If you feel tired from low temperatures, grey skies and endless rainy days and want to soak up some sunshine, the islands of Greece are the best choice.
Scattered like little gems around the warm waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, some of them get more sunny days even than the Caribbeans!
In addition, they are all unique and different from each other.
Antiparos is one of the treasures you should definitely consider.
It has it all to turn you summer holiday into an unforgettable experience.
The small sunny island has its own identity.
Sparsely populated and quiet, it is a great choice if you need to escape for a week or two from the boring everyday life.
Antiparos is a chance to recharge with positive energy.
Here is just a small part of everything you can do on the island:
1. Start your journey with the Historical and Folklore Museum
The first place to visit on the island is the Historical and Folklore Museum of Antiparos.
As you can expect, the museum is rather small but very interesting.
It describes very well the life, history and culture of the island.
As it is located only about 400 meters from the coastal promenade and the old port of the village, you can reach the museum on foot in just a few minutes through some of the stone-paved narrow streets of the old settlement.
2. Walk along the lively port of Antiparos village
Antiparos village is the main settlement of the island.
Sometimes they call it Kastro because of its location around the medieval Venetian fortress.
The most lively part of the village is the port.
Because of the small distances here, it takes 5 minutes to walk the entire promenade of the village.
However, here you will find some of the best restaurants and cafes.
They are housed in small whitewashed buildings and are nestled right next to each other, overlooking the sea.
3. Visit the Cave of Agios Ioannis
Being the most popular cave on the Cycladic Islands, the Cave of Agios Ioannis is one of the top places to visit during your holiday here.
It is located in the central part of the island, about 1,2 km from the east coast.
Approximately 45 million years old, the cave is among the oldest in Europe.
Its breathtaking beauty attracts thousands of visitors from around the world.
It is a real masterpiece of stalactites and stalagmites, some of which are among the oldest in the world.
4. Spend a day at Psaraliki Beach
Psaraliki Beach is located just south of the main village.
It is nearly 300 meters long and is well-known for its smooth limpid waters.
Covered with golden sands, it is a great choice if you want to enjoy the beach life of the island, but if you still want to be at a walking distance from the settlement.
Paralia Psaraliki is considered one of the most family friendly beaches on the island because of its smooth and clear waters.
As it is very shallow, you can take advantage of the beach, even if you are not the best swimmer.
5. Windsurfing in the channel area
The channel area between Paros and Antiparos is known for its constant breeze and is therefore considered the best windsurfing spot in the area.
As the village of Antiparos is here, you can find also a good instructor, which is deeply recommended if you have never tried this water sport before.
Of course, the basic swimming skills are compulsory because in the deepest part of the channel between Paros and Antiparos is about 4 meters!
The area is great also for kitesurfing and attracts a number of enthusiasts from across the globe.
Since it is locked between Paros and Antiparos, the water is usually very smooth.
6. Discover the wonderful Agios Georgios Beach
In searching for the most attractive beach in Antiparos, most people finally reach the southernmost part of the island.
Overlooking the neighboring Despotiko Island, Agios Georgios is considered by many the best beach on the island.
The combination of wide golden stretch of sand and crystal clear sky-blue waters attracts as a magnet people from around the world.
As it is remote from the main village, the beach is rarely overcrowded with visitors.
7. Kayaking along the coast
The coastline of Antiparos is very picturesque and the water is usually very smooth and flat.
In addition, the island is less visited and less populated so you won’t have to kayak around hundreds of other people.
The best place to enjoy your favorite outdoor activity is the southern coast of the island, especially the area of Agios Georgios.
Here you will find the best conditions, including windless weather and quiet sea.
If you want, you can choose to kayak by yourself or if it seems better for you, you can join an organized guided kayak tour and explore the coastline together with the other members of the group.
8. Visit Sostis Beach
If you want to see the most beautiful side of Antiparos, you can’t miss the small paradise, called Sostis Beach.
This is a beautiful and remote beach, located in the southernmost part of the island.
The stretch of fine golden sand, which is mixed with small white pebbles, is well-known for its turquoise waters and smooth sea surface.
As it is relatively difficult to reach, Sostis Beach is relatively quiet even in the busiest tourist season.
9. Discover one of the secrets of Antiparos
Every Greek island has its secrets and the wonderful beach of Faneromeni is the one that Antiparos keeps.
Located in the quiet and almost deserted south of the island, the beach is considered one of the most irresistible.
It is nestled in a very narrow cove with the most tempting clear azure waters you can imagine.
After the long trip to the beach, it is a real blissful to refresh yourself into the cool crystal water of this secret heaven.
10. Visit the Theologos Beach
Theologos is one of the most easily accessible beaches of Antiparos village.
It is located right next to the yacht port of the settlement and is known for its fine sands and very shallow waters.
It is a good choice if you want to swim and sunbathe close to all the local tavernas and beach bars.
Thanks to its location, it is also preferred by people who love to visit the beach a few times a day for 15 or 20 minutes.
11. Short break to Sifneikos Beach
Similarly to Theologos, Sifneikos Beach is a great choice of place to chill out on the coast, especially if you want to stay close to the village of Antiparos.
As it is at a walking distance from the main settlement, however, Sifneikos is usually very busy during the tourist season.
As it is looking northwest, the beach is not always so smooth and flat as the beaches along the eastern or southern coast of Antiparos.
However, it is a preferable choice if you want to have some really good tavernas near at hand.
12. Spend a day at Soros Beach
Traveling around the island, you will find a wonderful stretch of fine golden sand in the southeast of Antiparos.
It is approximately 1 km long but is interrupted by low eroded sandstone rocks.
Soros beach is one of the most popular on the island.
Even if attracting a number of visitors, the beach is never too crowded.
The reason is because the Paralia Soros is long enough to ensure space for all its visitors.
13. Try some traditional foods
The cuisine of Greece is one of the healthiest in the world.
The most amazing thing is that any of the islands has its own individual specifications in this respect.
If you visit more than one Greek island, you will notice the differences.
Most of the best restaurants of Antiparos are located in the main village.
Here you can try musaka, stuffed peppers, yogurt, olives, citruses, wines (some of the best in Greece), sea food, feta, tzatziki and many others.
14. Island tour with Captain Ben
There’s nothing more exciting than a full-day boat tour around this wonderful island.
A number of companies (mostly family owned businesses) offer similar adventures, so you definitely have a very good choice.
The popular boat tours of Captain Ben are one of the most popular.
This is a great way to get to know the island of Antiparos and is also a great opportunity to spend an entire day relaxing and doing anything but swimming, snorkeling and enjoying the great food and drinks on board while observing the scenic coastline.
15. Discover the wonderful Livadia Beach
Nestled in a bay on the west coast of Antiparos, Livadia is one of the least popular beaches on the island.
Despite being very beautiful, this place is quite remote and very few people decide to take the adventure to come here.
This little paradise is very isolated and in the area there aren’t any bars and tavernas.
The beach is almost deserted with the exception of a few small white houses scattered around.
One thing is for sure – the beach is never crowded and busy.
16. Visit the small and cozy Apantima Beach
Apantima Beach is a small and cozy stretch of golden sand on the east coast of the island.
Its emerald waters are usually very smooth and offer great conditions for people who love swimming and snorkeling.
As the area is sparsely populated, the marine life under water is very rich.
You can easily find some shade on the sand or under the trees along the sand.
17. Day boat trip to Panteronisi
The first that amazes people when they first come to Greece is how irresistibly blue and limpid the sea is.
Of course, we all think about swimming, snorkeling and diving.
The best place to do that in the area of Antiparos is Panteronisi.
You should definitely take a boat trip to this island which lies less than 4 kilometers east of Antiparos.
It offers the most azure waters you have ever seen.
Visitors say that the feeling of diving and snorkeling around is hard to explain in words.
18. Boat trip along the coast of Despotiko
Despotiko is a small island right next to the south of Antiparos.
Even if being uninhabited, it attracts a number of visitors because of its natural beauty.
The island offers a few lovely little coves with limpid waters and rich marine life.
The most beautiful, however, is the shallow azure lagoon in the northern part of Despotiko, between the little islet and the neighbouring Antiparos.
Numerous yachts and tourist boats anchor here, attracted by the irresistible blue color of the sea.
19. Visit the sanctuary of Apollo
Sanctuary of Apollo is considered the most important archeological site in the area of Antiparos.
It is actually located on the neighbouring island, called Despotiko.
Since the last one is uninhabited, however, the sanctuary is described as a part of the heritage of Antiparos.
The place is easily accessible as it is located only 1,2 km from the coast of Agios Georgios.
The channel which separates the islands is less than 800 meters wide so the archeological spot is easy to reach within minutes.
20. Explore the neighbouring Paros
The neighbouring island of Paros is just one kilometer off the coast of Antiparos.
The islands are separated through a narrow navigable channel, formed as a result of a powerful earthquake in the 6th century BC.
Paros is a beautiful place to walk around.
It offers wonderful museums, monasteries and historical sites.
It is famous for its outstanding beaches and great tavernas.
You should definitely consider the opportunity to visit it for a day if you have decided spend your holiday in Antiparos.
