Greek Nougat

I love stopping in grocery stores when I travel overseas. I love to see what the locals like to eat. We found this nougat in one of the local stores. It cost €1.90. 

Nougat with almonds between 2 sheets of rice paper. I thought it was a little bland but it was a nice chew. My husband and I fought over the few almonds in it.

2015 05 28

Around the Island of Naxos

To see the rest of the island, we needed a car. There were several car rental locations in town and we just walked from one to the next and asked about availability. We chose Auto Tour and got a manual car with a sunroof for €25. The fuel tank was empty and we filled it with 8 liters (just a little over 2 gallons) for €13.50. It was enough for us to see the whole island.

We drove north to Apollonas, a seaside village. 

Apollonas had tavernas lining the waterfront that apparently served great seafood. We were too early to have lunch though.

On a hillside near Apollonas was a kouros, a large marble statue from the 7th century BC. There were no ropes protecting this and you could walk all around it. This was very crudely made.

After seeing the kouros, we drove inland to Apiranthos. This small village was adorable. There were only a couple streets but they were pedestrian-only. 

Because cars are not allowed in the town, donkeys transport goods to the stores and restaurants in town.

Towns on Naxos are linked by footpaths. From Apiranthos, it takes 1 hour 50 min to Moni and 1 hour 40 min to Sifones. Just follow the red & white #8 signs for these routes.

2015 05 28

Breakfast at the Bakery

We didn't get breakfast at the Magic View so we walked into town and found a bakery.

The bakery was on the waterfront.

Spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie) for  €1.85. I'm used to spanakopita with thin flaky phyllo. The filling was nice but I thought the pastry was too thick here.

Kataifi and baklava-- €1.95 each. We saved these for a later dessert. The kataifi is made with angel hair pasta but unfortunately this tasted rancid. The baklava was delicious and the honey was just the right amount of sweet.

2015 05 28

Dinner on the Waterfront

We were lured by the octopus and the touts on the waterfront to have dinner.

Octopus hung out to dry.

Grilled calamari with rice and salad--€8, including a glass of wine.

Fried flounder with mashed potatoes, French fries, salad, olives, wine for €7.50.

2015 05 27

Thursday Night Dinner

Here's last night's dinner at Flavor Bistro.

Gamberoni Con Couscous--Grilled Marinated Jumbo Prawns Served with Olive-Herb Couscous & Persian Cucumber Salsa, paired with 2013 Calera Wine Company Chardonnay, Central Coast

Stortini E Fagioli--Organic Italian Macaroni Cooked with Toy Box Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans, Sweet Basil, Garlic & Pecorino Romano, paired with 2012 St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Old Vines Zinfandel, Sonoma

Agnello Alla Griglia--Grilled Marinated Lamb Loin Chop Served in Stufato Di Verdure with Garlic-Herb Brodetto & Creamy Polenta, paired with 2012 Preston Farm & Winery Petite Sirah, Estate Bottled (Organic), Dry Creek Valley

Crostata Di Pesca--"Peach Pie" Garnished with Toasted Almond Gremolata & Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, paired with 2010 Novy Family Wines 'Oley' Late Harvest Viognier , Russian River Valley

2015 07 02

Naxos

Although Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades, it was so much quieter than Mykonos. It was a breath of fresh air. There were just enough tourists to keep the shops open but not so many that it was hard to walk around.

From our apartment/hotel, we walked down the hill and into the town of Naxos. It took less than 10 minutes. We passed the Temple of Apollo, which was built on the edge of town, facing the water.

View of Naxos town from Temple of Apollo.

Orthodox Cathedral in town.

Nearby were the remains of the old town of Naxos, dating from the 13th-11th century BC. I can't even imagine something that old.

Old Market--pedestrian only streets lined with shops, restaurants and galleries. It was a maze of alleys.

Wandering around the town of Naxos--beautiful bougainvillea-draped houses. Walk uphill to reach the Kastro district--where the Roman Catholics lived. Walk downhill to get back to the sea and the Bourgos, where the Greeks lived.

2015 05 27-28

Magic View, Naxos

I booked the Magic View in Naxos the day before we arrived. I used Expedia and chose the apartment/hotel based on the reviews. The hotel owner met us at the port, even though the hotel was only 300 m from the port.

Magic View, located in a residential neighborhood, had 15 rooms. It took us less than 10 minutes to walk to town. Parking is limited at the hotel but there was a large free lot 5 minutes away. 

The room was clean, spacious and had a little kitchenette. Breakfast was not included. WiFi was free but it was touchy. We had to point our computer at the balcony where the router was located. My other complaint was that there was no hook for the shower head so I had to hold the shower head.

The best part of the room was the private balcony with amazing sea views. I couldn't believe we got all this for only €29/night.

View of the Temple of Apollo from our room.

2015 05 27