer living in Athens since 2015. With 20 years of firsthand travel experience and over 80,000 km of bicycle touring across six continents, he's been blogging at Dave's Travel Pages since 2005. Every guide is based on places he's actually been.

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