Crete and Naxos

It is not possible to fly from Chania to Naxos, and by ferry you will have to take a ferry from Heraklion to go to Naxos.

The "Power Jet" from Seajets makes this trip every day (about 100€) and the "Santorini Palace" from Minoan Lines every Tuesday (80€)

From Naxos to Athens you can fly with Sky Express or Aegean/Olympic or take a ferry. Early July there are 7-8 ferries a day to Piraeus.

For ferry timetables and prices go to:

https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/

If you want an overview of a whole week see:

http://www.openseas.gr/

There is no need to book in advance. You can buy your tickets once in Crete or Naxos.

Nothing to add to Jolui's response. We always buy our ferry tickets a couple of days before we plan to ferry hop. Pretty much any travel agent in Chania/Heraklion will sell you tickets. The reason we wait is because the local agents will have the latest information on storms, strikes or mechanical issues witch could cause us to change plans.
If you want to fly back to Athens from Naxos you probably should be doing that booking really soon.

Just because Naxos and Chania are our favourite places in Greece, for fun here ares some photos.
Chania 2022. https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299646015
Around Naxos town 2022 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299959098
Back to Naxos 2022 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299940917

Thank you for all the tips!
A couple of more questions:

• do we need a car in Naxos? We will have one in Crete.
• We have 2 full days in Athens, apart from the colosseum, what else should we prioritize?

Thank you!

I'd suggest a good guide book; the Colosseum is in Rome.

Seriously with just 2 full days in Athens, and 2 teenagers (which you haven't mentioned since your January inquiry), you need to strategize. You haven't said you are booking a tour of the Acropolis (not Colosseum) or the Ancient Agora, or the Acropolis Museum. Most tour groups hit all at once -- about 9:30 AM -- so in summer it's terribly crowded going up on "the Rock". Thus we always suggest beating the crowd by getting to entry at 8:15. However, you have teens, and lots of us remember how hopeless it was getting them up dressed & out early! The Answer? D-I-Y ... and on this very website (click Watch Read Listen & type Greece), you can download FREE FREE step by step audio guides to both Acropolis AND ancient Agora. (if you don't know what the latter is, click Wikipedia or that Guide book i suggested).

After Acropolis u can walk across street to Acropolis Museum.. I hear they have audio guides at the desk (if not already taken when u get there). It's air-conditioned, & you can have lunch at glassed-in terrace looking right up at Parthenon. For better understanding (if u do not have guidebook or audio) I suggest going straight to 3rd (top) floor and watching a 20-minute video about Acropolis/Parthenon history (partly documentary, partly animated VERY well-done). Then u can go down to 2nd floor exhibits (u may even be able to watch craftsman working on statue restorations.

What other things for day 2?? The Nat. Arch. Museum is HUUUGE - you can get lost in rooms of clay pots & never be heard from again -- but again, RIck Steves can help, with FREE audio guide to this Museum's Ten Top Dont-Miss sites.. you could do it in an hour. What else, for the kids? You need to say boys or girls, or both. The tech minded would love the Kotsanas Museum of ancient Greek Technology - http://kotsanas.com/gb/index.php o... (worlds first computer 500 BC!) The jewelry-minded will swoon over the Lalounis Jewelry Museum -- just yards away from the Acropolis in an elegant Mansion - http://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr Lalounis was world-famous, like combo of Tiffany/Cartier... gorgeous gems, sometimes u can see craftsmen making gold items.
Of course all these things and many more are in a guidebook -- free even, at your local library.

do we need a car in Naxos? We will have one in Crete.

If you only stay 3 nights in Naxos, ie only 2 whole days, and have an accommodation in Naxos town, a rental car will not be very useful to you. Moreover, finding a rental company that can rent you a car for only 1 day is more difficult to find, generally they try to favor people who rent for 3 days or more.

@JoLui curious what car companies are on Naxos?
Thank you for all of this information.

This was 2018 but we rented a car for two different days through our hotel which had contacts in the community. We rented for one afternoon when the proprietor convinced us to do that rather than take the bus to visit various beaches and then for one day to explore the island.

miami -- just answered identical car=rental question on another forum so, cut & paste: "on Naxos there are many reputable rental agencies. Two good bits of advice - (1) DO rent ahead online if you need an automatic; supplies are limited! (2) If you are thinking about a full day's drive to island highlights, and want to get an early start, keep in mind that Greeks stay up late... so they're slow getting started in the AM ... need to drink their coffee, a bit sluggish etc. I remember reserving a car for 9:15 pick-up; it was 10:30 before we were in the car. Agencies stay open until 9 pm or later. Why not pick up car the evening before? Park it near your hotel & you can jump in it after breakfast & be on your way! After a day out, you'll want to drop car anyway before dinner."