IF you rolled the very best bits of all of the Greek islands into one, like a juicy stuffed vine leaf, Naxos could also be that.
It has it ALL — sufficient to cease even essentially the most seasoned of island-hoppers of their tracks, a one-hop store.
Famed for a number of the Med’s best sandy seashores, it additionally does banging seaside bars and nightclubs and but stays agriculturally self-sufficient to the purpose it resisted tourism till the Eighties — and has nonetheless refused to promote out to its excesses.
Mom Earth remains to be boss right here and the place is much much less flash and costly than fellow Cycladean isles Mykonos and Santorini — from both of which Naxos is reached by every day ferries.
The island’s 20,000 locals are outnumbered 4 to 1 by goats, and shepherds nonetheless traipse the mountain paths the place vacationer trekkers additionally fill their mountain climbing boots.
Likewise, day-tripper boats dock subsequent to fishermen offloading their catch.
On this still-rustic realm of the Aegean Sea, about 30 miles by 20, past its showpiece seashores are limitless tiny, secret ones, many reached solely by off-road Jeep, foot or boat.
“Naxos has the very best seashores of all Cyclades . . . and greatest potatoes, cheese, vegetables and fruit,” proclaims our boat journey captain Nikos from the wheel of his galleon Michele as we dock by an itsy-bitsy shingle seaside on neighbouring islet Kato Koufonissi.
Nicely, this OMG snorkel cease, after mid-morning snack of Naxian cheese, bread and tomatoes, proves Nikos proper.
As Elvis tune Can’t Assist Falling In Love performs and we plunge into the turquoise water, we're quickly mask-over-flippers in love.
The shore-blimey moments proceed again on Naxos, at Agios Sozon, the place we swim up nearly to the door of a teensy white chapel perched bang at water’s edge.
Legend has it that it was constructed by a shipwrecked service provider crew as thanks for dishonest demise, and constituted of mud laced with their cargo of WINE.
No boat journey is full with out a good cave, and Rina Cave, with its glowing “inexperienced” water, is simply that, hidden away below a wild hillside like a pirates’ secret.
A day with Captain Nikos on Azul Cruises’ luxurious crusing boat is about £70 per individual however certain to be a vacation spotlight.
You voyage till gone sundown when the ocean turns to twinkling silver, all of the extra so after the limitless free wine served to scrub down the sooner on-board BBQ lunch.
But when cash is tight, no must set to sea as a result of there are many easier-access seashores to get pleasure from from land.
My spouse Nicky and I visited for every week in still-hot September and stayed within the historical Chora — island lingo for major city.
This wonderland of conventional alleys, bars and eating places additionally is aware of methods to celebration, huge time, at rave spot The Ocean Membership — and spills out on to the sweeping golden sand seaside of St Giorgios Bay.
A brief bus experience down the coast, and extra Instagram-perfect sandy seashores await — naturist Maragas, wild Plaka and occurring Agia Anna, the place seaside bars come alive in summer season earlier than chilling in September and October, and household taverna Gorgona serves calamari and whitebait straight off the boat.
We cut up our keep between the adults-only Princess Mare lodge and the family-friendly Astir, with pool.
Every is family-run and just lately refurbished — the latter Chora-style, all earthy supplies and white arches.
A double room in September, breakfast included, is from £65 at Princess Mare and £80 at Astir.
Each are somewhat extra in excessive season however nonetheless nice worth.
After our every day huge, fats Greek breakfasts, although, we didn't dally lengthy at our motels as a result of there was a lot to see.
Liqueur distillery
One other vacation deal with, for £85 per individual, is a full day’s day’s island tour, together with lunch, with operator Naxos Solar.
Our fabulously educated information was Lida by identify and chief by nature.
You possibly can tailor your tour however probably first up is the Temple of Dimitra, hewn of native marble relationship to 580BC and bestriding a wild, chamomile-scented hill.
Judging by Naxos’s wealthy agronomy and gastronomy, this historical Greek goddess of fertility has put in a great shift.
We then dropped in on potter Libertas Manolis and acquired a Pythagorean Cup made to the design of the traditional Greek mathematician.
Difficult, however there's a gap at its base, below a hole column that drains your wine for those who prime up too greedily.
Different stops included the “world’s oldest olive tree”, allegedly 5,000 years robust, in addition to a standard family-run olive press, and Captain Corelli-style mountain villages — Chalki with its liqueur distillery and church frescoes, marble village Apeiranthos, and Filoti the place shepherds swap goat notes over espresso and trekkers cease for a Mythos beer on their manner up Mount Zeus.
If all that leaves you hungry, good, as meals on Naxos are HUGE.
We discovered eating places for all budgets in Chora — port-side with a view of the Temple of Apollo, or up the hill within the timeless city.
We feasted like Greek gods for about £50 an evening, carafe of wine included.
Favourites included the Taverna of Naxos, Irini’s, Meze Meze, and Kozi.
The do-it-yourself taramasalata, Greek salad with mountain herbs, or village potato salad stacked with capers typically had us floored earlier than the mains of domestically sourced pork, lamb or beef arrived.
Fortunately, the leftovers are fed to the goats, pigs and cows. So, all people’s joyful on Naxos.
Man and beast.
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