Naxos is the largest island of the Cyclades and an ideal solution for a short escape from central Greece but also from Crete. The whole of Naxos has Cycladic vibes and compared to its capital, Chora (Naxos), the white island houses, the alleys, the hidden churches, the monuments, and the Naxos castle area will blow your mind. I cannot omit that Naxos is characterized as a fertile land as the island produces: potatoes, dairy products, ham, citrus, spoon sweets, olive oil, and many other things that you must try.
How do you get to Naxos?
- By boat.There is a ferry connection with various ports, mainly Aegean ports. Specifically, you can go by ferry boat, high speed or flying cat from the port of Piraeus, Paros, Ios, Santorini, Heraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonisi, Donoussa, Amorgos, Syros, Tinos, Mykonos, Ikaria, Samos and Heraklion. By ferry boat from Piraeus you will need about 6 and a half hours while by high speed about 3 and a half hours. It would be good to travel with the faster option since the cost difference with the ferry boat is small and as a result you will have more hours on the island. In the summer, from the port of Piraeus, which is the starting point, there are 6 to 10 daily itineraries to Naxos.
- By airplane, there are at least 3 daily domestic flights between Athens and Naxos, with Olympiaki or SkyExpress, which last 45 minutes.
Top sights in Naxos
The beaches
The most popular beaches of the island are located quite close to Chora, i.e. in its southwestern part. These are: Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Agios Georgios, Plaka, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki and Alikos. The nearest beaches in the country are quite small, so as you can understand, the sunbeds are usually occupied and parking is difficult, but don’t despair, a little further down in Plaka you will find sunbeds & umbrellas easily also large parts of the coast are unorganized, so you can bring your own umbrella!
The waters of Naxos are crystal clear and in deep blue color. A! I forgot to say the waters are also very cold.
The country of Naxos
I do not know where I should begin. To see the country, to admire the handmade creations in the small shops or in the spacious emblematic galleries, to see the archaeological museum of Naxos, the site of the castle of Naxos, and the churches of various periods, you will definitely need 4 hours. All of them are amazingly beautiful and of course with Cycladic vied.
The Temple of Apollo – Portara
It is worth spending one afternoon on the rocks of Portara watching the sunset! Portara is worth admiring not only for its beauty but also for its location. From there you can see almost the whole island and the colors of the sky during sunset are a magical combination.
Kouros statues
There are a total of 3 kouros on the island, two of them are located 9 kilometers from Chora while the third and largest one is located 35 kilometers from Chora. Although the Kouroi are considered half-finished, you can easily distinguish the details in the entire body, admiring the patience and artistry of the artisans of the time. Access is easy to the Kouri sites and it is worth reading the historical information you will find on the site.
Demeter Temple
It is one of the first Ionic temples created from Naxian marble and definitely a sight to be admired.
Villages: Apiranthos – Filoti – Chalkio
The route to the villages of Naxos is wonderful! The landscape constantly alternates from dense flora to mountain peaks with quarries. It is worth a few hours to stroll through one of the three villages and of course to try local recipes! Don’t forget to get a Kitro of Naxos, huh?
Are you still thinking about it? I definitely recommend Naxos for your summer vacation!
