Naxos & Mykonos
Today was a day of contradictions. In the morning we visited Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades. Naxos is very green, with fairly lush vegetation, and the highest point is more than 3,000 feet. While it has some tourists, it also relies on agriculture and a large marble quarry. Mykonos is a low, dry island, that is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and thus a bit of a change for our afternoon.
On Naxos, we set off after breakfast and visited the small, traditional village of Chalki. Here we were able to walk the quiet streets, smell the fresh baked bread, and view the small shop where they make the local liquor of Citron. The process is still very traditional, and after learning all about the process we more importantly were able to sample the final products.
From there we continued around the island with a few varied stops. Marble has been quarried on this island for much of history, including for many of the temples throughout the Cyclades. We stopped at one viewpoint with an amazing view of a large, active quarry. We also stopped for a large statue that a farmer “found” in his field, somewhere around 1900. This large statue was located in a lush valley, and many of us enjoyed the abundant birds and lizards found around this area.
Our final stop on Naxos was in the capital where some of us wove our way through the maze of streets to the ancient castle. This area was founded by the Phoenicians and still keeps its traditional architecture. Luckily, we had our Greek guides with us to show us the highlights, and successfully lead us back down to the shops and delicious ice cream stands.
Late afternoon, we entered the old harbor at Mykonos and set off to explore this mecca for vacationers. It was fairly quiet on the streets, and we navigated the maze of small alleyways filled with various cafes and shops. We soaked up stunning views along the waterfront, and many passed near the old windmills that are characteristic of this island. As the sun set in a fiery blaze, we reflected on the two different, but wonderful islands we had explored today.
Today was a day of contradictions. In the morning we visited Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades. Naxos is very green, with fairly lush vegetation, and the highest point is more than 3,000 feet. While it has some tourists, it also relies on agriculture and a large marble quarry. Mykonos is a low, dry island, that is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and thus a bit of a change for our afternoon.
On Naxos, we set off after breakfast and visited the small, traditional village of Chalki. Here we were able to walk the quiet streets, smell the fresh baked bread, and view the small shop where they make the local liquor of Citron. The process is still very traditional, and after learning all about the process we more importantly were able to sample the final products.
From there we continued around the island with a few varied stops. Marble has been quarried on this island for much of history, including for many of the temples throughout the Cyclades. We stopped at one viewpoint with an amazing view of a large, active quarry. We also stopped for a large statue that a farmer “found” in his field, somewhere around 1900. This large statue was located in a lush valley, and many of us enjoyed the abundant birds and lizards found around this area.
Our final stop on Naxos was in the capital where some of us wove our way through the maze of streets to the ancient castle. This area was founded by the Phoenicians and still keeps its traditional architecture. Luckily, we had our Greek guides with us to show us the highlights, and successfully lead us back down to the shops and delicious ice cream stands.
Late afternoon, we entered the old harbor at Mykonos and set off to explore this mecca for vacationers. It was fairly quiet on the streets, and we navigated the maze of small alleyways filled with various cafes and shops. We soaked up stunning views along the waterfront, and many passed near the old windmills that are characteristic of this island. As the sun set in a fiery blaze, we reflected on the two different, but wonderful islands we had explored today.
