Hello Beautiful Souls! As you know, I travelled to Greece to visit Athens and five different islands in two weeks. The second stop was the idyllic Island of Syros. After Syros, we went from the smallest Island Paros to the largest Island of the Cyclades, Naxos.
Here is the itinerary of my five things to do in Naxos within two days.
Chora
The capital of Naxos is Chora. It is also known as Naxos Town. It is a port filled with beautiful white houses and medieval Venetian mansions. The boulevard is the place to be for drinks with a view of the sunset. I have met such lovely locals working there at bars and restaurants.
Kastro
Kastro is part of the old town on the hilltop above Chora. You can still see bits and pieces of the castle dating to the 13th century. There is an archaeological museum here in this Venetian town, but it is much nicer to stroll around the narrow street and see some street art along the way. There are many jewellery shops and shops for Greek-style cotton/linen shirts when walking from the old town to Chora. These are great for gifts and also for yourself. I loved the jewellery shops with silver jewellery that are gold plated and gemstone pendants. Jewellery is the perfect souvenir to bring home.
The Portara
The sunset at The Portara is a bit cheesy but still worth it. You will find lots of tourists watching the sunset from here. The Portara is the Temple of Apollo. It is an unfinished temple built in 530 BC. This “main” landmark is visible when you arrive at the port.
The Temple of Demeter
This temple is also known as the Temple of Sangri and is one of the earliest Ionic temples built in 530 BC. The temple was dedicated most likely to Demeter. Greece is such a wonderful place to visit ancient archaeological sites. I missed during the Island trips having a historical guide who could tell us more about these archaeological sites during a day tour around the Island.
Panagia Drosiani Church
This church is the Oldest Christian church of Naxos near Moni. It date from the 6th century AC. Panagia Drosiania, known as the Dewy Virgin, is one of the most important Byzantine churches. The frescos in this church are very visible. It is such a privilege to be able to see ancient frescos still today. Next to the church, you will find the cemetery of the village.
We stayed in hotel Barbouni, which is run by a lovely old lady and her family. It is just 20 minute walk from the port towards the old town. I had one of the best breakfasts here. Simple, but you could see she made it with love. A nearby beach is Agios Georgios Beach. There are a lot of beach bars here for lunch and to relax in the shades. Unfortunately, I forgot all the names of the bars and restaurants we went to, but the harbour has so many great restaurants/bars you can’t go wrong.
At Naxos, [it was the first time] I tried the traditional Rabbit Stifado [stew] and a tasty gyros pita. I [definitely] recommend trying all traditional Greek food.
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