Naxos is a relatively large island, in fact the largest of the Cycladic islands. This is my third time here but I’ve never had the opportunity to venture around.

I decided to rent a car for the day and drive the island. I arranged it last night and honestly it felt a bit overwhelming to imagine driving around by myself. Some of the streets are just barely big enough for one car, let alone two. The roads are winding and bumpy. But…it must be done.

At breakfast a woman is kind enough to share a table, soon after her husband joins and we begin to share travel info. They are from Perth Australia and have just arrived in Naxos as well. The rental car agent comes to the table (this is typical in Greece, they deliver the car to you), and the couple mentions that they are too nervous to drive on the “wrong” side of the road. Perfect for me, we agree to explore together. Debbie will help navigate, Daniel will support. We jam into our tiny clown car and off we go.

We head down the coast to see Naxos’ most famous beaches. These beaches are long and sandy, rare for Greece. Some are organized and some are “natural”. But all of them are beautiful

A trip inland takes us to a church built in the year 1000, said to be one of the oldest in Europe. It’s tiny but impressive.

A final stop takes us back to Plaka Beach where we swim and watch the sunset.

I’m so grateful for the company and new friends made today. We share stories about travel (their stop in Dubai looked spectacular), about life and family. These are the gifts of travel.

An evening stroll in town to finish the day. These Greek towns with their winding narrow streets never get old. I share an Aperol drink with a boutique owner and love the vibe.

You never know what all might happen in a day in Greece….