8 Reasons to Visit Naxos with your Kids this Summer

Traditionally, kids count the days to summer vacation when the fun and excitement of  family holiday travel begins… This year, more than ever, Summer 2021 offers  a much needed bright spot in this unprecedented pandemic year when both children and parents have been restricted to virtual learning and working from home. The all-inclusive resort hotel vacation, providing children’s activities, often in limited space, is no longer a first choice. Another matter of concern is the practical issues of  traveling with children, which do matter,  in the current travel reality. Naxos offers a warm welcome and many advantages for every family member to enjoy an exceptional holiday.

 Visiting Naxos island in Greece is a great option for the following reasons:

• Accommodation is convenient and reasonably priced – Most hotels and vacation rentals have family rooms with extra single beds, extra double beds and rooms which interconnect. Moreover, baby gear such as booster seats and cradles are usually made available, on request. 

• No need to carry disposable baby equipment – Naxos is a family island and many locals are raising babies of their own. There are supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies where you can find everything you need, such as diapers, baby tissues, baby shampoo and pacifiers.

• Excellent quality food and the fun of eating- out ‘Greek Style’– Greek food is very healthy and kids friendly. Especially on Naxos, which doesn’t attract mass tourism but repeater family visits, the quality of food at local restaurants is really outstanding. Very fresh, locally -produced ingredients are used, such as meat, fish and all kinds of vegetables. Children love creamy yoghurt with fruits for breakfast and, to their delight, we recommend homemade specialties for lunch or dinner including crispy fries, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, basis of the Greek Salad, “pastitsio” (similar to Italian lasagna), “keftedakia” (small meat balls), “kalamarakia” (fried squid) and many other traditional dishes. Furthermore,  sea side tavernas are expected to be noisy and ‘ messy’ is viewed as part of the fun so there are no best-behavior rules. Some tavernas even have a special playground for young travelers.

• Locals love children – including yours! Naxos is known as a family summer destination both for Greeks and travelers. The local culture is deeply family oriented which is the main reason why many Greek families choose to spend their summer vacations on the island. So your little ones will never get disapproving looks but will be showered with genuinely affectionate smiles!

• Plenty of beaches ideal for young explorers– The Greek islands are not surrounded by the open ocean but the calmer waters of the Aegean Sea. Practically, this means that, when enjoying the beach, near the shore, there are no tides, no currents, no dangerous creatures lurking underwater and usually no waves. Instead there are clear, clean, calm and refreshing waters during the summer months. In addition, the many different types of beaches offer a variety of choices for swimming and fun including organized beaches with sunbeds and umbrellas, sandy stretches along shallow waters ideal for toddlers, some with fine sand, which is perfect for building sandcastles, or coarser sand which shakes off more easily. Of course, there are beautiful pebble beaches and coves, great for skipping stones in the water and more.

• There are no bedtime rules– Part of being on a vacation is to relax and do things differently than at home, right? We encourage travelers to mingle with local kids playing late into the evening and eating ice cream! You don’t have to look for a playground, there are car free alleyways and squares where your kids can make local friends and have a great time.

• There are cute animals which also call Naxos home. On Naxos, as in all the Cycladic islands, there are friendly stray cats taken care of by kind locals and the Naxos Animal Protection Society. If you decide to leave the seaside and explore inland Naxos, you will have the chance to see local livestock, such as goats, sheep, cows, donkeys and horses.

• Opportunity to join educational cultural experiences that your kids will love– Naxos has a long history spanning more than 7,000 years. If you love engaging with the local history of the place you’re visiting and wish to open cultural horizons for your children (which is basically one of the main values of travelling), Naxos is an ideal place to explore the Greek Civilization. Greek mythology still lives on at the island’s archaeological sites and in the surrounding nature. Ideally, before reaching Naxos, spend one day in Athens to visit the Acropolis with its museum, get your kids an engaging book about Greek mythology and it will all come to life.

If you wish to enhance your children’s traveling experience with some cultural insights, contact Naxos Cultural Tours (www.naxosculturaltours.gr) for an inquiry on the Kids Friendly Tours available, including visits to historical sites, mythological explorations and nature cultural walks!