My best friends and I have taken a few international trips together (Costa Rica and Switzerland), and Greece has been my favorite! After two full days in Athens, we headed to one of Greece’s thousands of islands and we had a blast exploring. Here’s how to spend 5 days in Naxos if you’re looking to visit soon!
DAY ONE: ferry to Naxos + explore Naxos Town
We planned to take a ferry from Athens to Naxos at 7AM but after a very late night out and a missed ferry (side note: no plans before 9AM from here on out), we made it on the next ferry! You can either take a ferry to Naxos or fly, and we decided to do both so we could really experience it. After doing both, I will say I preferred the plane (even though I didn’t love that either). The ferry seats were pretty cramped and it takes a few hours since they stop at other islands along the way, but it is nice that you get to get a glimpse at those islands.
When we arrived in Naxos, it was around noon and we were hungry, so we checked in at our hotel and grabbed lunch. It was a full day, so we just spent a few hours shopping around and grabbed a few bottles of wine to enjoy on the patio!
DAY TWO: explore town + beach afternoon
Naxos Island has a few gorgeous beaches, so on our first full day, we took it easy exploring then relaxing on the beach. We walked around town, checking out the Catholic Cathedral that sits high up on the island so you can get great views. We stopped into a few stores and caffeinated at The Rebel Project, our taxi driver’s recommendation.
We had beachside lunch at Kavouri where I had a fabulous plate of chicken gyros, then we hung out on the beach for a few hours! Our trip was in early May, so there was still a light chill in the air but enough sun to enjoy relaxing.
We dressed up in the evening and headed to dinner at Hurmas, which was one of my favorite meals of the trip. Our server was so fun and sweet, and everything we ate was delicious. A fabulous view of the sun setting over the water, delicious drinks and a yummy pasta made it the perfect night.
DAY THREE: rent a car to drive through the island and check out Mount Zas
A few people recommended we rent a car for at least one day of our stay, and I’m so glad we did! We took the car to explore the rest of the island, stopping in the small villages along the way to shop and eat. We wanted to hike, and while we didn’t take any long treks, we did walk around the villages and explore some more remote, hidden areas which was so fun. We grabbed brunch and coffee at Cafe Greco.
At the end of the afternoon, we took our car up the tiny path to Mount Zas, the highest peak of the Cyclades islands. It had amazing views (even though I was terrified in the car ride) and is home of the Cave of Zeus, where classic Greek mythology says Zeus was raised. If you’re able to get a car and check it out, I highly recommend.
After returning our rental car, we walked over to the Temple of Apollo which was near our hotel and was a sunset hotspot. We stopped for dinner at Capriccio, where I had the most delicious Naxian cheese ravioli.
DAY FOUR: full boat day with Jason Daily Cruises
This was my favorite day! We booked a full-day trip with Jason Daily Cruises that included a few stops, a BBQ lunch and unlimited wine and soda. We started with a few hours on the boat relaxing and listening to music before stopping near a beach to jump out, swim and enjoy lunch. Our second stop was the small island Koufonisia, where we had an hour or two to walk around and explore. Our boat day was the company’s first boat day in season, and only a few stores were open on Koufonisia, but it was so fun to walk around and check out something new.
The final stop on the boat was Rina Cave where Marissa and Addie jumped into the water again while Nikki, Aimee, and I held down the fort drinking and dancing on the boat. We loved the entire crew, we made friends with the people on our boat, and we truly just had a blast! I would 100% recommend this and would do it over and over again.
DAY FIVE: explore the island before flying back to Athens
We had one last breakfast at our hotel before checking out (we could leave our bags in the hotel lobby, thankfully) in the morning. Our flight back to Athens wasn’t until 7PM, so we had the full day to walk around, shop and try the drinks and foods we had on our list, like traditional Naxian citron.
The Naxos airport is tiny, and the plane we took back to Athens was also tiny—but the world is somehow smaller, because a couple from Fairhope, Alabama sat next to us! It’s a very short flight and while I felt every bit of turbulence, I still preferred that over the ferry.
WHERE TO STAY IN NAXOS
We stayed at Hotel Galini, and this was the most perfect spot. We booked two adjoining rooms (one had three beds, including a top bunk, and the other had a queen bed), and there was a wonderful patio with a beachfront view. The owners and their families were incredibly helpful and walked us through their recommendations as well as booked our rental car.
Plus, the hotel had fresh, delicious Greek breakfast in a buffet every morning along with an espresso machine. It was so nice to know that every day, we had at least one meal and coffee that we could count on! I would recommend staying with them a million times over.
WHAT TO WEAR IN NAXOS
Because Naxos is an island, we definitely leaned towards more casual outfits than we had in Athens! Loose, comfortable pants and athleisure were perfect for long mornings and afternoons walking around. My white linen pants from Fabletics were yet again my favorites for beach days that felt a little more chic.
For sunset drinks and fun dinners, I loved wearing matching sets. These are my favorites to rent because you can split them up, but they feel so elevated when you wear them together.
We had the best time, and now we’re brainstorming our next destination!
- Latest post: How to Spend 2 Days in Athens
- Related post: Costa Rica Travel Guide
