Paros to Naxos ferries

If you can find a place to store your luggage or perhaps, rent a car for the day. We loved our stay in Napussa on Paros. The ferry ride between Paros and Naxos doesn’t take too long.

Why not combine Paros & Naxos and spend time on each island? Both are two of the nicest of the Cyclades Islands. It makes no sense to stop on Paros just for a few hours then ferry over to Naxos. It's doable, but it may be better to experience both islands and get a better feel for Paros rather than just a few hours wandering around the port town.

We have two days planned in Naxos before moving on to Santorini so don’t want to change hotels every night.

If you decide to do it, there is a left luggage place opposite the port. It's just a room next door to a café, but they seemed to know who was coming & going when I used it! The port town, Parikia has an old & very important church to visit just a couple of minutes from the harbour, & a pretty warren of old alleys to stroll through, leading to an interesting caste built using stones from many centuries earlier.

If you only have 2 nights in Naxos, please please do not dilute your stay by trying to "squeeze in" another island! You would barely see more than Paros' port town .... Remember, no matter if 2 islands are so close that you can stand on one, and see the other in the distance, it STILL will eat up half a day to change from one to the other. If you keep your schedule as is, and have 2 nights (and hopefully that means at least 2 days = arrive 12:45 Day one, leave for Santorini 1 PM on day 3), you will have time for the following:

• DAY 1 - 12:45 arrival, drop luggage, then explore Naxos Town -- up a maze-like lane to the tippy-top, to the AMAZING tiny museum AND the Medieval Fortress -- and all the windy lovely flower-decked lanes. Then walk the beach? and go out on the Causeway at 6 pm to photo the sunset thru the famous Arch, then dinner at a seafront taverna. On your way back to hotel, rent a car for 24 hrs (€35) and park it by your hotel.

• DAY 2 - Early start! Drive to countryside with map marked by agency, to see - Ruin of Temple of Apollo - Hillside village of CHALKI with famous wee kitron distillery - PANAGIA DROSSIANA, 400? AD, oldest church in all Cyclades (smaller than a garage, ancient murals) - Mountain village of APIRANTHOS, Marble streets! - Ancient statues in orchards - Marble Mountains! - Empty beaches! And everywhere, farms & vineyards, Naxians doing their thing... we even stopped to watch a sheepshearing once. A day in the "real Greece"

• DAY 3 (morning) - after packing, enough time to check out shops, take more photos. Then OFF to Santorini, with an authentic Greek-isle experience behind you, to compare with the more famous "postcard island".

I think also there is a place on Naxos where Zeus was rumored to spend time growing up? I found lodging at the Hotel Grotta, had over 1300 positive reviews on Tripadvisor. Its on the outskirts of town but I think within walking distance.
Thanks for identifying places to visit, we will!

There is a cave where Zeus was supposed to be born on the way to the top of Mt. Zeus. We are planning to hike to the top when we visit in May so I have researched this. You can hike to the cave which is supposed to be well marked (although not after the cave) from near Filoti. It is about a 20 minute walk each way and you need a flashlight to see anything.

Beth

Thanks Beth. I think Zeus was born in Crete but brought up in Naxos. Naxonians named highest mountain after him. If we discover otherwise when we are there we will let you know.

You are right. I guess I have been too focused on which turn to make where to find the start of the trail and somehow didn't get the facts straight. We are going to hike up a different way to top of Mt Zeus but my son wants to see the cave. It is scrambling over rocks after the cave on this trail to the top which does not appeal to me.

Anyway, the cave itself seems fairly accessible if you are interested.

Beth

Hotel Grotta is nice early in the season, when visitors are not interested in swims. In hot weather, it's too much of a trek to nearest beach. It has a lovely main room, and good buffet breakfast. Adim, ask for a room with a view to the sea, unless they bump the price up. To get to the attractions of town, you walk down a road or (shorter) a path that meanders near the bluff the hotel is on. NOTE: coming back after dinner it's really DARK and uphill, and if you want to take that path, have flashlights!

I'm not anticipating weather will be warm enough for a swim, we arrive April 3 for two nights and plan more on exploring than beach activities. Have read about need for flashlight, thanks for warning. I booked room with sea view but will send request as a follow-up. I was torn between booking Xenia hotel in town vs Grotta but went for the views vs downtown.

From Hotel Grotta, you are right on the path of a SHort & very rewarding hike uphill to a ?deserted? Monastery ... here's the link, with pictures! - http://www.cycladen.be/Chora-Agios%20ChrisostomosEngFrame.htm less than 30 mins uphill from there ... great to do it just before dinner, near sunset. When I did it, years ago, I think one aged monk/nun supposedly in residence. An oddity there -- front staircase lined with Mulberry Trees, supposedly for silkworms, & monks made silk for wearables, back in 19th C.

Ok, thanks Janet. Awesome site, http://www.cycladen.be.

Yes, it makes total sense!! I've actually done that one small stop once, I was returning from Astypalea got off the ferry early in the morning on Paros and then took another ferry from Paros to Pireaus. 2 islands in one day lol, it was fun :) I've done island hopping around the Cyclades plenty of times... Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini-Mykonos are so close to each other and they can be easily combined. Check out this island hopping pass if you haven't booked your tickets already. It includes your destinations. If the schedules fit your itinerary you'll save a lot for sure. It is with the Hellenic Seaways ferries