Paros with baby

Off to Paros for a great family holiday! This island in the Cyclades archipelago is undoubtedly the most accessible from Paris, making it an ideal destination for holidays with young children.

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Location of the trip: Paros island in the Cyclades, Greece

Could you introduce yourselves and tell us how old your children were during this trip and how long the trip to Paros with your baby lasted?

Ofélia, 25, married to Fabrice, 29, we are the happy parents of our little girl Théa, who was 15 months old at the time of our week-long trip. We left in July.

How did you prepare for this trip with your children?

This wasn’t the first time that Théa and I had flown together, so we packed our usual tutu and little bibi for the ears, as well as a few toys.

To organise our stay in Greece, we scoured websites, blogs and backpackers before we left, looking for good deals and things to do there.

We’d already been to Greece as lovers a few years ago (Crete and Santorini), so we weren’t going into something completely unknown.

What means of transport did you use with baby?

I flew from Toulouse to Santorini and then by boat to Paros. The island isn’t exactly the easiest to get to, and the boat was quite choppy, but our all-terrain pixie had a great time.
Car hire on site for the week.

Where have you stayed in Paros? Don’t hesitate to share your good addresses with us?

We booked this trip at the last minute and in July everything’s packed! That didn’t stop us enjoying our stay.

And how is the food for the children? Is it adapted to their tastes? Do you have any good places to eat?

Greek food was a real revelation for us on our first trip to Crete a few years ago. We weren’t disappointed again!

The food here is really very good at a very reasonable price. The food is simple and the products are good, so it’s suitable for children. We’re lucky, our daughter eats everything, and the Greek salads and tzatziki were a hit!

What kind of climate did you experience on your trip to the Cyclades? What type of clothing should I pack for this trip?

Sun, sun and more sun! Greece in summer means cloudless skies and water at 30 degrees, just happiness!

What baby equipment did you pack for your trip to Paros?

We still had our baby carrier and our Joie cane pushchair that folds into 3 (which we took as hand luggage on the plane).
We’d also taken a nomad seat because we’d read on a blog that baby highchairs were in short supply in restaurants in Paros, but in the end we didn’t need it very much as we found one in almost every restaurant where we dined, a stroke of luck perhaps?

What did you visit on your trip to Paros with baby? How did you organise your days with this young child?

Quiet days were the order of the day for this trip: we needed to rest!
We took advantage of the hotel swimming pool in the morning, went out for dinner and then had a siesta either at the hotel or in the shade on a beach, visited villages or places of interest and then the beaches at the end of the afternoon.

-Visits to several beaches
-Visits to the small island of Antiparos, accessible by ferry from Paros.
-Visit the villages of Lefkes, Parikia, Naoussa, Piso Livadi …. and many more!

What’s your best memory of this family trip to Paros?

None in particular. We fell in love with Greece for the 3rd time, and rediscovering it with Thea was a wonderful trip.
The food is delicious, the blue and white villages are absolutely magnificent, the sea is beautiful and the water is warm, the Greek people are so friendly… Everything is there! It’s all there!

What sites would you recommend seeing or what activities are a must with children?

I can’t think of any sites in particular, but the sea is really good and it’s a pleasure for children to swim there.

Did you have any problems, and if so, what were they?

The plane was an hour late on the way out and the boat was chaotic on the way back and I get seasick …

The 3 of us were unfortunately infected one by one with a small stomach bug in the middle of our stay. According to the paediatrician we consulted, there was an epidemic on the island at the same time, but nothing serious.

But all in all, everything went well, and fortunately our daughter is a natural!

What precautions to take on holiday in Paros with baby

Nothing in particular, basic first-aid kit with doliprane, saline, sun cream… Just what you use at home every day! But there are pharmacies all over the island if you need them and very competent doctors. We know this because, as mentioned above, we needed to call on them!

How did you keep the children occupied during the journey? What kind of toys did they take on the trip?

The island is small, so car journeys don’t last long. Théa often took the opportunity to have a little nap.
Plane and boat, a few toys but cups, seat belts, the porthole and the seat shelf kept her busy without any problems.

How much did you spend on average per day during your stay on the Cyclades island of Paros, Greece?

The Cyclades aren’t cheap, and they’re certainly the most expensive islands in Greece, a victim of their success and beauty.
I couldn’t tell you the exact budget, but it was around 1500 euros for the plane/boat/hotel for the 3 of us.
Around 200 euros/week for car hire with car seat, comprehensive insurance and unlimited km.

As for food, you can eat very well at 10 euros per person or even less in restaurants. It all depends on what you have, whether you drink wine etc… You can eat well for very little money. The most expensive things are the flights and the hotel, but life there is very affordable.

Thanks to Ofélia for her contribution.