Wrapping Up For Naxos Island Trip 4N/5D

Upon arrival at Paros International Airport

Private Transfer Skip the stress of finding a shuttle service or the public transport upon your arrival to Athens. Travel in a spacious luxury air conditioned vehicle, then sit back and enjoy the ride from the Athens airport to your central or coastal Athens hotel/Airbnb/apartment without worrying about taxi meters or getting lost. It’s a private Athens transfer service that’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To make a booking, simply note your arrival flight details and your Athens accommodation details on booking. Your transfer will be confirmed instantaneously and you will be provided with a travel voucher to present to the driver. It’s that easy!

Casual rooms offering sitting areas in an unpretentious property with a cafe & a modern lobby.

Transport From Hotel For Activity private Transfer Facilities3 Seater | 2 Luggage Bags | AC | First Aid

Dating at least to the 6th century A.D., the Church of Panagia Drosiani (Dewy Virgin) is the oldest and most important church in Naxos and among the oldest in the Balkans. This small, stone church features a cross-shaped layout with a large dome featuring two depictions of Jesus Christ Pantokrator, while the altars and walls are filled with original frescoes of the Virgin Mary, St. George, and more. The frescoes on the walls are the originals and were buried under 2 layers of newer frescoes that have since been removed to museums. A few cave-style chapels branch off the main room, where monks and nuns secretly taught local children Greek language and Orthodox religion during the Ottoman rule. Located on the hiking trail between Moni and Chalki, the church grounds offer sweeping views over the over the Tragea Valley.

Family-friendly Agios Georgios Beach (aka St. George Beach) is a lively, Blue Flag beach with gold and white sand and shallow, calm water perfect for children. This busy beach is lined with casual restaurants, beach clubs, and shops, plus a water sports center at the south end. The closest beach to Naxos Town, Agios Georgios is convenient to most of the island’s best hotels on foot or a short bus ride away.

Transport From Hotel For Activity private Transfer Facilities3 Seater | 2 Luggage Bags | AC | First Aid

Dating back to 1207 and located in Naxos Town, the Castle of Naxos is a medieval fortification built by Venetian conquerors, who made Naxos the capital of the newly established Duchy of the Aegean. The castle was built over the ruins of an ancient acropolis, already badly damaged by pirates. The best-preserved portion is the Tower of Glezos (aka Tower of Krispi), the only surviving tower of the original 12 built, located at the northwestern Trani gate. The steps leading up to the castle are narrow with high stone walls on both sides. Surrounding the castle are the excellent Archaeological Museum of Naxos and numerous Catholic churches, monasteries, schools, and mansions used over the centuries by descendants of the Venetians.

This is Naxos’ best-known hike, climbing to the 1000m summit of the tallest mountain in the Cyclades, Mount Zas (Zeus). A cave on the northwest face of the mountain, Zas Cave, is the childhood home of Zeus, hidden away from his father Cronos, who had previously eaten his 5 siblings. There are 2 popular routes to reach the peak. The easiest, most popular, best maintained, and best-marked route begins near Agia Marina church in Filoti (not the aforementioned church near Chalki) and climbs steadily up for 8 km to the summit but does not pass by the cave. To reach Zas Cave, pictured above, take the more challenging route beginning at Aria Spring with a wide, easy-to-follow trail that eventually disappears and turns into a scrabble to the cave and then to the peak. Though 2 km shorter, this route is much more arduous. Go early to avoid the heat, bring plenty of water (you can fill up at Aria Spring), and bring a flashlight to check out the cave.

Transport From Hotel For Activity private Transfer Facilities3 Seater | 2 Luggage Bags | AC | First Aid

Many of the inland villages of Naxos are connected by centuries-worn pathways of varying degrees of difficulty. One of the most pleasant and treks is on Hiking Trail #4, a loop path connecting the villages of Moni and Chalki, winding through olive groves and vineyards, and passing by several of Naxos 200 Byzantine churches along the way (like the one pictured above). Begin at Moni, explore Panagia Drosiani Church (the oldest in Naxos, dating to the 6th century A.D.), pass through Kaloxylos to see Agia Triada Church (Holy Trinity) and its marble iconostasis (wall of icons), then Akadimi with its old Venetian tower, and finally end in Chalki. The former capital, Chalki features colorful pedestrian streets filled with tavernas, craft workshops, the kitron distillery, and the best-known Venetian tower, Barozzi. From here, take a detour to Agios Georgios Diasoritis, an 11th century church with beautiful frescos (hours are irregular, your hotel can check ahead to see if it’s open). Heading back, pass by the humble churches of Agia Marina (circa 11th century) and Panagia Rahidiotisa (circa 17th century) before arriving in Moni. The whole loop is well-marked with signs, combines dirt paths, stony trails, and cobblestone-paved streets, and takes a little over 2 hours. Plan on taking extra time to explore the villages and churches.

The Naxos ferry port sits at the northwest side of Naxos Town near the footpath to Apollo Temple with a picturesque marina immediately south. The bustling port brims with casual tavernas, cocktail bars, souvenir shops, and boutiques. In the mornings, you’ll find local fisherman hauling fresh catch and strings of octopus drying in the sun. In the evenings, this is one of the best spots to catch the sunset, especially from one of the balcony restaurants or rooftop bars. Late at night, this is the nightlife hub of the island with a handful of bars and dance clubs open until the wee hours. The whole port strip is around 700 m long and takes less than 10 minutes to walk (and less than 15 if you walk all the way to the temple). Ideal for any time of the day.

Naxos is the agricultural heart of the Cyclades, the only island in the archipelago that isn’t a barren desert. The food grown here supplies almost all of the fine dining restaurants of nearby Santorini, Mykonos, and Paros. Local culinary tradition is strong here with ingredients as varied as the landscape: fresh-caught fish and octopus from the coastal villages; beef, cheeses, and vegetables from the interior; and goat, sheep, olives, and kitron liqueur made from citron leaves from the mountains. Standout dishes to try in Naxos include rooster braised in tomatoes and wine, lemon-braised rabbit, grilled octopus, famous Naxian potatoes cooked in any style, and melachrino (walnut cake doused in kitron). Many of the island’s best restaurants are in Naxos Town (including Doukato, pictured above), though there are excellent restaurants spread throughout the island.

Transfer from Hotel to Airport Private Transfer Skip the stress of finding a shuttle service or the public transport for your transport to the Athens airport. Travel in a spacious luxury air conditioned vehicle, then sit back and enjoy the ride from your central or coastal Athens hotel/apartment/Airbnb to the Athens airport without worrying about taxi meters or getting lost. It’s a private Athens transfer service that’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To make a booking, simply note your departure flight details and your accommodation details on booking. Your transfer will be confirmed instantaneously and you will be provided with a travel voucher to present to the driver. It’s that easy!