Island hopping from Crete to Naxos: a 4-day trip to Naxos (7-10 October 2024). On Naxos we will do several excursions. There are possibilities to visit other islands, or to do other excursions on Naxos itself. Finally, it is also possible to stay another night on Santorini to explore the island by yourself (before the crowds arrive by ferry).
Day 1 (Oct 7): we leave in the morning by ferry from the port of Heraklion to Naxos. We will go through the caldera of Santorini. Going through the caldera is a spectacle. You can see the different layers of the volcanic eruption. After a stopover on Ios (where we do not go ashore) we arrive on Naxos (about 4 hours with the ferry).
What to see on Naxos
We will spend 4 days on Naxos, during which we will do excursions. We will stay in a beautiful, luxurious, private villa with pool and private rooms near Chora. Chora is the capital of Naxos and is known for its narrow streets, nice stores, terraces and the famous sphinx of Naxos.
At the end of the afternoon we will go to Chora, where we will do a city tour. For those who prefer a nice terrace, there are plenty of options. We eat in a nice taverna, in one of the white narrow streets.
Day 2 (Oct 8): we make a tour by minibus under our guidance around Naxos. We visit beautiful beaches, villages, etc. Everything revolves around the Cycladic white blue houses.
On Naxos, you go back to the 1970s. There are villages with white houses, beautiful bays, white sandy beaches and much more. We take a tour of about 100 km with many stops along the way.
In the evening we BBQ at the villa.
Multiple day trips possible
Day 3 (Oct 9): today there are several possibilities.
The first option is to take a boat to ancient Delos. Delos is another island in the Cyclades and is 5 km long and 1.3 km wide. Its highest point is the 113m-high mountain Kynthos. About 75 people live on the island. There are still many ruins from Roman times, which today belong to the world heritage (a temple of Apollo and a Roman agora with the Lions of Delos, among others). According to mythology, Delos is the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. After spending several hours on Delos, we sail on to Mykonos.
Mykonos is also known as Little Venice. Mykonos Town is known for its many Venetian houses built into the sea. It is a tourist island, but we will see the beautiful parts in Mykonos Town.
For those who do not feel like a boat trip, there are plenty of excursion possibilities on Naxos. For example, a cave tour by canoe, a workshop in marble carving (Naxos is famous for its white Naxian marble) or a wine tasting with local wines.
Ferry from Naxos to Heraklion
Day 4 (Oct 10): we spend the morning in Naxos town and then return to Heraklion by ferry.
It is an option to add 1.5 days of Santorini. If there is a lot of interest, we can add this to the trip. Then we can take a minibus to see the island in one day with the highlights Oia, Thera, red beach, Akroteri and Perissa (where we stay overnight). We visit Santorini at the time when all the cruise boats and day-trippers are not yet on the island. We visit everything before it is crowded, so you can really enjoy Santorini.
More information
Holiday information Crete Zorbas Island: For renting apartments and holiday homes, all your excursions and cheap flights to Crete. If you are looking for apartment rental and accommodation on Crete, you have come to the right place. We have a variety of apartments, suitable for families, singles, couples or more people travelling together. We can help you to organize your holiday on Crete Greece to your wishes. An active outdoor vacation, active holidays, a beach holiday, or a combination of both we can all realize for you.
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