NAXOS – Five Best Things in Five Days

Exceptional beaches, picturesque mountain villages, hikes between sheep and olive trees, antique temples, and a mysterious hotel ruin: Here are the five best things not to miss on Naxos.

Chora of Naxos - One of the Five Best Things to do on the island
The Chora of Naxos seen through the eyes Gate of Apollo.

So pack your swimsuit as well as your hiking boots and follow me to Greece’s largest and arguably most amazing island.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

The Island of IOS During Off-Season

Right from the start, let’s put two things straight: Firstly, Ios is not a mobile operating system but one of the Cycladic Islands. And secondly, during the off-season, the island of Ios does not live up to its reputation as a notorious teenage rampage party destination. As soon as all those juvenile disco queens and kings return to their original realms, Ios becomes a very laid-back, even serene island full of natural beauty and tranquility.

The Chora of Ios from above.
The Chora of Ios from above.

To be honest, I don’t even remember exactly what made me come to Ios in the first place. I actually think that it was primarily the island’s convenient location halfway between Santorini and Naxos. So why not squeeze in a couple of days on yet another of the Cyclades? And I certainly didn’t regret it.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

SANTORINI – a self-guided island tour by bus

Picturesque villages of white-washed houses with blue windows and doors, overgrown by blazing red bougainvillea. White church domes against the bluest skies and at dusk, the iconic sunset over the southern Aegean Sea – who doesn’t dream of Santorini? In this guide, I’m showing you how you can tour the island and explore the most enchanting places in Santorini self-guided by a local bus.

View of the village of Oia, visited on a self-guided tour by public bus during three days on Santorini
It simply doesn’t get old: The iconic view of the village of Oia.

I spent three days on the island and got to see the most iconic places at a relaxed pace. If you want to add some hiking – which I didn’t since it was simply too hot – or spend some time on the beach – which is a bit pointless since Santorini’s beaches just aren’t that good – you might want to spend up to one week. However, I’d argue that less than two entire days on the island are definitely too short.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

First Time in ATHENS – Beyond the Acropolis

Yes, I’ve travelled the seven seas – at least metaphorically – but only recently I visited Athens for the first time. This is ironic since basically all of Greece is located on the seaside. With 13,676 kilometers of coastline – that’s roughly the little something of 8,498 miles – and 3054 islands and islets, Poseidon definitely is boss.

Not the only amazing facts. Next to Golgota and the Capitol, the Acropolis is one of the hills on which Europe was founded. So there is no excuse that I haven’t visited the cradle of our civilization before.

Cat at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece
Although Greece is basically sea-girt, besides lots of water, there are many rocks. As well as cats.

So as we got nearer to Christmas and the holy days became holidays, the question of where I would spend them was quickly answered. Athens – for the first time.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Rocking it in METEORA: Monasteries and Beyond

I must admit that till the moment I began to plan my trip to Greece, to me, Meteora was not a mesmerizing place packed with monasteries.

Holy Trinity Monastery at Meteora, Greece
The Holy Trinity Monastery is not the largest of the six remaining cloisters, however, the most picturesquely positioned one.

It was just the name of my favorite CD by one of my favorite bands, Linkin Park.

Since last Christmas, I know better; much better: Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece, about 350 kilometers north of Athens. It is famous for one of the largest complexes of monasteries.

So my initial rock-band reference was not that mistaken, after all: Meteora is rocking – big time!

This Way to the Whole Story ->