The hustle and bustle of the high trafficked tourist spots comes to a screeching halt when you unload the ferry on Naxos. If you take a SeaJet from Mykonos this laid back island is only 30 minutes away, perfect for a day trip!
Daytrip to Naxos
We caught the 9:50am ferry arriving on Naxos at 10:30. This made for a bit of an early start but also gave us the whole day before catching the 5:30pm ferry back to Mykonos.
First stop is a short walk to the Temple of Apollo. At this point, after the historical sites of Athens and Delos, the archway was a little underwhelming. What proved to be the most exciting was the view in the opposite direction. From the hill Naxos spreads out behind you, cascading white washed buildings and cathedrals just waiting to be explored.
We walked through town, checking out shops and picking up coffee on our way to Agios Georgios Beach. Compared to the bigger islands, these soft sandy beaches are essentially empty and the beach chairs are as low as 10-14 euro. We were able to lay out comfortably in the sun for a couple hours without any issues with wind, a welcome change of pace!
Pack up and head out for more exploring! We had two destinations in mind- the Kastro Castle in the Old Venitian Town as well as the neighboring Church of the Duke of Naxos. Along the way we meandered through the streets and homes feeling fully immersed in the lifestyle. Women hanging their laundry or sweeping their stoops replaced the “What Happens in Mykonos…” stores, bougainvillea vines pop color against the cream colored homes everywhere you turn.
The Catholic Cathedral was a beautiful mixture of history and reverence. Built by Venetian rulers in the 13h century she’s maintained the traditional pieces of the Catholic church- narthex, alter, tombs, chancel- in an otherwise primarily Greek Orthodox population.
On our way back towards the port we stumbled unknowingly into old town. The narrow, windy pathways certainly emulate the vibe of Little Venice with a key difference: no crowds. No cruise ships, no bachelorette parties. Just the sweet ebb and flow of Island Time.
All things considered, in our 7 hours on island we saw a tiny portion of Naxos. Everything we did was within walking distance from the port leaving most things undiscovered. We definitely enjoyed our day on Naxos but we were also totally fine with leaving at the end of the day, having seen all the things we wanted to see. So, in hindsight, would we have chosen to stay on Naxos rather than Mykonos? I don’t think so actually. The bigger islands have advantages, such as more options for activities and dining. We loved visiting Naxos for the day, though, and absolutely recommend a visit if you’re in the neighborhood.
