Ferry from Sikinos to Paros (Parikia).

Sikinos is one of the calmest islands in the Cyclades: a small port at Alopronia, the twin hilltop villages of Chora and Kastro, terraced hillsides and a few beaches, with very little of the bustle found on its neighbours Ios and Santorini. Paros is often the next stop for people leaving, because from there you can reach Athens, Naxos, Mykonos or the airport without much trouble.

The catch is that a direct boat between the two is not something we can vouch for. Our route data lists Blue Star Ferries and Fast Ferries on Sikinos to Paros, and both companies do sail to Sikinos on other routes, but there is no Ferryhopper page for this pair and no dated timetable to show when a direct sailing runs. We have left out the crossing time and fares in our older record, because nothing reliable backs them up.

The practical answer is Ios. It is Sikinos's closest neighbour, only 10 to 25 minutes away, and Ios to Paros runs on 6 to 7 days a week all year, with fast boats taking 55 min to 1 hr 25 min and Blue Star about 2 hr 10 min to 2 hr 45 min, according to our Ios to Paros page. On our 12 August 2026 sample, that leg had five departures.

So book the Sikinos departure first, because it is the leg with the fewest boats, then choose an Ios to Paros sailing that leaves you a comfortable margin. If a direct boat appears on the booking page for your date, check how many stops it makes: a direct ship through several islands can take longer than changing in Ios.

Sikinos sits in open sea south-west of Paros, and the summer meltemi, the strong north wind of July and August, can make the crossings around Ios and Sikinos rough. Short hops on smaller or high-speed boats are the first to be delayed or held in port by the port authority, while the large conventional ships usually sail but may run late. If a boat is cancelled, the operator will rebook or refund you. With few departures from Sikinos, the next option may be the following day, so build in a spare night before any flight home.