Greek Island Holidays

Petrino Studios - Abrami, Naxos, Greece

Abrami* is about fifteen minutes‚ drive from the main town of Naxos and about twenty-five minutes drive from Naxos airport. A sleepy hamlet, it lies above a quiet bay and consists of a seaside taverna, a scattering of local houses and the Petrino* (House of Stone) Studios.

* (Petrino rhymes with "eskimo" and Abrami rhymes with "pastrami")

Petrino Studios is a group of just seven units - most with stunning sea views and big verandas.

All studios have kitchenette, private shower and toilet.

The studios are owned and run by the friendly and hospitable Sophia and her husband Yannis. Sophia herself (who speaks virtually no English but has daughters who do) is an excellent cook. She is always busy in the kitchen and prepares Greek meals daily using mostly organic vegetables and herbs, many from her own garden and from the hillsides. Local farmers and shepherds supply her with cheese, fresh milk and eggs.

Within five minutes‚ walk is a sandy beach where the sea is crystal clear. Ten minutes‚ drive away is the village of Apollon (named after a nearby ancient unfinished statue of Apollo). At Apollon there is a large sandy beach and a range of tavernas and shops (amongst which the jewellery shops are well worth a look).

Naxos is a relatively large Aegean island (about 22 miles by 16 miles) and car-hire is readily available for those keen to see more of it. A daily bus, which follows a route around the island, stops very nearby. Taxis are available (Sophia keeps an eye on their tariffs).

The mountainous centre of Naxos provides interesting walking and there are a number of mapped walking routes.

There are notable beaches south of the main town including Aghia Anna with its sandy beach, sunshades and various tavernas and Mikri Vigla where there is a very long sandy beach and water sports available nearby.

There are daily boat excursions around the island and one-day cruises to and from various nearby islands like Koufonisia, Delos, Mykonos etc.

Travel

There is a small airport on Naxos and it is possible to take a short connecting flight from Athens to Naxos. Some people think of having to make a connecting flight as an inconvenience. However, experience suggests that much of the charm of those islands where a full-length runway has been constructed has been sacrificed in favour of tourism. We view the prospect of such a development on Naxos with some trepidation.

Alternatively you may prefer to fly to Athens and travel on to Naxos by sea from Pireaus (the port of Athens) or Rafina which is nearer Athens airport. "Catamarans" or "Flying Cats" take around 3 to 4 hrs for the journey (around £30 return per person, but 5 to 7% more in the high season. Telephone 00 301 419 9000 for more info.

You could stay overnight at a hotel in Athens (near the Acropolis) or Piraeus for around £40 per night for a double room and breakfast. Ask us for more details.

More About Naxos

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades. In early times, rich in vines and famous for its wine, it was a centre for the worship of Bacchus. (The god found Ariadne asleep on its shore when she was deserted by Theseus).

The sculptors of Naxos were important in early Greek art; unfinished statues are still to be seen in the quarries, notably the colossal one in Apollon Bay in the north-east. On an island just of Hora (the main town) are the remains of a temple, believed to be dedicated to Dionysus.

From the thirteenth to the sixteenth century Naxos was a Venetian duchy. Later it was incorporated incorporated into the Turkish empire until the early nineteenth century. In the village of Galanado, six kilometres inland from Hora towards the mountainous heart of the island, there is a Venetian tower and the church of St John is a place of worship for both the Orthodox and Catholic faiths.

Naxos is rich in fruit trees and exports potatoes, wine and olive oil but its most important product is emery for the abrasives industry. A particular speciality of the island is a liqueur called Citron made from the fruit of the same name. In the village of Halki, sixteen kilometres from Hora, there is an old traditional Citron distillery along with beautiful old mansions and Byzantine churches.

Beyond Halki lies the village of Apiranthos which is known as "the marble village" and which boasts three museums - one devoted to archaeology, one to geology and one to folk-art.

Please email to arrange a booking.