Calmare Collection Hotel is in Plaka, on the south-western side of Naxos, in an area of long sandy beaches, dunes and tavernas, away from the traffic of Chora. It suits you if you want days by the sea or pool and quiet evenings, without a packed itinerary.
Plaka Beach is 550 m away. This long sandy stretch is about four kilometres long, with open views and clear water; as it faces west, the sun sets over the sea in the evening. Further south are Orkos, 1.8 km away, and Mikri Vigla, popular with windsurfers, while Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios are to the north. Naxos Airport is 3.2 km away, and Chora, with its Venetian castle, Archaeological Museum and Portara, the marble gateway of a temple to Apollo, is 6 km to the north.
The best time for swimming is from May to October. The meltemi often blows in July and August, while in September the sea remains warm and there are fewer visitors. A day with a car is enough to visit the island’s mountain villages, such as Chalki and Apeiranthos, and the Temple of Demeter at Sangri. It is worth walking among the beach dunes, and in the evening Chora has tavernas and ouzeris by the harbour. In autumn and spring, the countryside is well suited to walks without the summer heat.