Antiparos, Paros and Naxos

Antiparos

We sailed over to Antiparos and anchored in the bay outside the small town. Antiparos is very quiet at this time of the year, so we only found a bakery, a supermarket, and a couple of tourist shops open.

We put the dinghy at the beach where we found theese two geese sleeping. Think about if you can sleep while standing!

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We walked around in this small town, with narrow cosy streets

Clean and a lot of flowers everywhere

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After a visit to the bakery and supermarket and having an icecream we sailed further on to the “mother” island, Paros. We came in right before sunset so we anchored in the bay in front of Livadia and had a quiet evening in the boat.

We were surprised it was many boats in the bay, but the day after we realised most of the boats were laying there for the winter.

A beautiful sunset from the boat

In the morning we took the dinghy ashore and parked it together with all the local small boats.

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Big ferries are going between the islands all year

A nice old windmill

Paros had one of the cities with open shops and there were a lot of people

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The castle rebuild of old stones from acient castle

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I did some shopping!!

This shop was closed so we couldn`t go inside to check out if someone spoke Norwegian (it says on the note “we have more inside”)

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The Holy Church of Virgin Mary

The original church was constructed in the 4th century A.D. and was a three-aisled basilica. In the 6th century A.D., the Byzantine Emperor Justinian made reformations to the church and added a dome. More reformations were performed through centuries and today the church is a complex of Paleochristian, Byzantine and post-Byzantine elements. Considering that the first Christians used to build their churches with parts of the ancient temples, this church also has marble parts from antiquities located in Paros.

The name Ekatontapiliani means the Church with the Hundred Doors. According to tradition, the church has 99 doors and a secret door will open when the church of Hagia Sofia in Constantinople will be Orthodox again. The entire complex of Ekatontapiliani comprises the main church of Virgin Mary with the internal chapels of Agios Anargiros, Agios Philippos and Osia Theoktisti (who loved and died in this monastery in the 9th century A.D.). Outside the main church, there are the chapels of Agios Nikolaos, Agia Theodosia, and Agios Dimitrios. In the yard of the monastery, there is also a baptistery and the cells of the monks.

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After eating pita gyros for lunch we were ready to sail to the north of Paros. It would come some wind in wrong direction here in Livadia Bay, so we decided to go to Ormios Agiou Ioannou

It is not a long distance, but with the wind in front it took a while. We almost got the sunset before we arrived the bay.

The lighthouse – we walked over there the next evening

Paros Park

It was only one another boat in the bay when we arrived, and it was a lot of space. We had a good night sleep in the boat. On this peninsula you will find Paros Park with a lot of hiking opportunities. We started the next day with a morning walk.

Our boat in the bay. It is a marina on land and in the middle of the photo it is a monastery

The trail went northwest along the bay

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After a while we went over to the west side of the peninsula.

A lot of different rock formations

On the outside of the peninsula it should be a arch/cave we wanted to see. But it was no marked trail there.

A lots of rocks and a bit of climbing

It was hard for me to come down to the opening of the arch, but it went well and I could take my photos!

Here I am sitting right under the arch

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On the way down we walked on the top of the arch, but on the way back it was better to walk up where you can see me. It doesn`t seem steep, but it was!

Then we continue around the peninsula

We had a plan to hike to the other part of the peninsula as well but after our visit to the arch my shoes became wet, and we also thought it could be a nice sunset hike to the lighthouse

Back to the dinghy we found a cat, and he wanted some company. We gave him some water.

After lunch in the boat we were ready for a new hike to the other part of the park. Look at that view!! Only us in the bay and it is so quiet. You can see Naoussa town on the other side of the bay. We didn`t went there this time.

Ashore we found this amazing chair

and an amfi theater. We guess this is not an ancient one, but from newer date.

Good signs all over!

And good trails!

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A nice small bridge. When building the trails, K. Zarokostas, who was responsible for the design, had to cross a passage flooded with water. Giannis Koulianos, a ship engineer, photographer, intelligent craftsman, commited to the Park’s endeavor since the beginning, undertook the construction of a small bridge with stones collected in the area. 

And a special rock formation

We are looking back to the bay where Felizia are anchored, the town, and the marina

A nice place to have a rest if you need!

This is on the westcoast and it is not far away from the lighthouse

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Rocks park

You can read more about this trails on Parospark.com

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We woke up early the next morning and had a beautiful sunrise. We hoisted the anchor and motorsailed over to the neighbour island Naxos. It was so quiet in the morning!

Naxos

I was on Naxos back in 2004 and I was really happy to come back here. We anchored in the bay right outside the town, on the south side of the Temple of Apollon, one of the “must see” on Naxos. In the summertime it can be a lot of boats anchoring here, but for many days now in November, we stayed alone.

We took the dinghy to the small beach in the bay and went ashore to explore the narrow streets in Chora

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The marina is right in the front of the town

We walked over to Agios Georgios Beach, where I stayed at Nissaki hotel in 2004 together with friends. Here you have to walk 100 meters before you can swim, it is very shallow (so it is not a place to anchor)

The Nissaki hotel has a great location right to the beach, and the hotel has been renovated since we were there. It was closed for the winter so we couldn`t go inside.

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We have eaten a lot of Pita Gyros the last weeks. It is very cheap, costs between 2,50 EUR (Albania) to 3,80 EUR in Greece. Most of Pita Gyros you will find with chicken or pork. Here on Naxos they had different varieties, like this Pita Gyros Carbonara. It was very tasty! Very cheap lunch, and also dinner, and enough food to fill you up.

The public boats arrives many times a day, from different islands.

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Chora/Naxos town in the sunset

Temple of Apollo in sunset

Chora from Temple of Apollo

In summertime you can see the sunset through this monument, but at that time is also crowded with too much people.

We asked a guy to take some photos of us

Temple of Apollo and Chora

After the sunset, which is too early at this time of the year, around 17.00, we walked to Chora

So many nice details around

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But not much people to see

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I found on google The Souvlaki of Makis, and decided to go there for dinner. This is a double pita and the prices here are unbeatable, we paid only 15 EUR for this double pita, a glas of wine (a big one) and a bear. You can`t get it cheaper than that. It was also enough food, and we took 1/4 of it for lunch next day.

We had a plan for next day, renting a car and do some hiking. But when we woke up, Astor found water in the bilge. Had to empty the boat for water (about 100 liters of seawater) and find where it came from. It came in only when the engine was running and found a leaking anti siphon valve. After cleaning the valve it was working fine again.

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In the evening we went ashore to eat dinner and we found an italian restaurant. And we picked up the car we had rented. We should rent it from the morning, but because of the water-case we couldn`t go anywhere.

Had a Hawaii-pizza. This was a small one and we shared it, it was enough food!

Mount Zas (Zeus) 1003 masl

The next morning we took the car and drove up to the village Filoti and further up to the parking spot for Mount Zeus.

We wanted to hike to the highest mountain on Naxos, and also in the islands of Cyclades. Mount Zeus are 1003 masl and it is 5 km to go from the parking spot on almost 500 masl. The parking spot is small, so the best thing to do is to drive up and turn around like this car. Then it is easier to start driving when you are back from the hike.

Already from the parking spot you will got an amazing view

And already at the beginning of the trail you can see the top of Mount Zeus

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Good signs, red marks or rock cairns.

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The first part of the trail is like this with marble rocks, makes it easy to walk. But from here it is more steep, it`s rocky, and sometimes you have to use your hands to “climb”

A part of the trail is pritty steep, but it is easy to see where to go

Zeus cave

After 20 minutes from Aria Springs (photoes in the end of this post), where the trail starts, you will arrive at Zeus cave, where Zeus grow up. It is possible to go inside but you need a flashlight or another good light. The cave is at the altitude of 630 meters.

There was a lot of goats nearby the cave. Some of them were more curious than others

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According to the Greek mythology, God Zeus was raised here as he found shelter in the cave while he was prosecuted by his father, Kronus. Afterward, it was here that he was given the mighty lighting that made him ruler of Olympus and to honor him, the Naxians named the mountain as well as cave after him.

The cave was first explored in 1962 and the excavations carried out in 1985-1986 and 1994 brought to light artifacts dating from the Neolithic to the Classical and Roman eras. Many of these are on display at the Naxos Archaeological Museum.

It features large chambers that stretch up to 11m in length, an impressive interior decor with large stalactites and stalagmites, as well as rare stone formations.

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After the cave there will be some climbing in the trail with big rocks. You will come to this sign where you shall go to the left, this is right before the wall of the mountain. Someone wrote at this point it was difficult to follow the trail, but it is not!

From the trail you will have an amazing view over Naxos island

After the worst part of the trail to Mount Zeus

An amazing view from the trail to Mount Zeus

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We are close to the top of Mount Zeus!

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We came from down there!

Me on the top of Mount Zeus!

Us on the top of Mount Zeus on a beautiful but windy day!

This view from the top of Mount Zeus

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There are two different trails to the top of Mount Zeus. We came from the left, but you can also hike from Aghia Marina. That trip is 7 km with 300 meters of elevation gain, and this is an easier hike.

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A wild saffron flower

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Some places it is nice to use your hands

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At this time of the year it is shadow on the beginning of the trail. It was a bit windy the day we went there so we could wish more sun, but if it was sun we would have it directly in our eyes, so it was perfect like it was. When we came down again it was sunny and warm.

You will see a lot of lizards on the way. Most of them are small, but this one was quite big

Aria spring (fontaine) in the beginning of the trail. It was better to take photos when we came back because of the sun. You can drink this water, but we didn`t.

There are also a pool with some koi.

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From the road to the parking spot you will have a nice view to the village Filoti.

Next week we will do one hiking more on Naxos before we continue east. It is still good temperature and nice weather!