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Trip Report

Adventure in the Cyclades Islands (Greece)

Looking for adventure and enjoying life in Naxos, Paros, and Koufonissia

  • Antiparos+ 26
  • Kryssi Akti beach Paros
  • creek in Antiparos where we slept not far from Faneromeni Church
  • Adventure in the Cyclades Islands (Greece)
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About Me:
AtlasGuru Contributor

EuropeGreece9 days / September 2019

Highs & Lows

Kato Koufonisi and antiparos are two small islands off the beaten track

We could not find a place sheltered from the wind in Ano Koufonisi (we wanted to camp on the beach)..

Itinerary Overview

My trip began in Paros with my girlfriend. It is a beautiful island with very cute villages. You have lots of very nice beaches and you can at some places enjoy turquoise waters.  Actually, in the Cyclades islands beaches are so beautiful and paradisiac. To get there, we took a ferry from Athens. Actually to go to the Cyclades the ferry is the easiest and cheapest way.

Paros

To visit the island we rented a motorbike in Parikia (which is the place where we arrived with the ferry). Our three first days we slept in Piso Livadi which is a very cute village not too touristic where you can find really good places to eat. During these three days, we enjoyed all the small villages and the beaches of the island. Naoussa is the most touristic village. There are lots of restaurants and people are well-dressed. We also really enjoyed the hike to Faro di Capo Korakas and we enjoyed,  even if we did not really see the ruins of Mycenaean Acropolis, the view on Naoussa Bay from there (area not far from Naoussa). We also went to Lefkes (which is an old village in the hills). It is small but very authentic. Actually, with our motorbike we had the opportunity to visit lots of places on Paros including lots of very nice beaches. Faragas beach is a really nice one where you have turquoise water. We actually did not go the main beach where you have many people but we went a bit further in creeks. Kryssi Akti is a nice long beach where you can just lay down and enjoy the sun. 

Antiparos

Our fourth day we went to Antiparos. We took a small ferry in Pounta (30 min). We took our motorbike with us so we could move around on Antiparos island. This island is actually part of Paros. It is very small, there is almost no inhabitant and there is just one village. We really enjoyed there as we really felt we were free (there was barely anyone there). We went untill Faneromeni church. On the way to get there, there were lots of amazing creeks. It was so nice that we decided to sleep in one of the creeks. There, we had one of the most beautiful sunrise we ever had, it was magic. On this island, we also enjoyed the huge cave where we obesrved lots of stalactites/ stalagmites. 

Koufonissia

After Paros, we went to Koufinisia island. Koufonisia is actually composed of two islands. One is inhabitated and the other (Kato) is not. Koufonisia has beautiful turquoise waters and very nice places to eat pitas! Lots of people go there for their honeymoon. We really enjoyed the place as we could do everything by foot or with a bicycle. We enjoyed swimming there and we enjoyed the beautiful cliffs. 

The first day we slept in Koufonissia Ano. It was a last minute reservation as at firt we wanted to sleep on the beach (but because of the wind it was complicated). We were positively surprised by our last minute reservation. We had a beautiful view on the sea from our room and a big terrace.  

After Koufonisia Ano we went to Kato, it is a very small island (10 min boat from Ano). On this island you just have nature (nobody lives there excepted people camping). The boat brought us to Nero beach and we walked about 30 minutes to go to Pezoulia Beach (on that beach we were alone for sleeping, we slept in a kind of tiny cave). The morning when we woke up, we went snorkeling. It was really beautiful, we also met some goats. 

Naxos 

After Koufonisia we went to Naxos, a big island. There, we stayed in the area of the main village which is actually called Naxos. We stayed in a very nice Airbnb which had a beautiful garden and little turtles. To visit the island we first rent a motorbike and then 2 kwads. In Naxos (the main village/city) we could find lots of restaurants and shops. We bought some juwellery and we enjoyed the food there. It was also fun to just walk in all the small streets and enjoyed the view from the top of the city. If you like museums, you can also find lots of small museums and churches. This village/city is also known for its Apollo Temple (ruins). Actually, lots of ferries travelling to the cyclades stop in Naxos on their way. Thanks to our kwads, we went to other villages and we went to visit the Temple of Demeter. It was a real pleasure to ride with the kwads as we could enjoy the nice weather and the small paths. We also really enjoyed the beach on the western side of the island. As Naxos is big, we did not have the time to visit all the island. However, as you have so many other beautiful islands in the Cyclades we had to limit the time in Naxos. 

 

  • 4 Nights: Paros
    Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach
  • 2 Nights: Koufonisia
    Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia
  • 3 Nights: Naxos
    Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants
Paros - Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach
1

Paros Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach

Paros - Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach - Kryssi Akti beach Paros
Kryssi Akti beach Paros
Paros - Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach - creek in Antiparos where we slept not far from Faneromeni Church
creek in Antiparos where we slept not far from Faneromeni Church
Paros - Motorbike tour of the island, visiting the villages and enjoying the beach - A harbor in Paros10+
A harbor in Paros

My trip began in Paros with my girlfriend. It is a beautiful island with very cute villages. You have lots of very nice beaches and you can at some places enjoy turquoise waters.  Actually, in the Cyclades islands beaches are so beautiful and paradisiac. To get there, we took a ferry from Athens. Actually to go to the Cyclades the ferry is the easiest and cheapest way.

Paros

To visit the island we rented a motorbike in Parikia (which is the place where we arrived with the ferry). Our three first days we slept in Piso Livadi which is a very cute village not too touristic where you can find really good places to eat. During these three days, we enjoyed all the small villages and the beaches of the island. Naoussa is the most touristic village. There are lots of restaurants and people are well-dressed. We also really enjoyed the hike to Faro di Capo Korakas and we enjoyed,  even if we did not really see the ruins of Mycenaean Acropolis, the view on Naoussa Bay from there (area not far from Naoussa). We also went to Lefkes (which is an old village in the hills). It is small but very authentic. Actually, with our motorbike we had the opportunity to visit lots of places on Paros including lots of very nice beaches. Faragas beach is a really nice one where you have turquoise water. We actually did not go the main beach where you have many people but we went a bit further in creeks. Kryssi Akti is a nice long beach where you can just lay down and enjoy the sun. 

Antiparos

Our fourth day we went to Antiparos. We took a small ferry in Pounta (30 min). We took our motorbike with us so we could move around on Antiparos island. This island is actually part of Paros. It is very small, there is almost no inhabitant and there is just one village. We really enjoyed there as we really felt we were free (there was barely anyone there). We went untill Faneromeni church. On the way to get there, there were lots of amazing creeks. It was so nice that we decided to sleep in one of the creeks. There, we had one of the most beautiful sunrise we ever had, it was magic. On this island, we also enjoyed the huge cave where we obesrved lots of stalactites/ stalagmites. 

Koufonisia - Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia
2

Koufonisia Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia

Koufonisia - Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia - null
Koufonisia - Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia - null
Koufonisia - Enjoying the beach and pitas in Koufonisia - null4+

Koufonissia

After Paros, we went to Koufinisia island. Koufonisia is actually composed of two islands. One is inhabitated and the other (Kato) is not. Koufonisia has beautiful turquoise waters and very nice places to eat pitas! Lots of people go there for their honeymoon. We really enjoyed the place as we could do everything by foot or with a bicycle. We enjoyed swimming there and we enjoyed the beautiful cliffs. 

The first day we slept in Koufonissia Ano. It was a last minute reservation as at firt we wanted to sleep on the beach (but because of the wind it was complicated). We were positively surprised by our last minute reservation. We had a beautiful view on the sea from our room and a big terrace.  

After Koufonisia Ano we went to Kato, it is a very small island (10 min boat from Ano). On this island you just have nature (nobody lives there excepted people camping). The boat brought us to Nero beach and we walked about 30 minutes to go to Pezoulia Beach (on that beach we were alone for sleeping, we slept in a kind of tiny cave). The morning when we woke up, we went snorkeling. It was really beautiful, we also met some goats. 

Naxos - Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants
3

Naxos Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants

Naxos - Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants - null
Naxos - Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants - null
Naxos - Visiting ruins and Naxos main city - Enjoying Kwad and restaurants - null6+

Naxos 

After Koufonisia we went to Naxos, a big island. There we stayed in the area of the main village which is actually called Naxos. We stayed in a very nice Airbnb which had a beautiful garden and little turtles. To visit the island we first rent a motorbike and then 2 kwads. In Naxos (the main village/city) we could find lots of restaurants and shops. We bought some juwellery and we enjoyed the food there. It was also fun to just walk in all the small streets enjoyed the view from the top of the city. If you like museums, you can also find lots of small museums and churches. This village/city is also known for its Apollo Temple (ruins). Actually, lots of ferries to the cyclades stop in Naxos on their way. Thanks to our kwads, we went to other villages and we went to visit the Temple of Demeter. It was a real pleasure to ride with the kwads as we could enjoy the nice weather and the small paths. We also really enjoyed the beach on the western side of the island. As Naxos is big, we did not have the time to visit all the island. However, as you have so many other beautiful islands in the Cyclades we had to limit the time in Naxos. 

Q & A

  • What would you have changed?

    Nothing, this trip was amazing. I really recommend the cyclades and going on adventure there.
  • Anything go wrong during the trip?

    No
  • Transportation Tips?

    Rent a motorbike, it is the cheapest and easiest way to travel on the islands.
  • Any surprises?

    no
  • Booking details?

    Airbnb is super easy

Lodging