Ferries to Paros

The ferry port of Paros is in Parikia, the main town of the Cycladic island, and is one of the busiest interchanges in the Aegean. From here you can reach 28 destinations, among them Naxos, Mykonos and Thira, plus Piraeus and Rafina on the mainland and smaller islands such as Koufonissi, Amorgos and Folegandros. Together the services add up to as many as 165 departures a day, and crossings take between 30 minutes and 8.25 hours. The port is served by 5 operators, among them Blue Star Ferries, Cyclades Fast Ferries and Golden Star Ferries.

Getting there and the terminal

The main harbour is right at Parikia, so you step ashore in the middle of town. The bay is closed to the north and therefore well sheltered; according to the port administration, trouble only comes with a strong westerly, which can throw the timetable out. At the port there is a car park, a taxi rank, cash machines, wi-fi, toilets, a first-aid post and step-free facilities. The approach channel is 6.8 metres deep and the port is laid out for ships up to 200 metres long, so the large ferries from Piraeus tie up here too. For Antiparos you do not sail from here but from Pounda on the west coast, nine kilometres from Parikia; that crossing takes around five minutes.

Check-in

For the Cyclades routes, Blue Star Ferries asks you to be in the boarding area at least one hour before departure, on foot as well as with a vehicle. Hellenic Seaways states the same deadline; the order in which vehicles are loaded follows the local port regulations.