Naxos is the largest and most mountainous of the Cyclades Islands. The port has a Venetian fort and a long boardwalk of restaurants and cafes. A huge marble arch to an uncompleted temple overlooks the port from a nearby hill.
Another overlooked gem in the Aegean, Naxos is big, green and may have the best beaches in Greece. It's close to the popular islands of Mykonos, Ios, Paros and Santorini with frequent ferry connections. Lively harbor town with restaurants, cafes, clubs and shops. Rent a car and see the whole island. Beautiful valleys that are like paradise if you enjoy walking, particularly the area known as Tragaia. The best beach they say is at Plaka with other nice ones at Agios Yorgos, Agia Anna, Mikri Vigla, and Kastraki, any of which would be the prized beach on any other island. The fishing village of Apollon is a popular location for day trips, with good seafood restaurants and a giant unfinished statue of the God Apollo laying in the ancient marble quarries since 600bc. The ferry trip is about 8 hours from Athens and stops in Paros. There are daily connections to Mykonos, Ios and Santorini. There are also less frequent connections to Crete, the Dodekanese, Ikaria, Samos, Amorgos, the small Cyclades islands, Skiathos, Crete and Thessaloniki.