The Ultimate Guide On How To Travel From Santorini To Paros (2024)

Greek island hopping is one of the best ways to explore the Cyclades islands. Leaving the island of Santorini will always be difficult but your next destination, Paros is just as beautiful and has some of the best-underrated sunsets in the entire Cyclades.

Paros is a magnificent island in the Cyclades that offers visitors incredible beaches, stunning sunsets and mouthwatering delicious bars and restaurants. There is a lot to see and do when visiting Paros, so make sure to spend a couple of days exploring all the island has to offer.

Explore tips on how to travel from Santorini to Paros and prepare to fall in love with another fantastic Greek island. 

Ferries from Santorini to Paros 

How to get to Athinios Ferry Port Santorini

Ferries from Santorini to Paros depart from Santorini’s Athinios Port. The port around departures and arrivals of ferries can get quite hectic. There are public buses that leave Thira(Fira) that connect to Athinios port. 

Fira to Athinos Port Bus Schedule 2024

Otherwise, you can organise a private transfer or taxi to the port. During the high season (June to September) there are a lot of departures from the ferry port, so do make sure to arrive with time to spare in order to avoid missing your ferry. There are several ferry operators located down at the port and you can also purchase ferry tickets too. 

Top Tip: When travelling during the high season, so make sure to book your ferry tickets in advance as some of the ferry routes do get booked up quite quickly. Using a service like Ferry Hopper makes booking your ferry tickets so much easier and you can also collect your Ferry Hopper tickets at the Thira (Athinios) Port. You can use the widget below to test out dates and prices.

Is there a ferry from Santorini to Paros?

There are several ferry routes that enable you to travel from Santorini to Paros. Ferry companies like Blue Star Ferries, Seajets, Minoan Lines, Golden Star all sail from Santorini to Paros and there are multiple daily crossings.

Depending on the route, the ferry will stop at other islands in the Cyclades such as Ios, Naxos, so make sure to listen to the announcements as you dock in each port.

Ferry ticket prices vary depending on availability and needs. Foot passenger prices are the cheapest, and the price increases for 1st class tickets, staying in a cabin or bringing a car onboard. 

Santorini – Paros Ferry Routes 2024

Carbon Emissions Travelling by Ferry

Travelling by ferry is one of the lowest forms of carbon emissions versus that of flying or travelling by car. According to TravelandClimate.org, a ferry sailing from Santorini to Paros based on one person travelling emits 13kg CO_2. Travelling by ferry is one of the more sustainable ways of moving between the islands. 

How long is the ferry ride from Santorini to Paros?

The larger ferries such as Blue Star ferries take between 3 hours and 5 hours to travel between Santorini and Paros. The smaller catamaran ferries make the crossing in 2 hours.

Do note that ferries in Greece can often be behind schedule and there may be delays. There are cafes and shops available onboard where you can purchase hot drinks, food and snacks for the crossing. 

Can you fly from Santorini to Paros?

There are no direct inter-island flights between Santorini and Paros. In order to reach Paros by air, you will need to travel to Athens and take an additional flight to Paros. Santorini has an international airport on the island that connects the island to several European destinations such as Germany, Spain, UK and Ireland. 

There are several airlines that fly between Athens where you can take an additional flight to Paros. Though the flight times are short between each island and Athens, you will spend the majority of the day in airports. The quickest way to travel from Santorini to Paros is by taking a ferry. 

Santorini to Athens Flight

During the high season, there are a large number of daily flights from Santorini to Athens International Airport. Whilst Paros does have an airport on the island, it does not currently facilitate international flights. The island has a number of flights during the high season that connects the island with Athens. 

Athens to Paros Flight

Carbon Emissions from Flying

Unsurprisingly flying emits a lot of carbon emissions. And if you are someone who is conscious about your carbon footprint then flying unless absolutely necessary should be minimised when possible. 

Where do ferries arrive into Paros?

Ferries dock at the islands capital town of Parikia. Immediately you will find restaurants, bars, car and scooter rental available and there are always a lot of rental agencies waiting with signs. The town of Parikia is a great place to be based too, and the town quietens down shortly after the ferry departures. Make sure to rent a car or quad to circumnavigate the island and explore some of the best beaches in the Cyclades. 

As you travel from Santorini to Paros you will be rewarded with one of the best ways of travelling in Greece. Arriving at each island port allows you to gather first impressions of the islands and make new plans for exploring new vacation plans.

The Greek ferry operators have a fantastic schedule that operates ferries year-round. Make sure the next time you visit the Greek islands, you experience island hopping and some ferry hopping too! 

Meet Missy…

Missy spent the first 2 decades of her life living in her native Dublin, Ireland. Before a life living overseas called to her, and she spent the next decade living in China, Laos & Belgium. She now splits her time in Antwerp, Belgium, and wherever the sun is currently shining. You can follow Missy’s real-time travels on her Instagram.