Tom Remember the 1 hour of check-in time we talked about before we returned to chill at St. George Beach on Day 7 of our travels in Greece? In actual fact, we did quite a couple of things during this one hour. We
– Checked-in with our host, George
– Found out the route that we’d likely drive on Day 8
– Linked up with George’s friend, Petros to rent a car at his company (Enjoy Car)
– Finished up a platter prepared by George that included delicious appetizers such as cheese (made from his own cows), eggs (from his own hens), olives (from his own trees) and wine (traditionally prepared – pressed with legs!)
We analysed the map of Naxos together with George and had a pretty good idea where to head to this morning…
Naxos is an island that is slightly bigger than half the size of Singapore. Hence, it is not really that small and driving can be a really great way to explore the island. We met Petros early in the morning to pick up the car. The car was a manual car which was great for those mountainous climbs. The car costs 35 euros and we topped up an additional 5 euros for insurance. Not the cheapest but hey, the car was delivered and picked up from our door step. As the car was close to empty, we started by pumping 20 euros first. Actually, George recommended just 15 euros but we just wanted to be safe. However, the attendant pumped a little more at 25 euros. That’s 10 euros which could have been saved -_-” Tip: Top up in intervals if you’re not sure. If you’ve travelled quite a distance, you can top up at intervals of 10 euros, check the meter and top up again if required π
Our first stop was the village of Halki…
Driving around the Island of Naxos – Halki for Kitron Liqeur
Halki (or Halkio) Village used to be the administrative centre and capital of Naxos. It is located right in the middle of the island and the drive from Naxos port to Halki took about 30 minutes because of the slow drive and how the routes wind southeast before going northeast (when in essence we were traveling east). One of the most famous attraction in Halki is the Vallindra Kitron Distillery – famed for its Kitron liqueur made from Citron leaves…
The distillery was started by Gregorios M Vallindras who first started harvesting and distilling the citron leaves in 1870. The variety used is the sour citron fruit with purple flowers and large fruit. Inside the mansion of Vallindra Kitron Distillery, there’s a small museum that shows the tools and distillery methods that were used in the past, as well as a tasting session…
As the alcoholic content was quite high (~30%), we were given a small portion of each of the 3 Kitron (green – 30%, white – 33% and yellow – 36%). We found the green one to be a little medicine-ish while the yellow one was indeed too strong. In addition, both the green and yellow ones had a little colouring from the leaves and fruit. Hence, we bought the white one – 2 mid-sized ones and a large one for 28 euros (in total) π
Driving around the Island of Naxos – Filoti for Old Village Vibe
One of the cool things about the villages of Naxos is the laid back vibes that they exude. The narrow cobbled streets would lead to residential areas or the main street. Sometimes, you’ll find a friendly uncle waving at you as you walk past and they’ll be catching a wink when you head back…
As we started the day early and had some time on our hands, we decided to chill at a local cafe on the main street in Filoti. Chilling under the trees and watching people go by…
This time we had the Naxos Cherry Waffle (6.5euros), Iced Coffee (3 euros) and Mythos Beer (3.5 euros). As Tom was driving, he stucked to coffee. Safety first π The Naxos Cherry Waffle, though a little expensive, was exquisite. The “candied” taste went pretty well with the waffle. There, we chilled for an hour before heading to our next venue – Rotonda Restaurant…
Driving around the Island of Naxos – Rotonda Restaurant for the Best Views of Naxos
We’ve asked around and searched online. One of the most popular restaurant on Naxos is Rotonda. The restaurant serves up both traditional Greek food as well as western selection such as grills and pasta…
This time, we ordered the Moussaka (12 euros), sangria (5 euros) and bread appetizer (1 euro)…
Moussaka is a baked dish that is made with potato and/or eggplant – usually baked together with minced meat. The portion at Rotonda was pretty huge. So it was a wise choice to just go with one order for 2 to share. Sangria was ok. Of course the best Sangrias we’ve had were still from Spain. After we paid our meal, the receipt was returned with homemade Raki. This rendition of raki was sooooo delicious – with honey and spices like cinnamon. A sweet dessert drink to end the meal. A really nice thought from the restaurant.
Driving around the Island of Naxos – Cross Roads for views of the sea to the north and south
Our next stop was a quick stopover recommended by our host. Not sure of any particular name. But it is known as the “crossroads” because not many roads here meet like this place. There’s a small little church here as well. Can’t be missed. The highlight of this spot is that if you stand atop of the cobbled stoned steps, you’ll be able to have views of the sea to the north and to the south. Views were breath taking here…
Driving around the Island of Naxos – Mikri Vigla Beach
Our journey back west started with a short visit to Mikri Vigla Beach. Kate found a seaside cafe called Victoria cafe by the beach where we could kick back a little…
The cool thing about Victoria cafe is that its seats are nested in the sand. You could literally walk up from the beach (all wet), eat/drink and head back to the beach. We saw many people parasailing here as it was a really windy day. We also took the chance to play “Connect4” – as you can see in the background. Which Tom won!
Our beach escapades continued on northwards as we complete the loop back towards the Naxos port area. Plaka beach is a popular beach destination as the beach stretches for miles and miles. We headed to a restaurant called Avali – atop the hill, with views of the entire Plaka beach.
As we parked our car, we were greeted by a topless couple chilling by the beach. Apparently, nudism is tolerated in various beaches, including Plaka beach. As we continued to chill at Avali restaurant, we also noticed several topless couples walking along the beach or entering the waters.
At Avali, we were seated at the outdoor area where the drinks were not too expensive (Fix Beer – 1.7 euros and Coke 1.9 euros). Waters here were also quite calm. But our favourite beach thus far is still St. George Beach – shallow waters, protected cove, nice sandy beach and serviced beach chairs for 15 euros for the entire day!
To end off the evening, we parked the car in the city center of Naxos port area and walked to Apollo Temple to take sunset photos. At night, the temple is also illuminated by spot lights…
One of the “must-do” thing in Naxos is to visit Apollo Temple at sunset. During sunsets, you’ll see throngs of people trying to catch the best photo possible as the sky turns a orangey tone with this ancient monument as the centre-piece. Also, the walk from Apollo Temple to Naxos Port is a relatively short one. The streets are closed off at night, making it pedestrian friendly and the restaurants serves up pretty good seafood as well…
We were recommended by George to try out Meze Meze restaurant – one of the restaurants along the stretch at Naxos port. We were a little skeptical at first. Maybe George had struck up a deal with the restaurant owner? But after we visited, we realised that it was CROWDED! Even though it was dinner time, the other restaurants were half filled or less but Meze Meze was dishing out plates of food after food…
This time, we ordered the grilled sea bass (16 euros) with lemon infused olive oil as well as the pork chop (9 euros) with a carafe of white wine (6 euros)…
The prices at Meze Meze was actually quite reasonable. The WHOLE sea bass was fresh while the pork chop was soooo tender and generous in portion (even came with our favourite fatty bits). The carafe of wine was quite a large portion which was able to serve 2 glasses and some. After the meal, Meze Meze also served out yoghurt and raki which rounded up the meal really well.
Funny story, while eating, the American couple next to us, suddenly pointed out that Tom’s chair was really close to the edge of the pavement. If it was just a centimetre more, Tom would have fallen off the edge and probably have a head concussion. Special thanks to this couple who saved our life this day!
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All in all, it was an amazing day out in Naxos. Thanks to the awesome planning by Kate and safe driving by Tom! π If you’re spending some time in Naxos, we’d recommend a day out driving and exploring the island just as we did as well! Stay tuned as we check out the rest of Naxos by foot on Day 9 of our travels in Greece!
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