Iades Studios & Apartments

We booked this for our second return to Agia Anna and we will be returning. This was a little gem from the moment we booked to arriving. Stella the owner and her family are amazing and always on hand to help get the cases up stairs to the rooms, keeping the rooms beautiful and clean, and helping arrange any trips / car hire etc. We had a first floor double room and after a little visit to another island we returned to a top floor with sea view, amazing. Rooms have been renovated and are extremely clean and tidy and accommodate a range of furniture and each has a balcony, shower, WC, safety deposit box. All have Air/con and black out shutter's. Towels, bed linen, blankets etc. Kettle and iron available along with a fridge and some utensils for making a perfect greek breakfast on the balcony. Location: Perfect in every way. Its 10-20 mins from the main port or airport (Naxos town) by either taxi or local bus (2 Euro each way per person). These help to get to local beaches and are more like coaches than buses and they run every 10-15 mins each way until approx 1-2 am. The local area is flat and within easy reach of 3 lovely beaches: Agia Anna beach 2 min walk from studio, perfect for a chilled day sun beds here are generally free if you drink / eat in the restaurant in the day. But some were charging approx 10 euro a day (2 beds and umbrella). Perfect for swimming and snorkelling. The beach is split in 2 by the small harbour, one side is free sand beds and the other the sun beds. Very picturesque. From Agia Anna you can walk approx 15-20 mins or get the bus (5mins) to Plaka beach, slightly longer and still has beds etc and its all flat and again safe. Restaurants are lovely and always full of wedding's in sept. Stop off at the small chapel overlooking both beaches and back to Agia Anna! Oh the start of Plaka is a naturist beach for those that wish to participate! Walk 10 mins form Agia Anna along the little coastal road and you'll be in prokopios town / beach, this is our favourite beach and you should walk to the end of the beach and eat / drink in the taverna overlooking the bay! Again plenty of sun beds restaurants etc and the most we paid was a minimum of 20 euro spend for the beds and safe for swimming and snorkelling especially at the end of the bay. This town also has a bakery's / some more bars (not noisy) and supermarkets etc but to be fair Agia Anna has at least 2 supermarkets with all you can need (including suncream / fresh produce). Stop at 'lovers balcony' attached to the greek restaurant on the bend to sit and enjoy the best sunset, this place also does greek dancing / singing / plate smashing and has an outdoor cinema (abba fans be warned). Must do's in our opinion: 1 - head to Naxos town in the afternoon / evening for a wander around the streets and little restaurants, you'll find everything you could need to unwind. The old market town is just adorable. 2- hire a car for a couple of days, the mountains and villages are a must and a lovely little beach further south called Mikri Vigla with a little taverna on the beach to watch the sunset is amazing. Safe for swimming / snorkelling and sunbeds if you wish. 3 - take the orange (Kerras) ferry from Agia Anna harbour to Paros 5 euro each way per person and have a look around Paros or best still stay there for a few nights along with Anti Paros its lovely, bus again cheap and regular and you won't be disappointed. We left our cases with Stella in Iades studios and took a backpack / small case and did some wandering around then came back to Naxos. Travel options: 1 - either fly into Naxos from Athens (30mins) costs approx 150euro return flights from Athens. 2 - get the blue star ferry from Athens (6hours), from Mykonos (1 hour) or from Santorini (2 hours) to Naxos Port its the best way to travel and to note flights from UK to Santorini / Mykonos range from approx £150 / person (return flights) if you book early. Easy connections between the airports of Santorini and the port to catch the ferry and as we described the journey between Naxos Port and pretty much anywhere on these islands is simple. Yes you can do with kids or if you are disabled as the greek people (blue star ferry staff) are very helpful and accommodating. Top tip - just do it you won't be disappointed at all with these lovely greek islands in the Aegean. Enjoy