Antiparos

The small island of Antiparos is located right next to the island of Paros. It is a nice destination for holidays or for a nice day trip if you are in Paros.

The island is known for the stalactite caveand the “Rock & Roll” lifestyle of the tourists during the 80s.

Many historians claim that the island was once one with Paros. In ancient times the island was known by the name of “Oliaros”, Phoenician word meaning “woody mountain”. It later became Antiparos in the 13th century BC. C., when it fell under Venetian rule. Its current name also has a mythological derivation. Antiparos was one of the fifty sons of Egypt who was murdered along with 40 of her brothers by Gritomethea, wife of Egypt and one of the 50 Danaids.

In 1537 Antiparos came under Russian rule. The inhabitants of the island were among the first Cycladic inhabitants to participate in the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The island was annexed to the Greek state in 1832.

The architecture of the island is traditional: the houses have a cubic shape, are painted white, have vaulted or sloping roofs, cobalt blue doors and windows, picturesque balconies full of flowers.

The transport system of the island offers a bus service that connects the resort of Chora or Kastro to the famous Cave of Antiparos. There are also several gulets that offer their round-trip service to Antiparos and which make stops on the islets of Despotiko and Saliagas, of great historical interest.