Day 6: Exploring Naxos – Plaka Beach, Agia Anna

I woke up feeling rested after a great night’s sleep, ready to make the most of the day. Breakfast at the hotel was a bit underwhelming—a limited selection and somewhat stale bread—but I didn’t let that dampen my spirits. I decided to catch the bus to Plaka Beach, one of the island’s main beach spots just a few kilometres south of the capital. Naxos has a unique bus system where you buy a ticket before boarding—thanks to my friends, I knew this in advance. Otherwise, I might’ve been one of those people I saw scrambling off to grab a ticket at the last minute!

The bus ride took me to the final stop about halfway down Plaka’s long stretch of golden sand. I started walking south to explore, hoping to find the perfect spot to relax and soak up the sun. After reaching nearly the end of the beach, I backtracked and settled at Misha Beach Bar, a quiet little spot about two-thirds down the shoreline. It had a free sun lounger waiting, and as the morning passed, the place started to fill with other beachgoers, mostly guests from nearby apartments and hotels tucked away off the sand.

Looking south and north on Plaka Beach. Most of the beach was very quiet and as it’s such a long stretch of sand there’s plenty of room for everyone.

I enjoyed a cold beer at the bar, then packed up and set off north along the beach toward Agia Anna.

By lunchtime, I was hungry and stopped at Manolis Tavern at Maragas, just north of Plaka. I ordered a burger that seemed fine at the time, though in hindsight, it might’ve been the culprit behind some trouble later on…

Lunch at Manolis: great view, not so sure about the burger!

Afterwards, I wandered along Agia Anna Beach before catching a bus back to Naxos Town. I’d had plenty of sun for the day, so back at the hotel, I relaxed in my room and took a nap. When I woke around 5 pm, I started feeling a bit off. I figured it might just be mild sunstroke from a long morning in the sun, so I bought a few bottles of water at the hotel bar and began rehydrating.

Took way too many sunset photos, these two are my favourites.

Later that evening, I met up with my friends in Naxos Town to catch the sunset at Apollo’s Gate. We arrived just in time to watch the sun dip into the horizon—a beautiful, tranquil sight that makes you forget everything else. After snapping some photos, we headed to a nearby taverna for dinner. Unfortunately, my appetite had vanished; I only managed a slice of bread while my friends ate, and soon I was feeling even worse. I made it back to the hotel, but nausea kept me up, and sleep didn’t come easily.

Looking back, I suspect it was a mix of sunstroke and mild food poisoning. Sunstroke usually passes with some water and shade, but this lingering nausea and loss of appetite felt different. While I can’t say for sure, that burger at Manolis seems the most likely cause, as breakfast had only been bread and butter. Not the evening I’d planned, but I hoped a good night’s rest would set me right for tomorrow’s adventures.