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Hi All,
Upcoming trip to Greece in early May for 10 days or so. We land in Athens at 14:30, and would like to ideally travel to one of these two islands later the same day (have already been to Athens, and after looking at hotel prices + travel time from the airport, opted for skipping the night).
We are looking for a nice, relaxing beach holiday away from the hustle and bustle of lads on tour type crowd. Naxos and Paros seem like two good candidates, especially in early May. Does anyone have any recommendations for either of these?
We are leaning towards Paros, specifically Naoussa which we think is walkable, full of nice restaurants, and within taxi/car rental to nearby beaches. Prices seem a bit steep though (£280/night for an Airbnb with breakfast included). We may rent a car for a portion of the trip, but wouldn’t be massively active.
Also, does anyone have experience flying Sky Express versus Olympic/Aegean? We’ve left it to late but these flights are also quite pricey!
Thank you all.
I haven’t been to Paros, as most reports seem to suggest that it’s trying to compete with Santorini and Mykonos for the attention of influencer types. That’s not my kind of thing at all.
If I had 10 days to spend anywhere in the world, it would be Naxos. I first visited in 1991, and I’ve seen huge changes since then, but it’s large enough to retain much of the charm of the Greece of old. It very deliberately has allowed no large hotels, no real nightclubs, no all-inclusive resorts, and no buildings above two stories in height except in the harbour. It has endless beaches, some laid out with rows of sunbeds and beach bars and others with endless golden sand and no people. In early May, the beaches will be deserted.
Naxos town has its own beach that’s just a few minutes walk from the old quarter. The beach is sheltered and shelves very slowly, so it’s perfect for children, so, with an infant, I would be inclined to stay on Agios Georgios beach and walk into town. The Nissaki Beach Hotel would be perfect for that, and there are loads of places to eat nearby if you don’t want to walk into town. The hotel is next to a free car park, so you can access your hire car very easily. Cheaper options and AirBnB are also plentiful in that area.
If you don’t fancy the town, Agia Anna would be a good second choice. It’s another sheltered, calm bay where many children play, and it has plenty of choice for eating in the evening. If you tire of Agia Anna beach, Prokopios beach is a short walk to the North and Maragas a short walk to the south. Maragas is the site of the iconic Paradiso taverna, which features on many photos of the Cyclades – settle down mid afternoon and sip wine under the shade of a tamarisk tree on the deserted sand, and, as evening comes, you can dip your charred lamb chops into some fresh tzatziki while you watch the sun set over Paros in a cloudless sky. It’s as close to perfection as you can ever imagine.
I would marginally choose Sky Express over Aegean as you usually get a cheap option to access the lounge on flights to Naxos. Either airline is fine, but all aircraft are tiny, seats are small and hand luggage is restricted.
I have been to both Paros and Naxos.
BTW Naoussa has been impacted by recent storms, perhaps check how the clear up is going before booking.
I agree with JJ, the beaches on Naxos are great for families.Thanks both for the prompt, detailed responses. I think Naxos is probably the winner here, so will just book flights now.
What’s the minimum layover time you’d bake into at ATH traveling with an infant and needing to recheck bags? We land at 14:30 with BA0640, and I’m seeing a Sky Express 17:45 departure for ~£100, and the last one of the day at 18:20 with Aegean for £125 pp…
Would the former be too tight with 2:15h? If BA is delayed I guess it would change everything…though if bought with an Amex Plat I’d hope to be covered for delays/inconvenience should we need to stay the night.
1430 to 1745 is 3:15 hours, surely?
That should be enough if your flight isn’t delayed. I’ve never waited more than a few minutes to check in with Sky Express, and I’ve never had delays at security in Athens.
If the connection is missed, I personally would take a taxi to Piraeus, stay there, and catch an early ferry the next morning. Flights to the islands are fast and convenient, but ferries are more comfortable and more of an experience. Also, if you stay in Naxos town, the ferry will be in walking distance of your accommodation.
All flights and ferries are met by taxis in Naxos, btw, so you needn’t get a hire car immediately on arrival.
http://www.ferryhopper.com is good for ferry information.
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