Exploring Naxos Chora

A nice, slow start to the day with a plan to visit the main town, Chora, of Naxos. Chora means “capital” or “main town,” so many Greek islands have one. Buses run there every 30 minutes, so it didn’t matter too much when we decided to go. The temperature was forecast to be 25–27°C for most of the day.

It was just before 11 a.m. when we headed off. Although buses are supposed to come every 30 minutes, we actually have no idea when during the half hour they’ll show up. I’m not sure anyone knows. 😂 I think we waited 15 to 20 minutes under a shady tree, which was fine. The bus stop is right by the supermarket, and we’ve now discovered a cross-country (and cross–building site) shortcut to get there. 😉

The bus was completely full, so it was standing room only for us. Fifteen minutes later we were at the main bus station at the port—an ideal place to start our walk to the headland. On the headland sits the unfinished Temple of Apollo, known as the Portara. Construction began around 500 BC but was never completed. The main structure is a very large marble gate. It’s still quite impressive, even though they never completed its construction. Entry is free, and it’s a great spot to take in views back toward Naxos.

We continued our walk through the old market streets, always heading uphill in the general direction of Naxos Castle. The market streets are typically Greek—narrow, whitewashed, and very pretty—but here they feel more rustic and authentic, not overly polished for tourists. On the way we passed a lovely church or two. It would be impossible not to pass one in Europe, right? We passed by the Glezos Byzantine Tower on the way to the castle. The castle itself was a bit of a non-event, as it doesn’t really look like a castle you’d imagine. It’s more like a large building, now housing the Naxos Archaeological Museum, which was closed. Next door, though, there was a café with a good view over the city. We popped in just for photos and then continued walking, now heading downhill.

We were searching for a bakery Sarah had marked on the map, as we needed some lunch. Instead, we stumbled across a Greek café. Sarah asked if they had French fries and beer—she knows how to twist my arm into spending money on food! The lovely café lady said she had fries but suggested we try something even better: Greek potatoes penderates. These are flat-cut potatoes fried and served with olive oil and onions. She also added, “Of course we have beer.” 😂

The potatoes and the beer were both delicious. We sat back, enjoying the shade of a café covered in plants, with a nice cooling breeze, and watched the world go by. A perfect little spot.

Fed and watered, we’d seen enough of Naxos Chora for now, so we headed to a supermarket to stock up. We found one with a better range and prices than the one in Agios Prokopios. We filled the backpack and our supermarket bag, then made our way back to the port to catch the bus.

The afternoon was spent swimming in the pool, relaxing, and doing a bit of travel planning. We finally decided which island to head to next, figured out how to get there, and also planned for our last Greek destination after that. We booked another four nights’ accommodation, and tomorrow we’ll book two more ferries.

It’s probably a good time for a Schengen-days update. We’ve been using them ever since we left Sarandë in Albania and re-entered Greece via Corfu. That restarted the clock, which didn’t stop while we were in Czechia, Slovakia, or Poland. We’ve now used 63 of our 90 days, leaving just 27. That means we need to leave the Schengen Zone by October 6. We have a plan! And we already have a flight booked to leave Europe on October 14.

Dinner tonight was a simple but tasty spaghetti bolognese. Afterward we walked to the supermarket for more drinking water and then strolled back along the beach, watching the sunset. A perfect end to another wonderful day.