The Guide would like to start by offering profuse apologies.  It seems it was implied that Adrian and Ray (see bulletin board) started The Last Resort but - thanks to Sarah from Leeds who indirectly supplied the information - in fact it was Pav's bar originally, started, probably, in 1989. 

In 2006 there has been more building of course and the island was busy for May/June and this continued throughout the year. The by-pass(?) of Procopious is said to have opened but The Guide will believe that when seen.  Even if up and running will it be at all effective?

 Possibly the only closure of note is that of Meltemi but it is only a change of venue as it has moved to the beach road.  At Procopios, To Steki has transmogrified into Summer doing much of the same food.  The Guide must apologise for missing the closing of Sanoudos a couple of years ago so - what's left of the originals?  Vassilis, Manolis Garden Taverna - what else?  E-mail in the news or memories of any of your old favourites in town whether extant or not.  The mention of Vassilis and Manolis reminds that there is now a new and excellent taverna halfway between these two - called Matisiri Mas which means Between Us.  Really, there is no need to tell of this because followers of The Guide are the sort of people who are always looking for a place like this and so will find it by themselves - an old-fashioned taverna in the back streets doing Greek food well and charging fairly old-fashioned prices.  It also has different things and excellent bread.  The Jazz Bar has closed becoming a clothes shop or something – they played really good music but were cramped and a bit expensive.  Delphini Bar has, reportedly, become a tapas bar.  The Guide will try it and give a review sometime.  

East West now has its own website - click HERE to view it.

Other news: Dave has bought a place at Aghia Anna behind Gorgona - Pan-Orama  - and will be renting it out.  Quite a lot of other regulars have been out already (Autumn 2006):  Mick and Dave, Tony and Cathy, Marjorie, Belgian Jane.  Chris and Zoé went in August (must be mad) together with Gail  just after Cathy F.  However, Ted the Elder and Fred and June will not be out until later in the year.  Jan has not been sighted yet this year.  

Up in Halki a new (to The Guide) and charming little café with a flowery garden and kittens has opened – To Kitron – and it is charging kafeneon prices.  Next to it is Valindras distillery – worth a quick glance round especially if the sweet, fifth generation young lady is there to tell you about it.  Platanos is now Yiannis but little different except the huge trunk of the eponymous plane tree has had to be cut down but the tree itself still lives.  (Going back over notes - this was called O Yiannis at least as far back as May '96 so - when was it called Platanos?).  A reasonable lunch to be had here.  A walk round the village will soon lead you to a pleasant country lane walk to the Church of St George Diasotimis with several icons on display.  Filoti has lots more restaurants and cafés than Halki being a lot bigger and has wonderful vistas as you walk up higher into the village proper.  A recommended stroll.  If you're there in June, look out for the mulberry trees - both white and black - laden with ripe fruit.  Naxiots don't seem to harvest this delicious berry so, probably, nobody will object if you help yourself.  However, if someone takes a shotgun to you, don't blame me!

An enormous nuisance is that one of the spammers has found The Guide’s e-mail address and is using it so that thousands of e-mails seem to originate from this site.  Although The Guide receives  all its e-mails at this address, the address is NOT used to send  mail.  Anybody who has received any of these ridiculous communications, please accept many apologies from The Guide and be assured that they have no connection whatsoever with this site.  Hopefully, judging by the returns, the volume is getting less.  And, currently, has ceased.

The Guide should have started this page, when first publishing, by giving reasons why you should choose Naxos for your holiday rather than any other island - it is assumed you already have reasons for wanting to go to Greece.  Although the island has changed much over the years it is still not totally swamped with tourism.  Unlike so many other islands, most restaurants and bars will be at least half full of local Greeks for Naxos has always been a - relatively - rich island and still has other ways of making money than the tourists.  It is said that the fortunes of Naxos were based on citron which became a fashionable drink at the beginning of last century and Naxos is its only source.  The Guide has always understood that the money of Naxos cane from emery and seed potatoes - so who knows?  So it is more relaxed than other places yet at the same time lively.  There are almost an uncountable number of places to eat and drink and, in some of them, you can even eat well.  There are many miles of sandy beaches with superbly clear waters and numerous little coves off the beaten track if you want to be alone.  You can expect continuous blue skies only broken occasionally by a welcome thunder storm but, usually, there is a pleasantly cooling breeze blowing.  (Quite a miserable October last year - 2005 - however). The Chora is the main town and, though its centre is small, you can wander for ages in the twisting medieval lanes surrounding the Venetian castle (Castro).  Away from the tourist centres of Chora, Procopios, Aghia Anna, Plaka and Apollonas the Naxian way of life continues as ever.  The centre of the island is mountainous and green with plenty of places to explore on foot, bike or car.  The Naxiots are welcoming and friendly to strangers - well, most are - you can still find the prototype miserable owner of a taverna or bar.  It's just a nice place to go.  Try it.  Many have and many have been hooked, returning year after year, some finally settling there.

Essentially, Naxos stays the same, a bit busier every year, more building, businesses open and close but the feel is the same.  Paradise is as ever but with the sons' wives taking a more prominent position in running it.  

The taxi to Naxos town cost 10 euros from the airport which seemed a lot to us (particularly as the fare from town to Procopios is still only 7 euros) but, evidently, a premium is charged for journeys to the port or airport.

Some recommendations (again) for two newish businesses - we've mentioned them before - both characterised by the charm and friendliness of the service.  First has to be Golden Beach at Procopios.  This is very much a family business with most of the produce coming from one relative or other. It has become one of our firm favourites.  It has rooms above which are very pleasant some with views to the sea and just a minute's walk to get in swimming.  Remember, however, it is a café with limited food - breakfast, coffee and excellent cakes and ice creams, omelettes, red, white and rosé Tsantalis and various spirits, etc..  The other is the Esperanto Café on the Paralia.

Also, please note, one of The Guide's recommendations, the Eden vegetarian restaurant in Athens is closed on a Tuesday - as The Guide was disappointedly to find out on a recent visit - still, never mind, a very pleasant evening can be had on the rooftop of the restaurant next door - Old Taverna Kritikou.  Alas, Athens has lost Zonars its fin de siècle cafe near Syntagma but, against that, it has gained a popular little bar run by Katerina, Lalos' sister, Iliosporo in the thriving new quarter of Psiri on Iroon Square - for information on this pleasant area try www.athensguide.com/psiri.html .  This year The Guide tried a hotel just round the corner from Psiri, the Evripides, at the cost of £35 a night and it can be recommended for the not too discerning.  It has recently been renovated to a good degree, has masses of hot water, a lobby leading to the bathroom and a door into a fairly large room with a small balcony and air-conditioning - for which you have to pay a further 5 Euros, getting the control from reception.  It has a roof top bar with superb views of Athens where a buffet breakfast is served with a fair variety and no limits.  It is halfway between Monastiraki and Omonia so handy for everywhere.  The Guide, on arriving in Evripides Odos, thought a big mistake had been made as the street was dirty, shabby, seedy and full of sinister groups of men loitering but, the next morning, it was transformed into a fascinating, bustling shop-lined street selling herbs and spices and various exotica.  Also, The Guide finally made it to Paros and stayed in pleasant rooms, Marios Fragoulis Rooms and Apartments telephone 22840 24268, info@mariosrooms.com .  He meets the ferries so, unless you're there in the busiest times, you should be able to get a room from him very easily.

The Guide did not see all that much change in Athens post-Olympics.  The building sites have gone and Syntagma is a square again.  Anybody used to the trams in Croydon, say, fast with right of way, will find the Athens' version very slow - everything else seems to take priority.  The new tubes are good, fast, clean but, thank god, the rickety old service from Piraeus hasn't changed!  (unfortunately, this was written in 2005.  Now, 2006, it has changed - faster, cleaner but just ordinary).  The tube/train to the airport is excellent - whatever the timetables seem to imply, however, allow at least an hour for the journey.  Mostly it is necessary to change at Plakentias.  The bus is cheaper, however, and, depending on road conditions, quicker but arrives and departs from Syntagma.

So, then, welcome to your complete on-line guide to the most beautiful of Aegean Islands, Naxos, Ariadne's Isle.

The Guide suggest new visitors first go to INTRODUCTION for explanations to help you to get the best out of this guide.  Otherwise, INDEX provides links to all sections.

These pages include:

NAXOS HOTELS, NAXOS ROOMS, NAXOS RESTAURANTS, BARS, 

NIGHT CLUBS, SHOPS, SUPERMARKETS, NAXOS BEACHES, TRAVEL,

SERVICES, NAXOS PLACES OF INTEREST

With also

INTERACTIVE NAXOS MAPS, A BRIEF HISTORY OF NAXOS,

NAXOS WALKS AND MUCH MORE

Those wishing to advertise on this site should click

And, please note, the free advertising period is coming to an end and any business that has not paid the minimal fee will be removed before the next summer season.

"(Naxos and Paros) seem to coexist in the mind as being of comparable charm and magnitude. But there are several radical differences .... If Naxos is a vivid parrot, then Paros is a white dove. You wake earlier in Naxos, but you sleep deeper in Paros."  Lawrence Durrell

NAXOS WEATHER