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Wednesday 10 August 2016

What To Do On Naxos, Greece

Naxos island is something of a paradise in Greece. The island is huge yet isn't a tourist trap. This is mainly due to the huge farming areas on the island. This in turn, means the food you eat is normally from the island and the prices have yet to rocket meaning students can actually afford to visit WAHOO!


The island is so much bigger than either Mykonos or Santorini  which is suprising as so many people have never heard of it. We didn't really have any idea where to begin exploring but after a few days we were sad to be leaving! Here are my top picks of the things we got up to...



1. Visit the harbour - This may be obvious as this is where you arrive (the only way to get onto the island is by boat) but there is so much more to the water front than just where boats arrive. There is a specifically designated swimming area where the water is chest height with no tidal pull, perfect for late night swimming or games, then there are all of the winding paths behind the harbour front filled with trinket shops and places to eat. There is also plenty of restaurants for you to test out. Our favourite was Yo Souvalaki (we visited twice) right on the water front close to the main town square, the food was so tasty and cheap with plenty of options including gyros (the traditional greek wrap) of course.


2. Head for the beaches - Naxos has fabulous beaches with very few people on the majority of them. The bus runs from the harbour along the coast so you have a pretty good choice depending on what you're looking for. If you're wanting to do some water sports especially kite surfing or windsurfing then you have found the perfect island with beaches from Plaka to Naxos Town being filled with waves and schools to teach you how.


3. Grab an ATV (or a car) - On our third day we choose to rent an ATV and I'm so glad we did. We spent the first half of the day exploring all the beaches which were a little more peaceful, as they were not on the bus route, before heading inland  where we found some gorgeous views and lovely ancient sites such as the Temple of Demeter.


4. Head high - We headed up to Zeus's Cave, on the tallest mountain in the Cyclades. If you're using google maps, then once you see the road signs follow them instead! If you have time, head up the mountain to the very top, the view from the cave was splendid so I can only imagine what they would have been like from the top. The walk all the way up is about an hour and a half and is quite scrambly though just to warn you.

5. Sundown at the temple of Apollo - Making sure you spend at least one sundowner at the Temple of Apollo has got to be high on the Naxos to do list! The view is fantastic from any edge of the peninsula, it maybe a touristy thing to do but there is seriously good reason for it!


I had the best time on Naxos. It has so much to offer and I would recommend it to anyone who isn't the type to enjoy doing absolutely nothing every day on holiday.  I hope you like my top tips!

Love

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