Published 15 October 2025

When to go 

We travelled in the final week of September into the first days of October, and the two destinations responded differently to the shoulder season. Athens worked well at this point in the calendar. The summer heat had eased, the cruise volume was lower than midsummer, and the major sites were noticeably quieter, particularly in the early morning hours. For a city itinerary built around the Acropolis, the museums and the historic quarters, late September is the optimal period. 

Naxos was a different story. By the time we arrived, the island had begun to wind down. Evenings turned cool enough to require a jacket, several beach restaurants had reduced their hours, and a number of shops in Chora and the mountain villages were closed. Plaka Beach still functioned, but with thinner crowds and the unmistakable sense of a closing season. For travellers who prioritise quieter beaches and lower rates, this trade off works. For those who want the full island operation, including the smaller restaurants and the less visited villages, mid June to mid September remains the safer window. 

Visiting Athens

We based ourselves in Plaka, the historic quarter at the foot of the Acropolis. The neighbourhood remains the most practical option for a short stay focused on the major sites, with the trade off being a steady flow of visitors and a concentration of restaurants that range from sound to forgettable. The rooftop bars are the redeeming feature, particularly at sunset, when the Acropolis is lit and the city flattens into a single panoramic view.

Acropolis 

The Acropolis remains the defining Athens experience, and we recommend visiting early in the morning to avoid both the cruise ship crowds and the summer heat. We worked with a private licensed guide, which is the only sensible approach if you want context rather than a queue of selfies.

The site dates from the 5th century BC, the period of Pericles, with the Parthenon as its centrepiece. The temple was dedicated to Athena and built in pentelic marble, with Doric columns and the refined optical corrections that still make it the reference point for classical architecture. The rock itself rises around 150 metres above sea level and gave the city both a defensive position and a religious focal point. The site holds UNESCO World Heritage status, and the restoration programme, ongoing since the 1970s, continues to stabilise the structures with replacement marble from the original Pentelicus quarry.

Acropolis Museum

After the hill, we walked down to the Acropolis Museum, which opened in June 2009 and was designed by the Swiss French architect Bernard Tschumi together with the Athens based Michael Photiadis. The often quoted link with the 2004 Olympics is incorrect; the project ran for years afterwards and only opened five years after the Games.

The building sits directly above the remains of an early Christian and Byzantine settlement, and the glass floors allow visitors to look down on the excavations from the moment they enter. The design follows a clear three part logic, a base, a middle level and a top floor angled to align with the Parthenon, where the surviving frieze blocks are displayed alongside plaster casts of the sections still held by the British Museum. The political subtext is unmistakable, and intentional.

The collection itself is tightly edited: sculpture, votive offerings, ceramics and architectural fragments, all drawn from the Acropolis and its slopes. For anyone serious about understanding the site, the museum is not optional.

Dining in Plaka, Athens

"Aerides" cafe-restaurant

 Aerides sits behind the Tower of the Winds and trades on the location more than on the cooking. We took a table on the square and ordered a selection of meze. The format is the familiar one: dips, small plates, grilled vegetables, a few classic mains. The execution is honest rather than memorable, with service that is warm and unhurried. For a casual lunch in the area, it works. For a destination meal, look elsewhere.
Recommendation: book ahead in season.
Address: Diogenous 3, Athens. Website available. 

Anafiotika Cafe - Restaurant

Anafiotika is one of the few rooftop addresses in Plaka with a direct, unobstructed view of the Acropolis. That is its principal asset, and the kitchen, sensibly, does not try to compete with the panorama. The menu stays close to the Greek standards, the pricing is reasonable for the location, and the staff are organised. The rooftop is small, so a reservation for the upper terrace is essential.
Recommendation: reserve for the rooftop.
Address: Mnisikleous 24β, Plaka, Athens. No website. 

National Archaeological Museum 

The National Archaeological Museum, housed in a 19th century neoclassical building on Patission Street, is the most comprehensive overview of Greek antiquity in the country. It is also under appreciated by short stay visitors, who tend to prioritise the Acropolis Museum and stop there. That is a missed opportunity.

The collection is structured chronologically. The Prehistoric galleries cover the Neolithic, Cycladic and Mycenaean civilisations, including the gold from Mycenae and the Akrotiri frescoes from Santorini, which alone justify the visit. The sculpture rooms trace the development from Archaic kouroi through Classical and Hellenistic work, and the bronze collection, including the Artemision Zeus and the Jockey of Artemision, is among the finest in the world. The vase galleries show the technical evolution of Greek ceramics in a way no other museum quite matches.

The Egyptian and Near Eastern Antiquities wing, often overlooked, places Greece within its wider Mediterranean and Levantine context. Allow at least three hours and accept that one visit will not be enough.

Website

How to get to Naxos

The Athens to Naxos route is operated by SKY express and Olympic Air, both flying ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprops. The actual flight time is around 40 minutes, not the 30 minutes often quoted, and the route distance is roughly 157 km. We flew with SKY express and used their lounge at Athens International before departure. The lounge offering is functional, with coffee, soft drinks, wine and sandwiches, but during peak departure waves it becomes crowded and the value relative to a quiet airside café is debatable.

The flight itself is the shortest sensible way to reach the island. The alternative is the fast ferry from Piraeus or Rafina, which takes around three and a half to five hours depending on the operator and sea conditions. For travellers with limited time and an aversion to early starts at the port, the flight wins. For travellers who want to arrive with their car or who prefer to see the islands from the water, the ferry remains the better choice.

One way fares with SKY express in shoulder season start at around 100 euro, with peak summer pricing materially higher. Book early; the route runs roughly 14 flights per week in summer between the two carriers

Discovering Naxos

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades at 448 square kilometres, with a population of around 25.000. It differs from its more photographed neighbours, Mykonos and Santorini, in two important respects. It is meaningfully greener, thanks to an interior that produces citrus, olives, wine and potatoes, and it has retained a working agricultural identity rather than retooling itself entirely for tourism. That tension between authenticity and visitor economy is, for now, still tilted in favour of the former.

Naxos beyond the postcard

The island is anchored by Mount Zas, which rises to 1.001 metres and is, by tradition, the birthplace of Zeus. The valleys below produce the kitron, a citron based liqueur unique to Naxos, and the local marble, used throughout antiquity for sculpture and architecture. Chora, the main town and seat of both an Orthodox bishopric and a Roman Catholic archdiocese, holds around 15.000 residents and is built around a Venetian Kastro that still dominates the upper town.

Mythologically, Naxos carries heavy weight. Dionysus is said to have been raised here, and the island appears in the Theseus and Ariadne story as the place where Ariadne was abandoned by Theseus and later married Dionysus. These are not idle references; they shape names, festivals and the way the island markets itself.

Naxos: historical significance

Naxos is more than a beautiful island. As one of the earliest centers of Cycladic culture, Naxos was crucial in the development of early Greek maritime routes and the use of marble. The island's wealth attracted artists and craftsmen, resulting in impressive monuments across Greece.

Turmoil and triumph

Naxos endured its share of challenges, including Persian invasions, but it played a role in the Greek victory at Salamis. After joining the Delian League, the island lost its independence and saw Athenian settlers establish themselves. Eventually, Naxos fell under Roman rule.

A journey through time

During the Byzantine era, the island's population decreased, partly due to Saracen raids. Naxos enjoyed a second heyday when Marco Sanudo established the Duchy of the Aegean Sea in 1207. Venetian rule continued until the Ottoman Turks arrived in 1566 and remained until 1829.

Notable sights

The Portara, the marble gate on the islet of Palatia, is the island's emblem. It is the only completed element of an Archaic temple, begun around 530 BC under the tyrant Lygdamis and intended for Apollo. The gate stands approximately 6 metres high and 3,5 metres wide, with four marble blocks each weighing roughly 20 tons. The temple itself was never finished; what survives is the doorway, set against the sea and the sunset, and on most evenings it is heavily photographed.

The medieval town of Chora is divided between the Venetian Kastro, the fortified upper town, and the Bourgo, the lower Greek quarter. Within the Kastro, the 13th century Catholic cathedral and a cluster of Venetian residences remain in use. The 18th century Orthodox cathedral, Mitropoli Zoodochou Pigis, holds icons from the Cretan School and is worth a short visit.

Apollonas, on the north coast, holds the unfinished kouros statue, more than 10 metres long, still attached to the bedrock of the quarry. The figure is generally identified as Dionysus rather than Apollo. Apeiranthos, in the mountains, was settled by Cretan refugees and retains marble paved streets, defensive towers and a small archaeological museum.

Beach bars and restaurants in Naxos

Yazoo Summer Bliss

Yazoo, on Plaka Beach, is the best beach club we tested on Naxos, and we returned three times to verify the consistency. The cooking is direct and well judged. The Cretan salad and the tabouleh stood out among the starters, the orange pie is the best dessert on the beach strip, and the house white, served by the carafe, sits at a fair price point.

Service is run by a young team that maintains pace without intrusion, and the sunbed to table flow is well drilled. The sunbeds themselves are comfortable, the views across Plaka Beach to Paros are particularly good in late afternoon, and the lighting and music shift sensibly as the day moves into sunset. If you spend a single day at one beach club on Naxos, this is the one. Recommendation: book a sunbed in advance during July and August.
Address: Plaka Beach, Naxos. Website.

Nomad

Nomad, also on Plaka Beach, is a 15 minute drive from Chora and sits within the long sand corridor that connects Plaka with Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios. The best tables are on the sand, under straw shades, with the more sheltered restaurant area available for windier days or evening dining.

The kitchen leans on local sourcing and the cocktail programme is the strongest element, with the frozen cocktails worth ordering specifically. Service is personal and unhurried. Nomad is a credible alternative to Yazoo, particularly for a long lunch that runs into the afternoon.
Address: Plaka Beach, Naxos.

Website

Tohu

Tohu, also on Plaka Beach, completes the triangle of beach restaurants worth booking. The interior leans towards a polished evening register rather than the strictly casual beach format, which makes it the better choice for dinner than for a sun lounger day. The cooking is consistent, the plating is more considered than at most beach addresses, and the service is attentive. As a dinner option after a day on the beach, it works well.
Address: Plaka Beach, Naxos.
No website. 

Naxaki Beach Lounge & Restaurant

Naxaki sits on Agios Georgios beach, within walking distance of Chora. The format is the standard beachfront lounge, with sunbeds during the day and a kitchen that handles seafood, salads and cocktails through to sunset. It is a useful option if you are staying in town and want a short walk to a sunbed, but it does not compete with the Plaka Beach addresses on either food or atmosphere.
Address: Agios Georgios Beach, Naxos. No website.

Caya Beach

Caya, on Plaka Beach, is the Italian counterpoint to the Greek and Mediterranean kitchens around it. The pasta is the strongest element of the menu. The cacio e pepe we ordered was textbook, with the right balance of pecorino, pepper and pasta water. The pizza was less convincing; the dough lacked the structure to compete with what you can find in Italy, and on an island where every other restaurant cooks fish well, ordering pizza on Naxos may be the wrong call regardless of the address.

The setting is the asset, with the same Plaka Beach sand at your feet. The wine list is sensible, the cocktail programme is well executed, and the service we received was attentive without being intrusive.
Address: Plaka Beach, Naxos. Website

Lithos Naxos

Lithos sits in the narrow streets of Chora's old town, with a small terrace and a compact modern interior. The owner is also the chef, which shows in both the consistency of the cooking and the discipline of the menu. The style is contemporary Greek, with refined plating and clear technique. We dined here twice during our stay, which is the best endorsement we can offer. Pricing is reasonable for the quality delivered.
Insider tip: reserve in advance during high season, lunch as well as dinner.
Address: Chora old town. Website

Scirocco Restaurant

Scirocco, on Protodikeiou Square in Chora, has operated since 1995 and was recommended to us by a Naxian resident. The restaurant is run by the brothers Nikos and Michalis, with their mother Katerina in the kitchen, and the name refers to the southeastern Mediterranean wind, the Sorokos.

The cooking is straightforward Greek home style, with much of the products coming from the family's own land. Salads, traditional starters, pasta, grilled meats and fresh fish are all on the menu, and portions are generous. Hospitality is the defining quality, with prices that remain fair by Cyclades standards. The restaurant is consistently full.
Insider tip: reserve in advance, including outside peak season.

Rotonda - Cafe Bar Restaurant

Rotonda - Cafe Bar Restaurant is, in our reading, a view restaurant rather than a kitchen destination. The Aegean panorama, particularly at sunset, is the reason to go. The menu runs from morning coffee through to evening cocktails, with a broad food selection that handles the basics competently but does not push beyond them. Useful for a sundowner; less compelling as a serious dinner option.
Recommendation: go for the view, drinks first, food second 

Things to do in Naxos

Chora, the capital, deserves at least half a day of unstructured walking. The Venetian Kastro at the top, the narrow lanes of the Bourgo below and the small artisan workshops in between give a clearer sense of the island's layered history than any single museum can. The waterfront is best avoided at peak hours; the back streets reward those who get lost on purpose.

The Eggares Olive Press Museum, Café & Shop just inland from Chora, is a small but well executed visit. The press dates from the late 19th century and operated until the late 20th. The site has been restored, the explanation is clear, and the shop sells Naxian olive oil and a tight selection of local products. Allow an hour.
The island's depth is in the interior, not on the coast. Apeiranthos, with its marble streets, defensive towers and three small museums, is the most rewarding mountain village. Halki, once the administrative centre of the island, is the obvious second stop, with the Vallindras Kitron distillery, a handful of craft workshops and several solid taverna options. Filoti, at the foot of Mount Zas, is the natural lunch break and the starting point for the walk up to the summit, which takes around three hours return.

For archaeology in the landscape, the Kouros of Melanes and the Kouros of Apollonas are the essential stops. Both are unfinished marble figures, abandoned in the quarries where they were carved, and they remain among the most evocative ancient sites on the island precisely because they were never moved.

On the coast, Alyko, on the southwest, stands out. The dunes, the cedar forest and the long, undeveloped beach are the closest thing left on Naxos to the island as it looked a generation ago. Whether that lasts is an open question.