travel
Naxos the greek island that deserves to be on your bucket list i.e if relaxation, fantastic food, sandy beaches, less hustle and bustle create your perfect getaway. Even though it is the biggest of the cyclades islands and i wouldn’t say it is deserted with no tourist in sight, it is very personal. Yes you see fellow travellers sunbathing at the beach but you also see an equal number of locals doing the same very unlike the famous Santorini and Mykonos. Here are the top 8 reasons that will make you want to holiday in this beautiful island of the cyclades.
- Naxos feels like authentic Greece- Continuing with what i was saying in the paragraph above, in Naxos you experience real greek life, people chitchatting, everyone seems to know each other, people going about their daily lives, local families coming down for dinner at the tavern, etc etc. Nothing looks designed or made to suit the tourists which can be a good or a bad thing i find it the best thing because that is how you experience a place in its reality how it has been and not how it is made to be.
- The fantastic food- Naxos is the most fertile island in the cyclades which translates to excellent quality of produce hence the food tastes fantastic. Even a simple cucumber in the greek salad is delicious, and the potatoes ah how can i not mention, the best in the whole of greece. Also the cheese and the freshest seafood. We stayed in an airbnb flat on Agia anna beach, right at the beach is this Greek tavern , Taverna Gorgona, headed by a fat greek lady who is a sight to watch in action, powerful and in control! we ate most of our meals there and everything was delish. Greek salad, Saganaki cheese ( fried cheese sometimes served with honey my fav) fish from the sea right in front (our fav was Bogues with drinks), fried chickpeas, etc to name a few. At dinner you will be greeted by the ladies husband who would welcome you with a shot of his home made wine. Very chilled informal place frequented by locals and travellers alike. We also went to Maros Taverna near the court square of Hora, another one frequented by the locals and apart from the greek dishes i had the best cake here on our trip. One advice the portion size in Greece is quite big and in Naxos its huge so keep that i mind before ordering.
- The sandy beaches- While Santorini and Mykonos have pebbled beaches naxos has sandy. The sand is not the super fine one that sticks to your body and is hard to get off, the texture is just perfect, lol!!! You shake it off and its gone. The beaches are stunning but you don’t find hoards of tourists as expected for such stunning stretches of sand, there are a fair amount of people some travellers and some locals.
- The temple of Apollo- Ok move over the stunning sunset of Santorini, the sunset at the temple of Apollo in Naxos is no less stunning. And there is no rail of people what a relief!!! The whole area of the temple is beautiful surrounded by water and interesting rock structures. We also saw people snorkeling.
- To visit Los, Paros and Eos- From our beach Paros looked like a stones throw away, lol! Base yourself in Naxos and island hop to the 3 should be done in a day!
- Extremely safe- We took bicycles from down our flat (complimentary) and went riding, 10 mins down the ride towards the capital Chora we realized we hadn't got the bike lock so we went back and asked the owner for the locks, here is the reply ' Naxos, no one touch anything, leave it wherever' it came true we found them exactly wherever we left. Kids would just play on the beach and just the whole environment felt very safe and welcoming.
- Its a huge island and there is loads to do so if in mood you always find something interesting even party.
- To buy the herbs and spices- As i said the quality of produce is excellent so i recommend going into one of the spice shops in the capital Chora and shopping for herbs like oregano, thyme, parsley etc. Capers. Spice mix for tzatziki, greek salad, roast chicken and the likes. Also worth buying are the handmade soaps made from olive oil.
I loved visiting Mykonos, Santorini and Athens on our Greece trip but we had the best time in Naxos because it was spent relaxing, indulging and experiencing the real greek life.
I hope you include Naxos in your list of islands to visit on your Greece trip!
Suggested posts- Beach holiday essentials
- What to pack for Greece
- Mykonos travel guide
- Instagrammers guide to Santorini
Thank you for stopping by, see you with my next.
Love
Chichi
Naxos the greek island that deserves to be on your bucket list
Naxos the greek island that deserves to be on your bucket list i.e if relaxation, fantastic food, sandy beaches, less hustle and bustle create your perfect getaway. Even though it is the biggest of the cyclades islands and i wouldn’t say it is deserted with no tourist in sight, it is very personal. Yes you see fellow travellers sunbathing at the beach but you also see an equal number of locals doing the same very unlike the famous Santorini and Mykonos. Here are the top 8 reasons that will make you want to holiday in this beautiful island of the cyclades.
- Naxos feels like authentic Greece- Continuing with what i was saying in the paragraph above, in Naxos you experience real greek life, people chitchatting, everyone seems to know each other, people going about their daily lives, local families coming down for dinner at the tavern, etc etc. Nothing looks designed or made to suit the tourists which can be a good or a bad thing i find it the best thing because that is how you experience a place in its reality how it has been and not how it is made to be.
- The fantastic food- Naxos is the most fertile island in the cyclades which translates to excellent quality of produce hence the food tastes fantastic. Even a simple cucumber in the greek salad is delicious, and the potatoes ah how can i not mention, the best in the whole of greece. Also the cheese and the freshest seafood. We stayed in an airbnb flat on Agia anna beach, right at the beach is this Greek tavern , Taverna Gorgona, headed by a fat greek lady who is a sight to watch in action, powerful and in control! we ate most of our meals there and everything was delish. Greek salad, Saganaki cheese ( fried cheese sometimes served with honey my fav) fish from the sea right in front (our fav was Bogues with drinks), fried chickpeas, etc to name a few. At dinner you will be greeted by the ladies husband who would welcome you with a shot of his home made wine. Very chilled informal place frequented by locals and travellers alike. We also went to Maros Taverna near the court square of Hora, another one frequented by the locals and apart from the greek dishes i had the best cake here on our trip. One advice the portion size in Greece is quite big and in Naxos its huge so keep that i mind before ordering.
- The sandy beaches- While Santorini and Mykonos have pebbled beaches naxos has sandy. The sand is not the super fine one that sticks to your body and is hard to get off, the texture is just perfect, lol!!! You shake it off and its gone. The beaches are stunning but you don’t find hoards of tourists as expected for such stunning stretches of sand, there are a fair amount of people some travellers and some locals.
- The temple of Apollo- Ok move over the stunning sunset of Santorini, the sunset at the temple of Apollo in Naxos is no less stunning. And there is no rail of people what a relief!!! The whole area of the temple is beautiful surrounded by water and interesting rock structures. We also saw people snorkeling.
- To visit Los, Paros and Eos- From our beach Paros looked like a stones throw away, lol! Base yourself in Naxos and island hop to the 3 should be done in a day!
- Extremely safe- We took bicycles from down our flat (complimentary) and went riding, 10 mins down the ride towards the capital Chora we realized we hadn't got the bike lock so we went back and asked the owner for the locks, here is the reply ' Naxos, no one touch anything, leave it wherever' it came true we found them exactly wherever we left. Kids would just play on the beach and just the whole environment felt very safe and welcoming.
- Its a huge island and there is loads to do so if in mood you always find something interesting even party.
- To buy the herbs and spices- As i said the quality of produce is excellent so i recommend going into one of the spice shops in the capital Chora and shopping for herbs like oregano, thyme, parsley etc. Capers. Spice mix for tzatziki, greek salad, roast chicken and the likes. Also worth buying are the handmade soaps made from olive oil.
I loved visiting Mykonos, Santorini and Athens on our Greece trip but we had the best time in Naxos because it was spent relaxing, indulging and experiencing the real greek life.
I hope you include Naxos in your list of islands to visit on your Greece trip!
Suggested posts- Beach holiday essentials
- What to pack for Greece
- Mykonos travel guide
- Instagrammers guide to Santorini
Thank you for stopping by, see you with my next.
Love
Chichi
Well there are holidays and then there is beach holiday, relaxation its second name. I mean who doesn’t find lazing on the beach with nothing on mind sipping on some iced coffee, relaxing!!!! On our greece trip we went to Naxos the biggest of the cyclades island but a less touristy one just to be by the beach and relax. Naxos has sandy beaches and my favourite thing to do was reading. Finished 70% of ‘Murder is easy’ by Agatha Christie in 2 days sitting on the beach and haven’t turned a page since leaving Naxos. Well I think i can only read on a beach!!!!!! Ok now shall i start with the essentials to carry in case you are heading on a beach holiday.
- The white shirt- I cannot stress enough what a great companion a white shirt is specially on a beach holiday. A multi tasking piece that you can wear absolutely anywhere and with anything also works as a great coverup to wear over your swimwear. I also wear it to protect myself from the sun incase the sun rays get too strong at the beach. Just make sure the shirt is long enough to cover your butt and you will thank me later. (Click on the image to shop)
- A swimsuit- Well bikinis are good but trust me go with swimsuit. I actually packed and wore both on my trip but out of the two my vote goes to a one piece swimsuit because it just made me feel great. We indulge quite a lot on holidays and swimsuits are more flattering just incase you get a bulge here and there. And incase you have tummy issues like me don’t even have second thoughts.(Click on the image to shop)
- Books- Ah sitting on the beach playing with water with one hand and a book in the other is just one of the most relaxing things to do. I mean reading and not just holding a book!!!! Ok now i should admit I am not a reader but i do enjoy murder mysteries all the grip, plot and suspense gets me hooked but murder mysteries or not thumbs up to books for beach holidays.
- Sunscreen- To apply and reapply.
- Comfiest sandals- Lets just accept it beach or no beach holiday means walking so i am always stressing!!!
Do you like to read on the beach, if not i encourage you to do so on your next and trust me it will be relaxation at its best.
Suggested posts- What to pack for Greece.
Factors to consider before packing for any travel.
What to pack for London in summer.
Thank you for stopping by, see you with my next!
Love
Chichi
Beach holiday essentials
Well there are holidays and then there is beach holiday, relaxation its second name. I mean who doesn’t find lazing on the beach with nothing on mind sipping on some iced coffee, relaxing!!!! On our greece trip we went to Naxos the biggest of the cyclades island but a less touristy one just to be by the beach and relax. Naxos has sandy beaches and my favourite thing to do was reading. Finished 70% of ‘Murder is easy’ by Agatha Christie in 2 days sitting on the beach and haven’t turned a page since leaving Naxos. Well I think i can only read on a beach!!!!!! Ok now shall i start with the essentials to carry in case you are heading on a beach holiday.
- The white shirt- I cannot stress enough what a great companion a white shirt is specially on a beach holiday. A multi tasking piece that you can wear absolutely anywhere and with anything also works as a great coverup to wear over your swimwear. I also wear it to protect myself from the sun incase the sun rays get too strong at the beach. Just make sure the shirt is long enough to cover your butt and you will thank me later. (Click on the image to shop)
- A swimsuit- Well bikinis are good but trust me go with swimsuit. I actually packed and wore both on my trip but out of the two my vote goes to a one piece swimsuit because it just made me feel great. We indulge quite a lot on holidays and swimsuits are more flattering just incase you get a bulge here and there. And incase you have tummy issues like me don’t even have second thoughts.(Click on the image to shop)
- Books- Ah sitting on the beach playing with water with one hand and a book in the other is just one of the most relaxing things to do. I mean reading and not just holding a book!!!! Ok now i should admit I am not a reader but i do enjoy murder mysteries all the grip, plot and suspense gets me hooked but murder mysteries or not thumbs up to books for beach holidays.
- Sunscreen- To apply and reapply.
- Comfiest sandals- Lets just accept it beach or no beach holiday means walking so i am always stressing!!!
Do you like to read on the beach, if not i encourage you to do so on your next and trust me it will be relaxation at its best.
Suggested posts- What to pack for Greece.
Factors to consider before packing for any travel.
What to pack for London in summer.
Thank you for stopping by, see you with my next!
Love
Chichi
Greece is one of the worlds top travel destination with a record 30 million tourists in 2016. Let me put it straight if you are travelling to Greece i am super jealous of you because i miss it so much and If you have been, there is high chance that you share my excitement!!!!!!!
I have not been everywhere in Greece but i have been to 4 destinations, the 2 most famous and visited cyclades island Mykonos and Santorini, the biggest cyclades but less touristy island Naxos and the capital Athens. So i have a bit of an experience and confidence also because i was able to use and wear everything i packed for my trip and did not feel ‘i wish i had that’ so you know what i am trying to say right. So today i am going to share some tips to make your packing process for Greece easier. This list is relevant for Athens and destinations south of Athens. If you are going somewhere in the inland or north it might not work for you. Also the period of the year it will work for is late May to early October.
When it comes to the greek islands to name a few Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Kefalonia, etc and the capital Athens packing lightweight options that can be easily mixed and matched is the key.
- Colours to pack for Greece are hands down white and blue. As i said in my what i wore in santorini post, i was glad i packed majorly white and blue pieces because there is something about the place that you do not want to disturb the white and blue image, specially for pictures, so i 100% recommend going primarily with those two colours.
- Lightweight dresses- Ok the sun can be pretty strong so to keep comfy pack lightweight dresses that do not cling to your body. If you have anything fancy to attend keep one fancy dress but if not casual dresses are great. Greece is pretty chilled out and informal.
- Shorts and blouses- Make sure they fit well, denim shorts are great but i took cotton and linen shorts because they are roomier and longer. For blouse you can go for off shoulder and one shoulder styles or the trending statement sleeves but do remember to keep basic tees and a white shirt.
- A backpack or a tote with zipper- So you can throw in all your essentials for the day including your camera and water bottle. I say with zipper because its secure so you do not have to worry about things falling out and also safe from the point of view of pick pocketing etc. Additionally you can also bring a cross body bag. And the fashion lovers a straw tote.
- The most comfortable flat sandals- Another rule of thumb for any travel is to carry your comfiest pair of shoes. For Greece you will be fine if you only bring flat sandals. Its pretty casual out there so heels is not a dress code even to fancy places for dinner etc and i would not even recommend bringing wedges because the streets can be cobbled and you will have to go up and down the stairs specially in Santorini. If you plan to go hiking you can bring your sneakers but if you don’t flat sandals are enough.
- Swimsuit- Come on Greece is surrounded by the Aegean sea and beaches are everywhere so even though there is so much to do and see, its really hard to not take a dip in the sea and spend sometime chilling by the beach sipping on some iced coffee.
- Sunscreen- Not just Santorini but Greece in general is white so the light reflects back at you. With the sun super strong you need to apply and reapply sunscreen after every few hours. Don’t feel strange if you see people applying sunscreen in the open and you shouldn’t even think twice about not doing the same.
- Sunglasses are a must not just for protection but also because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to keep your eyes open. Hats are great too but if you do not want the hassle of packing them or wearing them to the airport you can always buy there if needed.
I wore this outfit to explore Athens, white breathable maxi with trending white flat sandals. I carried my white shirt in my backpack and it was quite useful in the evening.
Hope this post is helpful, i also recommend reading my post on factors to consider before packing for any travel.
Suggested posts- Instagrammers guide to Santorini
- What i wore in Santorini
- Why white works
- Mykonos travel guide
Thank you for stopping by, See you with my next.
Love
Chichi
What to pack for Greece
Greece is one of the worlds top travel destination with a record 30 million tourists in 2016. Let me put it straight if you are travelling to Greece i am super jealous of you because i miss it so much and If you have been, there is high chance that you share my excitement!!!!!!!
I have not been everywhere in Greece but i have been to 4 destinations, the 2 most famous and visited cyclades island Mykonos and Santorini, the biggest cyclades but less touristy island Naxos and the capital Athens. So i have a bit of an experience and confidence also because i was able to use and wear everything i packed for my trip and did not feel ‘i wish i had that’ so you know what i am trying to say right. So today i am going to share some tips to make your packing process for Greece easier. This list is relevant for Athens and destinations south of Athens. If you are going somewhere in the inland or north it might not work for you. Also the period of the year it will work for is late May to early October.
When it comes to the greek islands to name a few Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Kefalonia, etc and the capital Athens packing lightweight options that can be easily mixed and matched is the key.
- Colours to pack for Greece are hands down white and blue. As i said in my what i wore in santorini post, i was glad i packed majorly white and blue pieces because there is something about the place that you do not want to disturb the white and blue image, specially for pictures, so i 100% recommend going primarily with those two colours.
- Lightweight dresses- Ok the sun can be pretty strong so to keep comfy pack lightweight dresses that do not cling to your body. If you have anything fancy to attend keep one fancy dress but if not casual dresses are great. Greece is pretty chilled out and informal.
- Shorts and blouses- Make sure they fit well, denim shorts are great but i took cotton and linen shorts because they are roomier and longer. For blouse you can go for off shoulder and one shoulder styles or the trending statement sleeves but do remember to keep basic tees and a white shirt.
- A backpack or a tote with zipper- So you can throw in all your essentials for the day including your camera and water bottle. I say with zipper because its secure so you do not have to worry about things falling out and also safe from the point of view of pick pocketing etc. Additionally you can also bring a cross body bag. And the fashion lovers a straw tote.
- The most comfortable flat sandals- Another rule of thumb for any travel is to carry your comfiest pair of shoes. For Greece you will be fine if you only bring flat sandals. Its pretty casual out there so heels is not a dress code even to fancy places for dinner etc and i would not even recommend bringing wedges because the streets can be cobbled and you will have to go up and down the stairs specially in Santorini. If you plan to go hiking you can bring your sneakers but if you don’t flat sandals are enough.
- Swimsuit- Come on Greece is surrounded by the Aegean sea and beaches are everywhere so even though there is so much to do and see, its really hard to not take a dip in the sea and spend sometime chilling by the beach sipping on some iced coffee.
- Sunscreen- Not just Santorini but Greece in general is white so the light reflects back at you. With the sun super strong you need to apply and reapply sunscreen after every few hours. Don’t feel strange if you see people applying sunscreen in the open and you shouldn’t even think twice about not doing the same.
- Sunglasses are a must not just for protection but also because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to keep your eyes open. Hats are great too but if you do not want the hassle of packing them or wearing them to the airport you can always buy there if needed.
I wore this outfit to explore Athens, white breathable maxi with trending white flat sandals. I carried my white shirt in my backpack and it was quite useful in the evening.
Hope this post is helpful, i also recommend reading my post on factors to consider before packing for any travel.
Suggested posts- Instagrammers guide to Santorini
- What i wore in Santorini
- Why white works
- Mykonos travel guide
Thank you for stopping by, See you with my next.
Love
Chichi
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