We woke up early and took a high-speed ferry from Athens to the island of Naxos. We were with a company called Seajets. There were only 1 or 2 stops before Naxos, and it still took 4 hours. I opted to buy the first-class tickets, which Sam and Joe would have probably skipped, but it gave us nice chairs in a walled-off ferry section with a window. Was it worth the upcharge? I do not know, but I was happy to revel in the mediocre luxury. I had been very resistant to boarding a ferry in time for a 7 AM departure, but it was an excellent idea. We were in our hotel on Naxos by noon, giving us the rest of the day to enjoy the beach.
We stayed at Naxos Center Houses, and I highly recommend it. There is a beautiful rooftop deck that is a perfect place to enjoy the sunset. After we settled in, we walked to Agios Georgios, a fantastic local beach. Naxos’ most famous beach is Agios Prokopios, but it is a bit of an excursion, so we opted for the one within walking distance. We rented chairs and umbrellas from a restaurant called Trata and enjoyed the rest of the day soaking in the sun and surf. I read in the NY Times that chair rentals had become astronomically expensive as Westerners flooded the Greek Islands. Prices skyrocketed, leaving Greeks unable to afford this option. We wanted two chairs and one umbrella for 30 euros, but this granted us a bathroom, towels, and a waiter for the entirety of the day.
After the beach, we wandered through the white alleyways of Naxos. The main town on the island of Naxos is called Naxos, but the really old part of that town is called the Chora. These streets and alleys are what you picture when you think of a Greek Island. They are a maze of narrow, whitewashed alleyways paved with smooth marble or rough-hewn cobblestones. Flowers cascade from balconies, casting vibrant splashes of color against the sun-drenched walls. After every turn, you can find somewhere to visit: shops, bars, and restaurants. Joe was still looking for his Asclepius statue, so a bar made Samer and me a drink to walk with on the Cycladic streets.
For sunset, we walked to the islet of Palatia on Naxos to see the Portara, the doorway to the Temple of Apollo. It’s this great ruin of a doorway and only a doorway. I understand the temple was never finished, with only a door and some foundation. It reminded me of the Philadelphia Stonehenge at Penn’s Landing, the start of a grand idea that was never executed. Except, of course, the Portara of Naxos is much classier. This little island is a perfect place for any traveler. It is picturesque, has history, the walkway to it, has local performers busking for money, and there is enough space to sit and enjoy the moment of a sunset.
That night, we had dinner at a place called Apostolis. I thought it was average. There was nothing terrible about it, but it was one of the island’s nicer restaurants, and it was just ok. There was too much cheese on everything, and the service was too fast. However, I never eat well on islands. I have found meals slightly mediocre on every island I have ever visited. It’s not their fault; growing things is hard. Sure, you can find something great, but the mainland does it better on average.
After dinner, we decided to walk to the Venetian Castle of Naxos. Many shops leading up to the castle were open, allowing us to break up the climb with some window shopping. At the top of the castle is a bar and restaurant called Avaton 1739. We did not know about it, and when we found ourselves at the top, we stopped for a cocktail to enjoy the vista.
Seeing the ruins in Athens was a dream, but getting out of the city and onto Naxos was a breath of fresh air. It was quiet and beautiful. I loved being there so much.