Day Trip to Koufonisia & The Small Cyclades (Or Delos & Mykonos Boat Cruise)

Because Naxos sits at the geographical crossroads of the central Aegean, its harbour is the launchpad for two of the best one-day island-hopping adventures in Greece: sailing south-east to the untouched turquoise lagoons of Koufonisia (in the Small Cyclades), or sailing north-west to UNESCO-listed Delos and Mykonos.

1. Day Trip to Pano Koufonisi (The Small Cyclades, 40 Mins by Catamaran)

Protected inside the marine triangle between the southern coast of Naxos and the rugged cliffs of Amorgos lie the four tiny islands of the Small Cyclades (Mikres Kyklades): Iraklia, Schinoussa, Donoussa and Koufonisia. The star of the group, Pano Koufonisi, is so small (just 3.5 square kilometres) and flat that you do not need a car, bus or taxi, you walk the entire coastal cliff footpath from the port to its four neon-turquoise beaches in 45 minutes:

• How to Get There from Naxos: board the morning high-speed catamaran (SeaJets, 35 to 40 mins), the daily excursion cruiser from Naxos Port (which often pairs 4 hours on Koufonisi with a swimming stop at Rina Sea Cave on Naxos's wild south-eastern coast), or the legendary local lifeline ferry Express Skopelitis.
• The 45-Minute Coastal Walk (Ammos → Finikas → Italida → Piscina → Pori): step off the boat onto the blinding-turquoise port beach of Ammos (where fishing boats look as if they are levitating in mid-air over the white sand), then follow the flat coastal path east past Finikas and Italida (Platia Pounta) to the natural circular rock swimming hole of To Mati tou Diavolou / Piscina ("The Devil's Eye / Natural Pool") and the vast horseshoe lagoon of Pori Beach.

2. The Combined Delos & Mykonos Day Cruise (Tuesdays to Sundays)

If you are not staying separately on Mykonos, licensed day-cruise vessels (such as Naxos Star / Alexander) depart Naxos Port around early in the morning to early in the morning and sail directly to the archaeological pier of UNESCO-listed Delos Island (giving you 3 hours to walk the Terrace of the Lions and Mount Kynthos), followed by 3 hours ashore in Mykonos Town (Chora) for Little Venice and the Kato Mili windmills before returning to Naxos in the early evening.