Island visits to Paros & Naxos in the Cycladic Islands of Greece
As the sun rose this morning all was quiet aboard the Panorama. She rested at anchor at the Northwest end of Naoussa Bay on the north end of Paros Island. Plans for our morning were very relaxed. After the customary delicious breakfast, two Zodiacs were lowered and all the necessary items for a morning at the beach were either loaded or towed ashore to a small, quiet and very secluded beach. We were offered an option to take a two-mile hike to a local lighthouse, or we could kayak, swim or just simply take in the magnificent views of the Aegean Sea and the surrounding area of Paros Island. A large group of intrepid hikers headed up the slope behind the beach making their way along a well marked trail surrounded on both sides with many stages of blooming plants. Kayakers were briefed and headed out into the clear, turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, while a small group remained on shore enjoying a comfortably warm rest in the late spring sun of Greece.
Hikers encountered a diverse and beautifully rich botanical world that included several pollinators. Bees and butterflies had begun their morning dance among the blooming flowers. At the top of the first ridge hikers found a view across a narrow section of Paros Island, with a lighthouse at the top of the next ridge. Photos were taken and then our group of hikers went down and up again reaching their destination of a large rock outcropping just behind the lighthouse. The whole Aegean Sea lay at the base of our view from Paros Island with the islands of Naxos, Mykonos and Delos in the distance. Returning along the same trail a few stops were made for photos before arriving back on our landing beach where a swim or a chance to kayak were definitely choices to round out a lovely morning. All too soon, we were called back to the Panorama to continue to our way to our afternoon destination of Naxos Island.
In preparation for our afternoon visit and the up and coming days, our two Greek guides gave a brief history of the Cycladic Islands. This remarkable archipelago has some of the longest human history in Greece and we had just begun to understand just how much there was to learn about the many civilizations and cultures that have touched these islands of Greece.
The Panorama pulled into Naxos harbor and town at approximately 2:30pm. This is the largest of the Cycladic Islands and as such offers a chance to see the inland territory and its people. Traveling by bus we left Naxos town and headed inland to the small village of Damalás. Within a short walk we were able to visit a well-preserved community olive press and an adjacent pottery factory. The potter’s family was all present and the studio and pottery production area were located in the middle of an ancient olive grove. As soon as we had an opportunity to make a few purchases and briefly explore the olive grove it was time to return to the Panorama.
Driving back to Naxos town and the harbor our guides regaled us with Greek legend and myth bringing in all the many cultures that had called this island home. Once we had delivered our packages on board, we met outside dividing into two groups, walked around the harbor and headed into the Venetian Kastro, situated in the center of and at the summit of the capitol town of the island of Naxos. Winding our way around and up through the narrow streets our guides brought us to one of the three main entrances to the inner part of the Kastro. Each group stopped at the Northwest entrance or the Trani Porta where the original wooden door survives to this day. Once inside the Venetian Kastro, our wanderings continued to take us through narrow streets with a short top at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, which was built at the beginning of the thirteenth century. Behind the alter is a beautiful icon of the Virgin and Child. This icon is one of the oldest in Greece and perhaps the only example of an icon which shows the Virgin standing alone, in full figure, carrying the infant Jesus Christ. Art historians attribute the icon to the eleventh or twelfth century, a period called the Iconoclastic. As we sat in the pews of this small church listening to its history an elderly Greek lady came forward and reaching up turned the icon to reveal it was double sided with St. John the Baptist on its reverse side. Interestingly, this icon is said to have always been in this location and under the protection of the people of Naxos Island.
As the sun moved towards sunset we found ourselves back in the harbor watching as the light began to change towards oranges and very soft reds reflecting off the white buildings of Naxos town and the waters of the harbor. Each island visited, showing its own character, its own history all threads in a fabric called Greece.
