Agia Anna

 

    Agia (meaning Saint) Anna is the village where we stayed. It is right on the beach - 20 steps from Averil's front door, with its golden sand and clear blue water. In July and August, the height of the tourist season, it can be crowded and busy but for us we had plenty of room to enjoy it.  Many of the restaurants line the beach and it is a matter of being spoilt for choice.  Our favourite, Akrogali literally meaning where the sand meets the water, belongs to Averil's extended family, and we returned several times to enjoy their food. Our favourite dish was the Aubergine Special - stuffed in a similar manner to a moussaka.  On warm summer evenings many of the tables and chairs are on the sand and extending out from the restaurant itself.  

Aubergine special.

     

   

As well as dining out, Averil cooked for us.  The main meal is served mid afternoon and often its around 3pm.  Following their meal they still have a short rest or siesta before resuming their day's activities around 6pmish.     Many of the meals Averil cooks are vegetarian and our favourite would have to be stuffed the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants that are grown by Theopolis in his many veggie plots.  The meal also always includes some red wine, bread and a salad. A local yellow cheese was also often served.    

    Agia Anna has a small sheltered harbour that fishing boats, yachts and cruise boats use.  The very first time we visited Naxos, in 2001, we saw the 'rock shark'. It is still there but someone has added some added features.    

  The roads in the area are very narrow but motor bikes and cars seems to get down them all. The buses use the main road and even it is narrow by NZ standards. Add a mix of pedestrians and it is a wonder there aren't a lot of accidents. Evidently they are few and far between.  

  Agia Anna is only busy in the summer months. Even during the week we were staying the tourist numbers had reduced dramatically and so the businesses started closing down.  By the middle of October it becomes a ghost town.  Averil and her family are one of only a few who live out there all year round and they find it very quiet. But come June they will all return for another busy season.  

  If you are ever intending to visit the Greek Islands make sure you put Naxos, and Agia Anna on your list. We think it is the perfect place for a holiday. Averil even has accommodation - four very comfortable apartments.     

Our room at Ave's while we stayed.

   

The view from our balcony.

    PS. I wrote this post on the ferry on our journey home but had no wifi to post it!!