Naxos vs. Mykonos; May the Best Island Win…..

The Greek Islands are all magical little pieces of paradise…and Naxos and Mykonos live up to that statement. They are part of what’s known as the the Cyclade Islands, along with Delos, Ios, Santorini, Paros, Syros and several others. You can reach many of these islands by air or ferry. Besides the fact that these islands offer an abundance of natural beauty overload, they also offer a variety of outdoor adventures, fabulous beaches, museums, and culture. It is easy to island hop in the Cyclades and experience several islands within one trip.

Getting There

Getting to Mykonos and Naxos from NYC isn’t as difficult as it seems. We flew to Zurich on Swiss Air (about 7.5 hrs) and then on to Mykonos (another 2.5 hrs) . There are many flight options to choose from including many that connect in Athens before continuing to Mykonos. We took the Sea Jet ferry from Mykonos to Naxos ( a speedy 35 min trip on a high speed hydrofoil) for 50 euros per person each way. This same ferry continues on to several other islands after stopping in Naxos.

What to Do in Mykonos

Mykonos. The bluest water you can imagine with blue rooftops to match. Winding streets create a labyrinth to get lost in as you wander through shops and bakeries. Mykonos is well known for their party scene… and whatever you have heard about my recent visit, it wasn’t me….it was the ouzo. Only thing I’m guilty of is a good time.. Besides partying, here are some fun things to do on Mykonos;

Visit the island of Delos– There is a boat that goes over to Delos twice a day (the ride takes about 30 minutes). Delos is completely uninhabited now, (except for a billion cats) but was considered the most sacred of all of the islands and is the mythological birthplace of Apollo. There were a ton of really cool ruins to explore, a museum (closed when we were there) and an awesome hike leading to the highest point on Delos. We took the Delos Tours ferry which gives you 3 hours before heading back to Mykonos. Tickets can be bought right at the port and can include a tour guide and entrance fee, or just the boat ride. You can buy entrance tickets as soon as you get off the boat and visit the sites on your own, or hire a guide.

***Honey…I think the roof needs to be replaced.***

Explore the Town – The town of Mykonos has tons of shops, cafes and several windmills to see. Getting lost is part of the fun.

Buy Handmade Leather Sandals – OK, this was on my list. It became a quest. I dragged others all around and up and down to find me the perfect handmade leather sandals…There used to be many shops selling them years ago, and apparently there are very few now. This made my desire to find them even stronger. Good news.. I found them! My travel companions celebrated. They toasted that very night at dinner and did shots to commence the end of our search. Or they just did shots because the waiter brought them, I’m not certain. Now, if only I could find a handmade belt?!

Visit a Local Winery – The Mykonian Land Winery offers a great 2 hour tour that includes a very quick, if you blink you miss it tour of the vineyard, followed by a fantastic tasting of their homemade goat cheese, olives (from their trees) fresh baked breads with their olive oil and homemade salami. Along with theses treats comes 2 bottles of their homemade wine to drink. As if this was not enough, you sit sipping the wine while members of the family play music on traditional instruments. Everything is made even better due to the view of the vineyard all around. Who am I kidding? Everything was made better by consuming 2 bottles of wine at noon.

Enjoy a Beach Day– There is no shortage of beaches to go to in Mykonos. We chose Playa Ornos and paid a 20 euro cab fare to get there from town. Many beaches have restaurants that offer beach chairs and umbrellas to guests for a fee. Certain beaches are much pricier than others….we went for the Target beach in a world of Gucci and we still had to pay $30 per set. That being said, it was a great day at the beach! Sun, sand and unbeatable views. Is there ever a bad day at the beach?

Visiting Naxos-Taking the ferry from Mykonos to Naxos is pretty easy….but requires a little planning. We booked our tickets in advance on SeaJet, but did not realize we had to download them up to 2 hrs before our trip. Soooooo, after arriving at the pier and seeing a shitshow of people and their enormous luggage, we realized we needed physical tickets and had to pay 1.00 euro pp to the ancient old lady at the window to print them. So my 50. euro ferry ticket was now 51.00. Not cool. Lesson learned. The ferry pulls up fast and boarding is a mad rush. As a New Yorker, this part was easy peasy. I will knock down any 80 year old who tries to cut me off without blinking and small children are not off limits either…but once on board in rough seas, my only defense is projectile vomit.

Things to do in Naxos

Welcome to Naxos…..now one of my favorite of the Greek Islands. It takes a little over 30 minutes to get here from Mykonos by high speed ferry, but it is a world away! It is greener than other islands in the Cyclades, has much more of a chill vibe and is way cheaper than Mykonos. Hello Naxos…I’d like to stay a while….

Climb Mount Zeus – Mount Zeus is the highest point in the Cyclades. Fun facts? It’s 3291 feet above sea level and it said to be the birth place of Zeus. Imagine poor Zeus’s mother…in labor and climbing this mountain to give birth?! Sounds more like a horror story than a myth. The hike takes an average of 3 hrs round trip. After taking the bus from Naxos bus station near the port ($6 r/t), get off at the Agia Marina stop….make sure to confirm the stop with the driver (who does not speak a word of English) as he barrels down the narrow winding roads at unspeakable speed and yells random Greek profanities into his cell phone. Such skill. If you survive the bus ride, get off and walk uphill. Get used to it. The entire climb is uphill…well, except for the descent. As for the climb itself, I would consider it moderate with some challenging rubble to climb during the last 1/4 of the ascent. There is a giant sign about halfway up that says you are almost at the summit. Don’t believe it.. someone put it there as a sick joke. Added bonus; wild herd of goats we encountered along the way.. It seemed like a hundred of them..I feel like goats make everything better. I bet they could drive better than the bus driver too. The summit is pretty cool . You can see tons of surrounding islands and supposedly you can see Turkey on clear days. Bring snacks and water and wear really good shoes. No need to bring goats..they will be provided free of charge. The return bus comes back around 3 hrs and 30 min after drop off.

Visit the castle and Archaeological museum at the top of town– The ruins of the Venetian castle are amazing to see and explore…there are several art galleries to pop into, an incredible restaurant and an Archeological museum to visit all at the top.

Explore the Island’s Interior – We rented a car one day ($45. for an automatic) and set out to see ruins, small villages, lost statues and an olive press museum. The Temple of Dimitri ruins included a small but amazing museum filled with artifacts, as well as the remains of a temple where sacrifices took place 2300 years ago. The sacrifice pit still remains. Being a creepy lover of all things horror, I was hoping human sacrifices took place here. What is wrong with me? But apparently, it was used for animal sacrifices to guarantee good crops and fertile land. We had lunch in Halki…famous for the invention of Kitron liquor ( we stopped in for free samplings at the Kitron distillery in town) and also visited the towns of Apeiranthos (A town built of marble) and Filoti. Each town has it’s own personality and are all worth exploring.. Then we followed the map to locate two “kouros” which are statues that were carved out of marble, but abandoned in the forest. I felt like I was on a scavenger hunt! It took approximately 5 minutes to hike to the first kouro from the parking area and an additional 10 minutes or so to the second. Just follow the signs. Our last stop was at Eggares Olive Press Museum which is actually owned by our hotel owner. Enjoy a free olive oil tasting along with an amazing array of complimentary olives, tapanade, sun dried tomatoes, breads, etc before joining a free tour of the oldest olive press on Naxos….this was unbelievable! We spent an hour and a half here. My Google search that day would show; Can you overdose on olives. You can’t.

**Help….I’ve fallen , and I can’t get up.**..

Relax on a Naxos Beach– We opted for Agia Anna Beach, with the chance to beach hop during the day…Agia Anna Beach had nice chairs for free as long as you order something from the restaraunt. The fresh squeezed orange juice was absolutely refreshing. You can walk from there to Plaka Beach and also visit several pool bars across the street from the beaches. Pools are free to use as long as you order something at the bar.

Attend a concert in the Venetian Castle– If you are lucky enough to be on Naxos during their summer festival, you can score tickets to a concert or show in the castle or courtyard. We got tickets for 20. euros pp to see a jazz performance one night. Oh! The 20. euro includes unlimited wine and ouzo!!!

Hike to the Gate of Apollo-It’s a short sprint over to the Gate of Apollo at the end of town. A well known sunset site where an unfinished temple doorway stands overlooking the town of Naxos.

Spend some time shopping and eating along Naxos waterfront and along the maze of streets leading up to the castle– We spent hours and many euros along the waterfront and inside the many shops in town. The prices are half that of Mykonos and the interesting crafts, jewelry and clothing are worth a look.

Where to Stay in Mykonos

Harmony Hotel- This hotel was in a great location within walking distance of town. It’s a 20 euro ride to the airport, has a beautiful pool and super friendly staff!

Where to stay in Naxos

Hotel Grotta– What a fabulous hotel…I would say that it’s a must while staying on Naxos. Free airport transfer, Amazing variety at free breakfast, pool and sauna with reserved time slots, a welcome glass of wine when you arrive and the friendliest staff I have ever encountered. The views are beyond magnificent and it’s about a 5 minute walk to town. Get a room with a balcony. It’s worth it!

Where to eat in Mykonos

Attica bakery- This small bakery was our go to place in Mykonos. A sandwich, water and small dessert… 8 euros.. cheapest lunch in town.

Vento- Amazing seafood right on the water.

Pita Wrap and Pizza- The Greek salad wrap was the best! Another great deal for lunch or dinner. Nice tables overlooking the water.

Where to Eat in Naxos

Diogenes Cafe – Look for the green chairs. Great food, great drinks, great bartender! Say hello to Dino if you go! He put sparklers in our drinks!!!

Avaton 1739- One of the most amazing views I have seen at a rooftop restaurant. The food was incredible and the prices were so reasonable!!!! We went for brunch and wanted to make it back for sunset one night, but did not.

Pi & Phi – I had fantastic grilled octopus here. Great prices, view of the water and they gave us our second drinks on the house!

So, Mykonos, or Naxos? For me, the winner is Naxos… Hands down. The prices are better, the town is more authentic and I found it to be much more relaxing. There also seemed to be a bigger variety of activities on Naxos. I’m certainly not denying that Mykonos is beautiful and offers a good time, just saying that if I had to choose one over the other, Naxos wins. Whichever one you choose, you will not be disappointed, just don’t forget to play!!!