wareontheglobe

Naxos Itinerary: A Relaxed Greek Island Escape.

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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.

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Hotel Review: Domes Zeen Chania, Crete.

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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.

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The Perfect First Night in Rome – A Trastevere Food Tour

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Before kicking off our big Italian vacation in 2026 on the Amalfi Coast, we spent one day and evening in Rome. The sole item on our agenda was a food tour through one or Dan and my favorite neighborhoods in Rome, Trastevere (fun fact – also where we lived when we studied in Rome!). This was the third time we have taken this tour, and it was just as good as we remembered. This post details our food tour through Trastevere with Eating Europe!

Walking to the food tour. I love Rome so much – just casually passing ruins on our walk.

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Cantina di Vesuvio: A Fun Winery Lunch After Pompeii

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On the heels of my post about the wonderful Le Vigne di Raito in Raito, Italy, this post details our experience at another winery we visited on our trip to the Amalfi Coast, Cantina del Vesuvio Winery!  We visited Cantina del Vesuvio after a full morning exploring Pompeii with a private guide and after hectic and crowded Pompeii, Cantina del Vesuvio was a welcome retreat away from the crowds, complete with delicious food and a decent amount of wine. I certainly recommend a visit after Pompeii.

Cantina del Vesuvio. I love these trees.

Cantina del Vesuvio Winery is literally located on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius (or Monte Vesuvio in Italian), hence the name. Given its location, the winery offers beautiful views, including of Sorrento and the Gulf of Naples and of Mount Vesuvius. We drove about 20 minutes from Pompeii to Cantina del Vesuvio, arriving slightly early for our pre-booked tasting and lunch (there is free parking on site!). And yes, a tour and lunch is the standard package. Its reasonably priced and easy to reserve online. And on that note, reservations are required, but I don’t think you need to make them too far in advance.

Cantina del Vesuvio.

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Le Vigne di Raito: A Special Wine Pairing Dinner Overlooking The Salerno Gulf

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On our second evening in Raito, Italy (read about our whole experience here and here), we booked a very special dinner for our friend’s milestone birthday. While Raito is simply tiny without much to do aside from its sweeping views of the Salerno Gulf, Raito is home to one of only two wineries on the Amalfi Coast. And, one of them, Le Vigne di Raito, happens to be located only a five minute walk from our hotel, Hotel Raito!

Dan and I at Le Vigne di Raito.

Le Vigne di Raito is a boutique organic vineyard, founded by owner Patrizia Malanga in 2001. Specializing largely in red wines, Le Vigne di Raito priduces two flagship wines – the Ragis red and Vitamenia rose. Le Vigne di Raito also offers winery tours and tasting to the public, as well as specialty dining experiences, including that paired with lunch or dinner, a cooking or pizza making course, and picnics in the vineyard.

Le Vigne di Raito.

Grapes at Le Vigne di Raito.

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