FAQs                     

The most frequently asked questions:

How do I best get to Paros?

The most common way to get to Paros is to fly to Athens, Santorini or Mykonos & then continue your trip with a ferry. This takes between 3 to 5 hours with the slowest boat from Athens, up to 40 minutes with the fastest boat from Mykonos. That's the time range you need to calculate.

It is very important to know when you need to land in order to catch a ferry to Paros on the same day, otherwise you need to stay somewhere overnight.

Here's a rough guideline:

-For traveling from Athens, you need to arrive in Athens by 14.00 hrs to catch the usually last ferry per day to Paros around 17.00 hrs. Calculate around 1 1/2 hrs for the bus trip from the airport to the port of Piraeus. (It's the bus "E96" that goes every 20 minutes from the airport and costs around 3 Euros per ticket - no need for the taxi-hassle!) Sometimes there are also boats from Rafina, too, but you'd need to check the boat schedule for that first.

-For Santorini, it's best if you arrive by 11.00 hrs, then you'll be sure to get a ferry or speedboat the same day; sometimes there is also a ferry around 18.00 hrs from Santorini, but not every day.

-Mykonos is a bit tricky, as there are daily boats but unless it is high season only very early in the morning (around 10.00 hrs), so usually there is no way around staying overnight on Mykonos. There is no ground rule here either, so you'd have to check the ferry schedule there, too.

-You can also fly from Athens to Paros (=up to 18 passengers), which flies approx. 3x a day. However, you need to look well in advance to the travel agency where you book your flight, and beware that seats are limited. The flight takes approx. 35 minutes.

-Otherwise of course, if you are island hopping, you can get to Paros from almost all other islands, even places like Crete or Samos, and if there is not a direct boat, you get a connection from another island.

>>> Please check "Traveling with ferries" for more details and how to find boat schedules!

Should I book the ferry in advance?

That depends on several factors but usually we'd recommend not to, unless you want to be sure to get a particular ferry during high season when there is a rush on everything.

Otherwise, it depends on the weather, which is an important point to consider during the low season when the weather can still be pretty unreliable; it's also important to know that the schedules are often subject to last-minute changes or cancellations, which can leave you stranded with a ticket that is difficult to change or waiting for "your" boat that is a day or so late when you could have taken any other boat before that.

So generally we think it is sensible to wait for weather forecasts during the low season months and that it is usually the best idea to check the Internet before your trip  to get a rough idea of the schedule and then book your ticket when you arrive in Piraeus or Rafina.

>>> Please check our page "Traveling with ferries" for more details and how to find boat schedules!

How much money do I need (how much do things cost)?

To give you an idea about how much things cost and what to expect, here is a list of samples:

What is the difference between a "hotel" and "rooms to let"?

Actually there is not much difference between the two, unless it concerns a 4 or 5-star hotel. Some "rooms" offer more facilities and are more luxurious than some hotels and vice versa. Hotels have to have at least a maid service, a reception and a breakfast room.

Where do I best change/ get money?

Either at post offices, banks or some travel agencies. Always compare their commission first. There are also many cash dispensers ("mini banks" or "ATMs") around and more and more people accept credit cards nowadays.

Can I use my credit card everywhere?

The Greek way is still to pay with cash, so do not expect to be able to use your credit card in many places. It's a custom that has not developed that much yet, PLUS the people who accept credit cards have to pay high commission to the banks.

Nevertheless, more and more people accept credit cards these days - but don't expect too much! Also, if you enter a restaurant and they have "We take credit card" - Stickers on their doors, make sure *before* you eat that they are really valid!

Can I trust people who offer rooms in the port (or airport)?

It is well known that there are people who wait for the ferries to offer their rooms/ apartments/ hotels to the travelers arriving who have not booked an accommodation in advance. This comes from the early days when there were very few accommodations and the travelers were grateful to find somebody with a room available in the port. But you can also have unpleasant surprises and your holidays ruined.

Why does one have to throw toilet paper in the bin?

This is a custom that foreigners are usually very surprised about, and it takes some getting used to. It's just that the sewer-pipes are so narrow that they block very easily, so make sure you take the "don't throw paper in the bin"-signs you see everywhere seriously.

Can I drink tap water?

Yes, you can, although you might find it tastes a little strange. In Athens the water is fine, but on the islands it is very hard and you can taste it, so if you don't like it or want to be careful, buy water from the supermarkets or numerous little kiosks everywhere.

What is a Greek Coffee (and how do I drink it)?

You have to learn how to drink Greek coffee. The very fine coffee powder is boiled and the coffee served without being filtered. You can order it either "sketo" (without sugar), "metrio" (medium = one spoon of sugar) or "glyko" (sweet = two spoons of sugar).

The most important thing is to know how to drink it! You have to wait a while for the coffee to sink, otherwise it will feel like you're drinking powder ;-) But, if you do it right, it is a delicious coffee! (It is drunk without milk!)

How much do I tip?

Tip when the provided service is worthing it!

If it does, when you're drinking a coffee for example, or having a small snack, you can leave some change, however not less than 2 Euro, and when out for dinner or in the night it should be about 3 Euro or more.

Don't forget the cleaner of your accommodation, a little tip in-between or when you leave is a decent gesture and might work wonders on how she cleans your room (around 2 - 5 Euro should be enough, depending on how long you stayed).

Can I go into a church wearing shorts or a mini?

NO! Some respect should be shown! Many churches have signs outside, but it shouldn't be done anywhere. Unfortunately there are people who don't pay attention to the signs, which is a shame. It is also not nice to see people walking through the towns half-naked (which happens).

Do I need a travel guide (and are they always right)?

If you have read this site, no ;-)! But honestly, it depends on how detailed you want your information. There are plenty of good travel guides, but it's not necessary to stick to them like a bible. Things change quickly and the information may not be up to date, it may be incomplete and the writer probably doesn't know everything.

We have experienced people insisting on things that were written in a book that simply were not right. And beside the few hotels the travel guides mention, the islands offer many more as good or even better places.

Some travel guides we recommend:

The "Lonely Planet" Greek Islands

Find out the truth about travel guides (very interesting!) here!

Where can I get medical treatment in an emergency?

If it is a serious case, call an ambulance or the hospital. (Telephone-numbers see list!) Ask a local for help if you don't know what to do. There is a public hospital in Parikia where you will be treated for free, but if possible take your ID and any health-insurance certificate you have with you.

If it is not an emergency, it may be enough to go to a pharmacy. The pharmacists are highly trained and can help you in many cases.

In this context, a great link for you:
Great health- and sunbathing tips for travelers...

Why do the Greeks nod when they mean "no"?

Actually, they don't really no, it just looks like that if you don't pay attention. When they mean no, they lift their heads slightly, lift their eyebrows and sometimes click their tongue, too. Sometimes they just lift their eyebrows, which is hardly noticeable. I have seen people ask a Greek something and think he was not responding, because they didn't see or understand the lifting of the eyebrows!

The opposite happens when they mean yes; they sort of turn their head "diagonally" which seems like they are shaking it. It is a bit confusing if you are not familiar with it.

How do I find a good restaurant?

please go to Eating Out

Can I photograph/ film people?

It is never polite to film somebody without asking him first. Unfortunately there are people who go around taking pictures of or filming others without asking them, which is very annoying. Just imagine what you would feel like if some stranger just pointed his video camera at you! Just because it is a holiday resort, it doesn't mean it's a zoo ;-)!

Is it safe to rent a motorbike?

go to Tips

Where can I find a quiet beach?

go to Beaches