Beach

Iliada Sunset Suites Review: Best Boutique Hotel in Naxos

wareontheglobe 1 Comment

If you read my previous post, you know that Dan and I had a lovely stay at Iliada Sunset Suites during our time in Naxos last summer (July 2025). And by lovely, I really, really, really loved this boutique hotel. I found it quintessentially Greek and incredibly charming. This post reviews Iliada Sunset Suites in detail.

Beautiful pink flowers at Iliada Sunset Suites.

The view of the Mediterranean from Iliada Sunset Suites in Naxos, Greece.

ILIADA SUNSET SUITES LOCATION

Iliada Sunset Suites is located in Chora, or Naxos Town, in Naxos, Greece, which is the island’s main, and largest, town. It is set on a hill above Grotta Beach, offering stunning views of the heart of Naxos Town and the famous Portara (aka the Temple of Apollo). The area directly surrounding the hotel is comprised of other, small hotels/rentals and a hill/turned parking lot that tourists walk down to get to and from Chora (although there is a longer, less steep route, too). It’s location is pretty quiet, without much to immediately walk to. Lots of restaurants and shops are located in Chora’s heart, which is about a 5 – 10 minute walk from the hotel.

Iliada Sunset Suites is a classic blue and white Greek boutique hotel. .

Continue reading →

Naxos Itinerary: A Relaxed Greek Island Escape.

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

As you may know, last summer’s July 4 vacation took us back to Greece,this time to Crete and Naxos. I shared a lot about our time in Crete and how you can recreate it our trip for yourself, but I haven’t shared much about Naxos. And quite frankly, that is because I absolutely LOVED Naxos and simply cannot put into a blog post how much. We also didn’t do anything too touristy or fancy; we just relaxed and enjoyed the island. In this post, I will share what we did with our time in Naxos, including what we loved, what was meh (very little), and what I will do again. If you are considering Naxos as a vacation destination, I highly recommend it!

Chora, Naxos, Greece.

NAXOS ISLAND – LOCATION & GENERAL INFORMATION

The Cyclades are a group of famous Greek islands that are well know for being the “blue and white islands” made famous by the likes of Mama Mia and the legends of Santorini. The Cyclades are also home to the party-centric Mykonos and the recently popular Milos. Naxos is the largest of all the islands in the Cyclades. We have been to 5 of the Cyclades (Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Paros, and Naxos), and we love this island group.

Naxos, Greece on a map.

Continue reading →

Hotel Review: Domes Zeen Chania, Crete.

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

Dan and I spent a lovely and relaxing week just outside of Chania, Crete last July (2025). We stayed at Domes Zeen Chania, a Marriott Bonvoy property (making it ideal for those looking for point redemptions). While it is not in Chania proper, we had a wonderful stay at Domes Zeen Chania would easily return. This post details our stay at Domes Zeen Chania in July 2025.

Our private terrace at Domes Zeen Chania.

Pros of Domes Zeen Chania: Beautiful property, spacious rooms with excellent air conditioning, natural beauty, especially at sunset, possible to use Marriott Bonvoy points, American style mattresses (IYKYK).

Cons of Domes Zeen Chania: Lots of families with children, pricey compared to other hotels in the area, more Western International than Greek, located far from Chania town.

Sunset from the main pool at Domes Zeen Chania. The sunsets were consistently outstanding. 

THE DOMES ZEEN CHANIA PROPERTY

Domes Zeen Chania is located in greater Chania town – a 15 minute drive, or a 45 minute walk, from Chania’s famous Old Venetian Port. As it is outside of Chania, the hotel is somewhat secluded, abutting the sea on one side and being pretty closed off from the public otherwise. There are a few businesses – beach clubs and restaurants – within a short walk, but you will likely spend most of your time at the hotel unless you venture into Chania proper. In other words, this is a good spot for those just wanting to enjoy a relaxing vacation without too much sightseeing.

Continue reading →

Raito, Italia: The Perfect Amalfi Getaway!

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

Raito, Italy is a gorgeous, albeit tiny, village perched high above the Amalfi Coast, almost directly overlooking Vietri sul Mare. It also happened to be the first proper stop on our big Italian family vacation in late September 2025. We selected it, honestly, for one reason: its charming hotel with stunning views of Vietri sul Mare, Salerno and its sweeping Gulf. In this post, I’ll share how we and our friends’ family spent 3 unforgettable days in Raito, from what we did and where we ate to the hidden gems that made this quiet hilltop village so magical.

Beautiful sunrise from Hotel Raito, Italia.

Continue reading →

30 Stunning Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Naxos, Greece

wareontheglobe Leave a comment

After five amazing nights in Chania, we took the ferry from Heraklion (Crete) to Naxos, where we spent another four nights. Unlike Crete, Naxos is part of the Cyclades, or the iconic “blue and white” islands that probably come to mind when you think of Greece (a la Mamma Mia).

We had a whole itinerary planned, but once we arrived, the island’s relaxed beauty swept us away. Instead of rushing from one attraction to another, we decided to slow down, embrace the laid-back vibe, and simply hang out. Naxos completely stole our hearts, and I’m already dreaming of the day we return.

Since we ended up scrapping most of our original plans, this post is less about a detailed itinerary and more about simply Naxos — sharing some of my favorite snapshots from our time in Naxos to inspire your own visit.

We were welcomed to Naxos with a sailboat with the Portara (Naxos’ most famous landmark) in the back.

The flowers were very pretty throughout Naxos.

This was just a random street.

Sun setting in Chora (Naxos Town).

Continue reading →