Antiparos is the day trip of all day trips. For us Americans, a day trip might mean hopping over to a bordering state or city to seek out a new amusement park or campground. But a day trip really does take on a new meaning in Greece. Antiparos, a Cycladic island in the heart of the Aegean sea, is only a short ferry ride from its island neighbor Paros. In fact, you can only access the island from Paros. The ticket to Antiparos from Paros is a mere 2 euros, and trust me, it will be the best 2 euros that you'll probably ever spend in your entire life.
I took the short ferry ride over to this blissful retreat of an island after someone recommended it to me as far as worthwhile trips to take while vacationing on Paros. Since I spent the most time on Paros out of my month-long island-hopping trip to Greece, I was very excited to add on another island to my itinerary and not even have to worry about finding accommodations on this new island as I could just hop over to my accommodation in Paros at the end of the day.
Overall, my experience in Antiparos was all about relaxation, and relaxation only. Antiparos is known for its stunning beaches, so there's no shame in going to Antiparos just to bask in the Grecian sun and wade in the Antiparos waters with your fellow beachgoers. For those who are more adventurous and aren't lazy like me, Antiparos is known for its cave on the southeastern part of the island that's filled with stalagmites and stalactites, the oldest of which dates back to 45 million years old.
Without further ado, here's how to maximize your day trip to the small but mighty island of Antiparos:
1. Visit Glifa Beach, Panagia Beach, and/or Psaralyki Beach
An interesting little fun fact that I learned during my time on Antiparos is that the island attracts a lot of Scandinavian vacationers. This doesn't come as a huge surprise, as Scandinavians seem to favor Greece as a holiday destination because of its proximity and ideal weather. Also, Scandinavians tend to not be as afraid of public nudity as people from other cultures, and Antiparos offers them nudist beaches that can escape to. To learn more about Scandinavians connection to Antiparos, check out this article.
2. Waltz around the streets of Chora, the main village and port of Antiparos, to discover dreamy taverns, restaurants, bars, and shops
Don't be scared of getting lost wandering the streets of Chora, where you will capture simple moments of everyday life from the locals - whether that's bringing in the fresh catch of seafood, fixing the chairs of their family restaurant, or sitting down for a frappe and talking endlessly about life.