Naxos

Largest of Cyclade islands, Naxos is located about halfway between the famous islands of Santorini and Mykonos in Aegean Sea. Underrated island of Naxos is both rich in ancient history and natural beauty with long sandy beaches throughout the coastline and mystical interiors packed with white-washed-cube houses, mountains, farms, olive groves, traditional little villages and ancient temple ruins along with over 100 Byzantine churches. In a nutshell, the island has everything available on some of the most famous Greek islands minus the bustling crowds.

Naxos town or popularly known as Chora, is the main village of Naxos. It is known for its stone staircase, and hole-in-the-wall shops spread unevenly across maze-like alleys. There are other numerous green villages in Naxos, like Melanes, Filoti, Kastro, Koronos, and Chalki, having ancient churches and monasteries along with farmlands, vineyards and olive groves. Home to stunning white sand beaches, Naxos is popular for activities including hiking, swimming, snorkelling, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

The best beaches of Naxos are located on the island's west side. There are also plenty of trails connecting different villages in Naxos, including the Mount Zas trail, Arias Springs/Cave of Zas trail and Aghia Marina trail. Naxos is accessible by air or by ferry from Athens, and the journey is equally beautiful as that of the destination. The entire island is just spread over 40km and can be covered entirely in 90 minutes.