Greek Islands, Naxos, Paros?

Old Feb 12th, 2006, 06:35 AM
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Greek Islands, Naxos, Paros?

We will be visiting Greece June 5th-20th. So far here is our itenerary:

Arrive Athens
To Mykonos
To Naxos, Paros??
To Santorini
To Crete
Fly back to Athens

between Mykonos and Santorini, we see that there are a lot of islands to see (and very close by). We were thinking of seeing one more in between for example Naxos or Paros. We love the beach, and were hoping on people's input on these islands. Which ones have you been to, which are great for swimming and a bit of sightseeing etc.? Also how long is the ferry in between Mykonos and Naxos/Paros?
Thanks!
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Old Feb 12th, 2006, 10:34 AM
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Don't remember the exact ferry time, but about 1-2hrs between Mykonos and Paros or Naxos. Both are very nice, and you just might enjoy them more than Mykonos or Santorini. Naxos probably has the edge with beaches, but both have good sightseeing. Flip a coin - either would be a good choice.
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Old Feb 12th, 2006, 11:54 AM
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MY wife and I have visited Paros twice and Naxos 5 times.

Although we enjoyed Paros, particularly the fishing village of Naousa I frankly find Naxos a much more interesting island to visit.

The main town is larger with more to do.
There is more dining and activities and antiquities right in the town. In particular the beaches on Naxos are far superior to Paros. In particular there is a good beach adjacent to the town called St George beach.
In addition there are several interesting villages to visit in teh countryside with several several antiquities including Demeters temple a reconstructed ancient temple/church which is well worth a visit. There are two kourous, 6th century statues still lying in the ancient quarries. There are also museums, the famous portal at the harbour and the town is built around and is part of a Venetian fortress.

I will admit to a bias for Naxos, so much so that we are planning on our 6th visit in May this year.
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Old Feb 14th, 2006, 05:45 AM
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Would you prefer Naxos to Mykonos or are they too different to compare.
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Old Feb 14th, 2006, 03:38 PM
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Well I certainly would prefer Naxos to Mykonos, but as I said in my last post I am quite biased to Naxos because of its excellent beaches, the main town, Chora is great to explore and there are many varied things ot do out in the countryside. The Greeks you meet on Naxos are most likely natives who live there all year round so it provides a less touristy visit.
On the other hand if you are young and are looking for a more party type atmosphere, Mykonos is the place to be. It all depends on what you are looking for in a vacation.
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Old Feb 14th, 2006, 11:30 PM
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CathyT, that's the great thing about Greek islands - each is different, so there is something for almost everyone. Naxos and Mykonos are similar in their Cycladic architecure, winding passageways in the choras, sandy beaches, etc.

Mykonos is a great people-watching island, a place to see and be seen. It has upmarket shops, restaurants, and nightclubs. The island is popular with wealthy Athenians, and is a port of call for many cruise ships. It is also a good base for day trips to the archaeological sites on Delos. Mykonos is possibly the most expensive island in Greece, unless Santorini takes that dubious honor.

Naxos is a much larger island, and it is possible to get away from the tourist centers to see some authentic Greek island life there. It has some of the best beaches in Greece stretching south from Naxos town, and St Georges beach in the town itself. You can also visit Delos from there, but it involves a longer boat trip.

Of the two, I much prefer Naxos, but as Stanbr said, it's all in what you are looking for.
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 05:01 AM
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as previous people have said, flip a coin! Both are lovely spots.

Naxos is quite different with its italienate architecture / influences and would be a good contrast to Mykonos. The beach near Naxos town (St George)is lovely.

On Paros, the little fishing village of Naoussa is one of my favourite spots of the Greek islands. Down by the port they hang the octopus out to dry outside the little tavernas. It's just charming, typical Greek. The main town on Paros is worth a visit too - we spent a very pleasant couple of days wandering round and admiring the architecture. You can find fabulous clear water and watersports on Paros if you have a car, but the beach beside Naoussa itself is not great.

So Paros for traditional Greek island life, Naxos for a contrast. I've gone island hopping a number of times and my favourite combination is still Santorini-Paros-Naxos (in any order).

By the way, on Mykonos, a very good restaurant is Chez Kathrin, in Mykonos town.
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 03:48 PM
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I tend to agree with Littlejane, we have done the Paros Naxos Santorini combination twice (and included a day trip to Delos).
We always spend a little extra time on Naxos. This combination provides you with reasonably quick transport between islands something that is very important and that many people do not take into account when planning,and that is the time it takes to get from one Island to another. It is only an hour from Paros to Naxos and about an hour and a half to Santorini on one of the small fast ferries.

Bottom line is you can't really make a bad decision here any of the islands you are considering will provide you with a great vacation.
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Old Apr 17th, 2006, 08:52 AM
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I am planning to visit Athens, Naxos, and Santorini this September. I will be traveling with my husband and we are looking to stay at low budget hotels in Athens and Naxos and probably kicking it up a notch while in Santorini, being our last leg of the trip.

Most of you have stayed in Naxos before, can you recommend some hotels to choose from?

Thanks.
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Old Apr 17th, 2006, 10:27 AM
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Bubaruskie, in Naxos I stay at Hotel Argo, near St Georges Beach. It is very clean, and run by a Greek/German couple. For more info see http://www.thegreektravel.com/naxos/argo/index.html
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Old Apr 18th, 2006, 08:50 AM
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Hotel Argo is a great place. I have stayed there several times but I thought the woman was Swedish! There are also some good small hotels along the same street as you approach the beach.
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Old Apr 18th, 2006, 11:35 AM
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Hania, you are probably right about her being Swedish, but I heard her speaking to her German guests in their language, and made the assumption that was her nationality.

Her Greek husband can often be found meeting ferries at the port, holding up his "Argo" sign. He will transport you and your bags back to the hotel.

Bubaruskie, since you are looking for 'low budget' rates, you would probably do better waiting until you get to the islands and negotiating a price than to book in advance. There are always plenty of rooms available in September, with hotel owners eager for business during that last month before the end of the season.
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Old Apr 18th, 2006, 08:20 PM
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My wife and I have stayed 4 times at Hotel Glaros. It is located in Naxos town about 10 meters from St George Beach.
The rooms are quite small but each one has a balcony overlooking the Agean. It is well priced for budget travellers. One of the most important factors to consider is it's location. It is right at the beach for action during the day, however it is about a 10 minute walk to the night time action along the waterfront in town. That separation from night time action means it is easy to get there but it is far enough away that it is quiet at night and provides for a good sleep.
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Old Apr 19th, 2006, 04:51 AM
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We will be arriving in Naxos from Santorini on either June 1st, 2nd or 3rd as we will be playing things by ear and staying on islands until we feel like leaving. I would like to stay at the Glaros but for the reason stated above cannot make an advance reservation. I would like a room with ocean view. Should I just wait until the night before I leave Santorini and call the Glaros to see if they have rooms available or should I just show up?
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Old Apr 19th, 2006, 09:03 AM
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Call ahead. That way you'll know for sure.
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Old Apr 19th, 2006, 11:34 AM
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KC3305, agree with Brotherleelove. No hotel is full up at the beginning of June (some aren't even open yet) but by calling ahead you will have someone waiting for you at the port when you arrive in Naxos.

IMO the best views in Naxos Town are from the hill overlooking the harbour, but a sea view isn't bad either. The St Georges (Ag Georgios) area has many hotels of much the same quality as those mentioned in above posts. Stanbr sums it up well explaining the advantages of St Georges vs Naxos Town proper.
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Old Apr 20th, 2006, 08:14 AM
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Thanks Heimdall and Brotherleelove.
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Old Apr 20th, 2006, 08:20 AM
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The island code for Naxos is 22850. You'll need this to call ahead. Just dial 22850 and the hotel phone number on any OTE public phone using a phone card you can purchase at any market or magazine stand.
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Old Aug 17th, 2006, 09:24 AM
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Have any of you heard of or stayed at the Mathiassos Village Hotel on Naxos? I wondered what you think of it. We have scheduled to stay there in late September based on good prices on the internet. I hope it isn't a mistake.
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