Telegraph: Naxos island is "perfect playground for a young god"

Telegraph poses the question if Greek island Naxos is the most family friendly island in Greece. The feature piece concludes it is the perfect playground for a young god.

Zeus was born on Crete. But legend has it that he spent his childhood in Naxos and, perhaps thanks to this divine connection, today when you ask Greeks for their favourite island for families, many point to the largest of the Cyclades. Its sandy and abundant beaches are the primary draw, but its good and largely native produce (flocks of sheep and goats are everywhere) also stands out, as does its laid-back vibe – if there’s luxury here, it’s of the barefoot variety.

This island in the South Aegean draws sophisticated families from around Europe but remarkably few Brits, perhaps because of its lack of the sort of sprawling beachside hotel complexes that come with all-singing and dancing kids’ clubs (and relatively little sense of place) that often draw British families to Greece.

And yet, this is a terrifically child-focused island, for activity is everywhere: Naxos is large enough (population 20,000) to offer most water and outdoor sports, and small enough that these are never more than a few minutes’ drive away. With my very active daughter Antonia in tow, I went to test this Greek theory.

The Cyclades are notoriously arid and barren, thanks to the strong winds that blow through – making this area an excellent destination for windsurfers and sailors. To take advantage of this – and to see if a four-year-old could grasp the geographical concept of “island” with live visuals – on our first morning we boarded Penelope (actionseaze.com; €80/£67 per person), a small yacht, to spend the day sailing to beaches accessible only from the water.

An enthusiastic pre-swimmer, Antonia donned the life jacket provided, grabbed a noodle, and jumped off the back of Penelope, armed with a torch to explore the dark interior of the magical Rina cave. We dried off on deck while the boat’s friendly Greek and Albanian crew speedily sailed over to the tiny neighbouring islands of Koufonisia (population: 366), periodically allowing Antonia to steer the ship.

Greece from the Sixties

To visit Koufonisia is to step happily into Greece from the Sixties; just 24 hours after leaving London – including some fairly anti-social flight times – we were immersed in exploration and relaxation. Over a simple lunch of fresh red mullet in a taverna called Captain Nikolas, we were content, looking out over a blue-capped whitewashed church, a fisherman’s work yard and blue sea and sky – the sort of timeless, unspoilt atmosphere that can be easy to miss on more popular nearby islands like Mykonos.

Most hotels are small, and charming family-run options abound. Where you stay will be dictated by budget, which is one of the joys of package-free Greek holidays; you can partake of the best activities and save money on accommodation in a destination that still represents good value.

A short walk from Ágios Prokópios is the island’s best hotel, Naxian Collection (read the full review here; from £210 per night for a large family room), a group of stylish, traditional, whitewashed villas on a green hillside with views of the sea and the capital, Naxos Town. From the hotel’s excellent but unpretentious restaurant – in a glass box on the top of the hill – this view is particularly stunning lit up at night. To be right on Prokópios beach, and to save a bit of money, the less chic Naxos Island Hotel (read the full review here; rooms from £124) has a rooftop infinity pool by the breakfast bar – perfect for impatient children.

Regardless of your budget, when travelling with a child of four, lounging in the room isn’t on the cards. Naxos’s biggest draw is the length of its southwest-facing coast which, from Ágios Prokópios down to the island’s southernmost tip, is basically one long sandy beach, separated by little headlands into different sections, and backed by the occasional taverna and little else.

Plaka: The best beach

Antonia ruled Plaka the best beach: with a long stretch of sand, gradually shelving sea, windsurfing, pedalos, and a range of lunch spots. Many – particularly the young – would concur.

But parents and children often seek slightly different things on holiday. For me, a taste of isolation is always a treat, so one morning we went to the wilder Kastraki, a little further south along the coast, to explore. The shelving here is a bit steeper, and the tourists far fewer; the long winding beach is backed by only a small convenience store. We spent a sunny morning entirely alone, as if washed up on a deserted island.

“Bliss,” I murmured to the industrious builder of sandcastles next to me. “A bit lonely,” replied my companion, so we headed to lunch. After its stellar beaches, it’s a relief to get away from the heat of the sun by heading to the island’s lush interior. Here you’ll find 25 miles of hiking trails through beautiful and ancient-looking hilly farms (for a fantastic farm-to-table lunch, go to Matina’s, in the hilltop village of Koronos).

Halki, the Venetian-style former capital in the centre of the island, is well worth a visit – particularly the arts centre revived by a talented husband-and-wife team of potters (fish-olive-creations.com): she throws, he paints, and their elegant fish-themed pieces show great vibrancy and humour. You could also tour the century-old Vallindra Kitron distillery, where a potent alcohol is made from citrus leaves. This may not hold the attention of children, but the artistic flair in this tiny hilltop village is a special moment in your Greek holiday

Parental art-gazing

Having indulged in a bit of parental art-gazing, it was time to shift the focus to the child and, specifically, to horses. The English-owned Naxos Horse Riding Club (naxoshorseriding.com; €45/£37.73 for a two-hour trek), opens up another dimension to the island. We took a magnificent ride through the countryside, and onto the beach just as the sun was setting.

If the gods are in the details, here is where, Naxos shines: after a dinner at the modern and creative Typografio (typografio.com), on a terrace perched next to the castle in Naxos Town, Antonia and I strolled down to the harbour, to catch another sunset over Apollo’s doorway, a 2,500-year-old marble ruin that looms above the capital. It leads nowhere, as the rest of the temple has crumbled, but it is the perfect passage for young children and old into the world of ancient Greece. Later, we sat on the hill overlooking the doorway, sketching the scene before us, and imagining the world that had led to its construction.

I went to Naxos with a Thoreauvian desire to holiday more simply – and deliberately. I wanted to spend time exploring a country I love with my daughter, unencumbered by the commercialism that so often clogs up modern tourism. Sitting by ancient ruins and sketching, was my moment of Zen: we were surrounded by sea, sun and sky, but few people, and spent old-fashioned, companionable time together.

This, for me, is luxury on a family holiday. Naxos does not have any of Greece’s most famous sites. It’s a place to test the waters, to linger on the sand, have a go at windsurfing, marvel over the mysteries of ancient ruins. But it is also not Greece lite; it’s a microcosm of the larger wonders.

It is, in fact, the perfect playground for a young god.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Author: Selly Peck

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