From my notes: 12 June 2022. A day at the beach. We take the bus from Chora to Agios Prokopios Beach. We search along the endless row of sun beds, all perfectly lined-up like soldiers:





15 Euros and only for customers. 10 Euros only for food customers. 15 Euros if you have drinks and only for customers. 20 for non-customers. And so we walk on beyond these offers looking for something better. At last we find it – really comfortable sun beds, front row by the water, only 10 Euros no strings attached. So of course with this kind of generosity we actually want to eat at the host restaurant across the road.





A lovely long slow walk along the beach in the warm shallows, 


Photo by Don Read




then lying on the sun bed listening to the waves, a much needed slow lazy day. Soaking up the sun, blue water, blue sky, lapping waves, eyes closed, a day of rest.





Lunch is fabulous – Greek salad with the usual huge chunk of feta, tzatziki, whole grilled calamari, fresh bread.





Then back to the beach for more resting and relaxing. Aaaaaaaahhhhhh.

Agios Prokopios Beach: a bit less than six kilometres from Chora; an easy bus ride away for only 60 cents; several kilometres of soft golden sand and bright turquoise waters; natural luminous beauty; the feel of a giant swimming pool; the 2nd most popular beach on Naxos. It’s obvious why. Looking in one direction,





and the other.





In between walking and lazing and lunching I take a few photos of the other people at the beach. Beach holidays – always such a joyous time.


























Two days later we pay for our accommodation at Studios Stratos (one of the best deals in Greece at under 40 Euros a night), put our luggage into storage, and walk to Agios Georgios, the local town beach, and hang out until it’s time to get the evening ferry to Milos. Everybody knows it, I’m sure, but Greece has beaches to swoon over. Just by standing on a beach in the Cyclades the shoulders relax, the heart opens, and a smile slowly emerges until it’s a full-on grin. There’s a sad little city beach in Split, Croatia (sorry Croatia). Split has much to recommend it, but the beach is not it. The city beach in Chora is a whole other thing. Looking towards the town,





and in the opposite direction, is a golden sand beach that extends for several kilometres.





Once again we find sun beds for 10 Euros each and laze the time away, paddling, walking, and people watching. Everyone on this beach, it seems, has more energy than we do, but it’s fun to watch them at it.
































This is more our speed:








I watch these four boys for a long time. The freedom, the sheer happiness, the unfettered play, the delight in each other and their activity, the complete lack of inhibition; all that matters is the moment. Their lightness-of-being comes flying through the air, and I catch it. Sheer joy. The little girl in pink wanders by completely oblivious.














At last it is time to collect our things, walk back to Studios Stratos for our cases, and head to the ferry terminal. We will spend this night on Milos.

Naxos is ringed with beautiful beaches, robed in rich farmland, and dotted with Venetian towers and over 200 Byzantine churches. There’s a mountainous interior with caves, and springs, and traditional villages, all easily reachable by a good road system. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the most popular of the Cycladic Islands – it has much to offer without losing its essential Greek flavour. Unlike Santorini (which has its attractions, and a trip to the Cyclades really should include a couple of days there) Naxos remains true to itself. And the beaches are fabulous.








Next post: Milos – our favourite of the three Cycladic islands that we visited.






All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2023.