Transport and ferries all easily completed, we arrived in Naxos at ~12.50pm. After negotiating the bus system, we had our tickets and were off to our new abode (Birikos Studios & Apartments), about 15 minutes away in Agios Prokopios. No sea views from the accommodation this time, but a lovely view of the gardens and pool area, and we are ~300m from the beach.
Maria, the absolutely gorgeous owner, served us fresh orange juice and waffles/crepes as a genuine welcome before we checked in. We immediately felt at home, like we were being welcomed by a grandmother or much loved family member.
We headed out for a walk to the beach and along the coast. There are lots of really nice beaches, the clearest and bluest sea water we've ever seen, a cute church on the point, and the odd naturist spot. The beaches are sheltered and stretch for miles, linking Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna and Plaka Beach. On the way back we stopped on the point for a beer (on an alcohol free day!), then headed back via the supermarket. We went back to the point, to O'Fotis Tavern, for dinner. Great meal, nice wine and beautiful view looking out over the sea and back to Paros.
Next morning was swim day and it seemed easier to get in (could be our imagination). However the incredible clarity of the water is insane, and even a couple of hundred metres off the beach Gary could still see the bottom. Absolutely amazing and hard not to go on and on about! After a bit of relaxing we were off for our usual walk and headed to the other end of the beach, and another group of nude sunbathers (they really should have signs for the more conservative, but this seems to be a theme here). We enjoyed snacks and dinner later at Lefto's Souvlaki Kebab restaurant, which was really well priced and had great ambience.
Wow, it does rain in the Greek Islands! We woke up to rain, on a run day, but still managed to get out for one - it was cooler so that was a bonus. After breakfast we decided to head back to Hora (the capital and where the port is), to do a bit of a walking tour.
First up, the very simple, but impressive, unfinished 530BC Temple of Apollo (Portara). Certainly what Naxos is known for, but apart from the ruins themselves, the views from the hill, of the port and old town, are fantastic.
In the old town we lost ourselves in the very narrow and winding streets, and wound our way up to the remains of the 13th century Venetian Kastro (castle), via the North Gate (although we did find the South also). Before picking a different path down, we visited the pretty, 13th century, 5-aisled Basilica (Roman Catholic Cathedral).
Back down on the waters' edge we walked out of town, in the other direction, to get a look backwards - at the port, old town and the Temple of Apollo. Then it was time to find a terrace to stop for refreshments and to soak up the views before heading back to Agios Prokopios.
The
next day was another exploration one, so we were back on the bus to the port
and then a second bus to a little mountainous, traditional village that is our
destination for the day (at 277m). Halki / Chalki was, in Vientiane times, the
capital of the island, as well as its main administrative and trade
centre. Now it’s a quaint little village worth the time to explore
and relax.
It's got a really old feel, and some of the buildings and walking lanes that surround it feel like they've been here forever.
We walked back into the centre and wandered the cute little lanes and alleyways between the old buildings, stopping by the village square for lunch. Then it was back to the bus stop for our return trip.
The 'mountains' may not be high in the scheme of things in Naxos, but the rock formations and valleys you pass through are quite spectacular, and unlike anything we've seen so far.
Tonight the All Blacks play their third pool game at the RWC so it’s going to be a late one for us. We returned to our new fav from last night, Del Mar, for another wonderful meal (there is so much to choose from), and then settled in to watch the AB’s do the business.
We ended up at Del Mar for a third consecutive night, and another wonderful meal accompanied by a very nice bottle of wine. We had wanted to return to this restaurant for our final night on the island but, lucky for us, found out that this was to be their final night for the summer season, hence why we ended up there three nights in a row. A good reminder that the seasons are very much a thing here, and there are multiple places starting to shut up shop.
The rest of our time on Naxos saw the swims, runs and exercise continue mixed in with some long walks and sunshine. Of course the photo sorting and admin squeezed in, along with a bit of book reading. An easy place to get into some regular good habits!
Our last night we headed to Giannoulis - an extremely popular restaurant, although we couldn't quite work out why. In the end it was obvious, amazing atmosphere, extremely friendly staff, and lots of free stuff! This is not the norm, free bread, free drinks (more than 1) and free dessert. Ended up being one of the cheaper meals but with more food and drinks than normal. We had a great night, also meeting a couple from Utah, Richard and Merck, who were super friendly and invited us to their place anytime we're over that way.
The next island on the agenda is Amorgos. A bus, ferry and a short walk (<100m) found us at our rooftop accommodation in Katapola just after 2pm. Amorgos is a much smaller and quieter island, especially at this end of the season. The permanent population here is only 350.
Our 'routine' continued, and we saw dolphins in the bay on our first morning, which was very special. We also saw our first celebrity - Woody Harrelson and his wife were taking in the small town, beer in hand as they walked around the waterfront. Apparently the 'off the beaten track' islands are magnets for superstars, and you can't blame them when they can go about their business uninterrupted.
Amorgos is known for its walks, so we took the opportunity to do a couple. The first saw us on a bus to Aegiali Bay, 20km away at the far end of the island. The drive saw us climb to the top of the island reaching a high point of 500 vertical metres. The roads are windy and steep, and the countryside dry and vacant of any substantial foliage.
Dropping down the other side we got great views of the coast and smaller islands, arriving at our destination ~50 minutes later.
We intended to do the two villages walk (officially walk 4 'Melania'), and after getting some directions headed to the beginning of the trail, slightly out of town. The walk itself, first to Lagada and then Tholaria, was on a well marked path, stepped in some places and loose rubble in others but overall in good condition, particularly the walk up.
The beautiful white painted villages stand out on the brown landscape like beacons, so it’s obvious where we are heading, although rarely in a straight line. We passed the spectacular Gorge of Araklos, several churches, a lot of chapels, lots of abandoned agricultural terracing, the occasional block still being gardened and a couple of natural springs/wells in the side of this hostile rocky mountain terrain.
On the walk we climbed to a high point of 225m, although to achieve this we actually climbed 355 vertical metres. Once we arrived at Tholaria, we stopped for a beer before the walk back down to the beach, over a more broken rubble pathway. The 9km circuit took us just over three hours and produced another 20,000+ step day.
We found a nice spot on the beach to swim, enjoying the afternoon sunshine before heading into the small town for an early dinner. Our 6pm bus back gave us the reverse views of the island, while we watched the sun set. A great day of exploring.
Our other walk/excursion was a must do. The capital of Hora is ~5km away, but close to that on the east coast of the island is the must see - The Holy Monastery. We again caught the bus and were dropped off at the monastery (or as close to it as the bus will go), and we walked the last couple of hundred metres to the start of the 350 steps.
The Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary Chozoviotissa (Abbey of Hozoviotissa), built in 1017 and renovated in 1088, literally hangs off the cliff face ~260m above the sea. From here it’s a beautiful viewpoint, the sparkling Aegean Sea looks amazing, and the cliffs are spectacular.
The 1006 year old monastery (second oldest in Greece) is interesting, 40m high (8 stories) and no more than 5 metres deep at any point. It's adorned with 16 and 17th century icons, ornaments and portraits of monks and other leaders.
We walked back down and then followed the road to the walking trail, back up the hill to Hora at 400m. Once at the top we ventured up to the ruins of the 13th century Venetian Castle of Amorgos, built in 1290. It stands on a massive 210 foot high rock offering fantastic views of the township.
Back down, and time for a pit stop and relax, before we began wandering the labyrinth style, narrow lanes of the picturesque capital. A super easy place to get pleasantly lost in.
We eventually made our way out and found the head of trail no.2 so off we set, heading down the deep Kato Filladi Ravine (4km and 400 vertical metres to sea level), and our base in Katapola. We passed by a couple more old natural springs - a wonder in themselves as this is an incredibly dry hostile landscape so you do wonder where the water comes from, and a couple of old settlements (ruins). By 2pm we were home again enjoying a bit of relaxation time (and refreshing cold water).
The rest of our days on Amorgos included some beautiful walks around the bays, a beach visit to Maltezi, lovely meals and beautiful sunsets. A fantastic island if you want to get off the beaten track and really enjoy some quiet time. Suspect it would be an absolutely godsend in the height of summer when all the other islands are full to overflowing.
Next stop, Santorini.
