Naxos offers visitors a world to experience. This is especially true at Easter, the time of year that kick starts the pre-peak tourism season for the Greek islands. As the largest and greenest of the islands of the Cyclades, Naxos is an ideal Easter break destination offering travelers the opportunity to experience the rich traditions of the holiday, while taking advantage of the variety of things to see and do from the family-friendly, wholesome and adventurous, to the traditional, contemporary and jet set.
Here are five reasons to consider when thinking of taking an Easter holiday or Spring break:
#1 Value for Money: The visitor may expect value for money with accommodations and airfare generally at lower rates during this time.
#2 Experience local culture and traditions – Partake in the season’s festivities, religious celebrations and traditional culinary heritage unlike anywhere else as the aroma of Easter sweets such as the tsoureki (sweet Easter bread) and Small Cyclades specialties fill the air. This is your chance to taste the foods and dishes of Lent as well. Many of the islands’ villages have their own customs and recipes that are wonderful to discover and experience! On the island of Koufonissia, for example, after Easter Sunday, after mass on the Day of Agios Georgios (April 23rd) – the islands’ patron saint – a specially designated local person who has taken vows to the saint, makes the round of the island holding the icon while the local boats (caiques) accompany him, sailing along the coast. The procession ends at the village where a traditional feast with food and drink follows. Feasting is resumed in the local tavernas in the evening.
#3 Take your first swim – Often, if it’s warm enough, Easter is the time that many choose to take their first swim, so pack your bathing suit just in case.
#4 Stop and smell the flowers – The islands are in full bloom during this time and the herbs and shrubs mesmerize with their aromas. Naxos and Iraklia, are especially beautiful this time of year as they are brimming with exotic orchids!
#5 Ideal weather for hiking – The islands’ network of hiking and biking trails offer a chance to experience another part of the islands’ landscape. Many of these trails – on Naxos — include fascinating sites, ancient ruins, artifacts and temples, while revealing the island’s historic timeline beginning as far back as the 4th millennium:
Why not get a head start on summer and visit Naxos and the isles of the Small Cyclades in Spring?
