Discovering Naxos: One Week Off the Beaten Path Treasures

This was a dream vacation made reality–five stars!

We just returned from the most unforgettable two-week adventure through Greece, all thanks to the exceptional planning and care of Zicasso's travel operator and her team! From the moment we landed until our final farewell in Athens, every detail was flawlessly executed.

Our journey began in Crete, where we were welcomed by a warm, knowledgeable guide who brought Chania's rich history to life during all of our many activities. From touring the many villages to hiking Imbros Gorge to the Palace of Knossos, we felt immersed in the true spirit of Crete.

Next was Santorini, where the sunsets were just as magical as we’d hoped. Our stay was filled with stunning cliffside views, wine tastings, and personalized recommendations that made it feel like we were exploring the island with a local friend.

Naxos was an unexpected gem—less touristy, but bursting with charm. The tour guide here was particularly fantastic, taking us to authentic villages, ancient ruins, and serene beaches that felt like our own private paradise.

Our final days in Athens were the perfect ending to this epic journey. The historical sites were breathtaking and our guide’s passion for Greek history made every moment at the Acropolis and the museums feel deeply meaningful.

What truly set this experience apart was how responsive and supportive our agent and her team were throughout the trip. Any time we had a question—whether about transportation, recommendations, or small changes in plans—they replied quickly and helpfully, making us feel completely at ease and well cared for.

Throughout the trip, the logistics were seamless—beautiful accommodations, smooth transfers, and thoughtfully curated excursions. Every guide was not only professional and knowledgeable, but also incredibly kind and engaging. It felt like we were traveling with friends who truly cared about our experience.

We can’t thank our agent enough for crafting such a memorable and enriching vacation. Greece was always on our bucket list and now we’re already dreaming of our return!

Highly, highly recommended!

This was my husband’s and my first trip to Greece and, like any incredible country, it was so tough to decide what to see and do. Luckily, we found Zicasso's tour specialist and, suddenly, our dream trip became a reality. She worked with us for about a year to customize an itinerary that met all our needs, while introducing us to hidden gems we might never have discovered on our own.

We spent 11 unforgettable days exploring Athens, Delphi, Nafplio, and the island of Naxos. Each day was thoughtfully planned, offering a fantastic mix of excursions, dining experiences, and cultural activities. From touring breathtaking archaeological sites to indulging in cheese and olive tastings, taking an amazing cooking class, and visiting the Citron distillery, every experience was uniquely special. Despite the busy schedule, we still had plenty of time to wander, soak in additional sights, and relax on Naxos' stunning beaches.

What truly set this trip apart was the exceptional service. The drivers were friendly and polite, and our tour guides were so knowledgeable and so engaging, making us feel at home in each destination. Wherever we went, the guides enriched our experience with captivating insights and expertly answered all our questions. Their warmth and professionalism made us feel completely at ease.

Once we arrived in Greece, her team remained incredibly accessible. When a flight delay between Naxos and Athens Airport put our connection at risk, we reached out to her. She and her team immediately arranged for someone to meet us at the Athens airport, helping us navigate smoothly and ensuring we caught our flight.

They truly went above and beyond to ensure that our trip was fun, enriching and seamless! We highly, highly recommend this tour company.

The travel fairy at Zicasso's tour operator, as she called herself (and I felt it fit her well), certainly put together a magical trip to Greece for our group of four. We all had a fantastic vacation in Greece and were super-impressed and pleased with the staff at the travel company.

The connections for flights and ferries, as well as all of the transfers to and from our hotels and excursions, were seamless, which made for a stress-free vacation. The hotels they arranged for us ranged from old Venetian buildings in older parts of Athens and Heraklion to an upscale small resort in Naxos, as well as a fantastic hotel in Chania that overlooked the harbor. My husband and I loved every one, especially the resort in Naxos.

I highly suggest this travel company because they listened to our group's likes and dislikes to plan the perfect trip. Our trip consisted of Athens, Naxos, and two places on Crete, filled with two food tours, a boat trip, historical excursions to the Parthenon and Knossos, as well as excursions in nature to Imbros Gorge and Balos Beach. Any guide during these excursions was very knowledgeable.

We would change only the following two things. Naxos was so beautiful and we were all sad to leave and wish we could have added an extra day to just relax on the beach for a full day. So, my suggestion to anyone traveling to Greece would be to save at least one full day at one of the beautiful islands without an excursion.

The other thing we would change is to take a boat to Balos Beach instead of walking down to the beach. My husband is 80 years old and although he is in good shape, the hike was very steep and scary in some parts. As we were walking down to the beach, we loved the incredible vistas, but were also concerned about having to walk back up the equivalent of 66 flights of stairs. I say this just as a cautionary tale to really look into this walk before your trip. The views were hard to beat, but the walk was not easy.

Highlights of this trip included the hotel in Naxos (our resort on Plaka in Naxos), with super-friendly and helpful staff, private tour of Knossos and the museum, and the charming city of Chania. Greece is truly a beautiful country, with stunning vistas, beaches, historical sites, museums, and cute narrow streets filled with shops and restaurants.

Thank you for a vacation that will stay in our hearts forever.

If I could give 10 stars, I would. As an older woman traveling alone, I felt completely comfortable and well cared for throughout the trip, as if I were part of the family of the team at Zicasso's travel company. Every single detail of the complex and densely packed five days in Naxos and four in Athens unfolded perfectly. The travel specialist personally knew a number of the guides, drivers, and restaurateurs, and all spoke glowingly of this travel company.

From sharing honey with bees at a tiny apiary to touring the Acropolis with an archaeologist, to squeezing the whey out of cheese at a family farm and meeting the goats who provided the milk, to hiking from village to village with a guide who knew the name and medicinal use of every plant we passed, to learning to make phyllo dough, it was simply terrific! If you're thinking of visiting Greece, connect with this travel company and enjoy the trip of a lifetime.

Fabulous, Fantastic, Fun! We had an absolutely amazing 10 days traveling in Athens, Naxos, Santorini, and Crete. We were traveling with four 20somethings with varied interests. Zicasso's tour planner listened to my description of what we were looking for and created a masterpiece of a trip!

Zicasso's travel company made our bucket-list trip to Greece come to life! They organised all our tours and transportation, worked with us to provide activities that were in line with our interests, and even gave detailed information on suggested itineraries for our free days.

Some highlights included the walking tour(s) of Athens, our trip to see Santorini, and the best steak I have ever had at a beach hotel in Naxos! Our only suggestion is that we went on a day tour to Delos which was self-guided. There is so much history there though that a guided tour would have been helpful. I would definitely recommend booking your tour with them!