What a delightful surprise and privilege to add an unscheduled island stop to our itinerary. The northerly Meltemi winds re-arranged plans at the beginning of our voyage, and today, we are in a position to explore Naxos. A bustling village greeted us with a labyrinthine maze of shops in the confusing Kastro. The Kastro theory worked, with its intent to confuse invaders. As harmless explorers, we found ourselves periodically circling back on previous routes. The tastes of Naxos were nothing short of delicious, from a taste of the citron fruit to a short visit to an old bakery that was just taking warm loaves out of the oven. We feasted on the sights and tastes of the largest island in the Cyclades and ended our day with the sounds of sea shanties drifting across the Aegean Sea.
6/18/2025
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Sea Cloud
Sifnos, Greece
Today’s port of call was Sifnos, a small island gem in the Cyclades. The captain took us to a nice little port, Platos Gialos. Two groups, Zeus and Apollo, went on a scenic drive to medieval Kastro. This town was built on a small hill as a castle, as the word Kastro suggests. As we walked the narrow streets, we were amazed by its charm. Cats invited us to pet them, and amazing views opened around every corner. Some of us went down to a small peninsula to see the picture-perfect Church of the Seven Martyrs while others immersed themselves in the town’s atmosphere. Our next stop was Kamares, a ferry port in a beautiful bay. We were treated to a selection of the best local food Sifnos can offer on a terrace by the beach. Photographers: Linda Burback and Ante Skracic