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Antiparos is a small island in the southern Aegean, in the Cyclades, less than a nautical mile from Paros, the port to which it is connected by a local ferry. The Cyclades' oldest ancient town is on Saliagos Island, while Despotiko, an uninhabited island southwest of Antiparos, is a significant archaeological site.

The Community of Antiparos was established in 1914 and was elevated to a municipality in 2010 with the passage of the "Kallikrates" Law, which follows the premise of "each island a municipality." Tourism, fishing, and farming are the mainstays of the island's economy, with agriculture in the plains playing a smaller role. It's famed for its white houses, cobblestone streets, and flower gardens in the front yards. In the summer, it serves as a tourist destination for Greeks and Europeans, as well as land investors from the United States.

The main hamlet is located on the island's northeastern tip, opposite Pounda on Paros' main island, from whence a ferry departs for Antiparos harbor. The historical core of Antiparos is housed in the Venetian castle, which is connected to the lovely coastline street by retail lanes. Other villages include the southwest edge resort of St. George, Soros, and Kampos. Psaralyki, Sifneiko, Ag Spiridon, and the camping beach are all located in the vicinity of the center. Soros, Glyfa, Apantima, and Monastiria are among the other beaches.

Sights

The Antiparos Cave, one of the most beautiful and enigmatic caves in the world, is located in the island's center. Since the Neolithic period, the cave has been used as a natural refuge. The location was also utilized for pottery and the worship of the goddess Artemis, with the chapel of Agios Ioannis Spiliotis located at the site's entrance. The inscription on the altar of Alexander the Great's generals and King Otto attests to the passers-by, as do the signs and scratches on the stalactites and stalagmites.

The cave is quite large, and it is divided into multiple levels. Archilochus of Paros, a lyric poet, is supposed to have left an inscription in the cave. In 1673, the French minister to the Ottoman Empire, Marquis de Nointel, visited the cave with a group of friends for three days and performed mass there on Christmas Day. Lord Byron and Otto, the first modern King of Greece, were among the later visitors who had their names cut into the rock. Part of the cave was destroyed during the German occupation. The cave was significantly refurbished in the second half of the twentieth century with EU subsidies, including the installation of barriers, appropriate steps, lighting, security cameras, and loudspeakers to inform tourists.

Antiparos Castle (Kastro)

The Venetian Castle of Antiparos is a classic example of fortified villages erected in the Cyclades during the Latin period, which lasted from the 13th through the 16th centuries. It was built in the mid-15th century when Giovanni Loredano, a Venetian, decided to marry Mary Sommaripa of Antiparos.
The original design featured a central motte (mound) and residences around the periphery. The dwellings were constructed as an one continuous block, with the outside walls serving as both a defensive and a protective wall for the fortified hamlet. The only way in was through the south wing. Houses grew as three-story constructions within the main village, each with its own door leading to an external stairway. The community was expanded outside the south wing to form the "Xopyrga" rectangular ring and within the original enclosure around the base of the round tower.

The original architectural style of the castle has been altered in recent times, with the addition of a religious aspect and the usage of the central mound as a water tank tower. Despite the collapse of the upper floors, the homes preserve a satisfactory level of their original features today, and any intervention required approval from the archaeological department. The majority of homes today are built on one level with two floors and a maximum ground-like trapdoor. Many of them now face outwards and serve as shops on the main street. The little bats that come out at dusk and soar about the tower to the east are an important component of Antiparos Castle.