Spending my last weekend in Greece on an island was by far the best decision I've made these last 12 weeks. The Aegean Sea is dotted with a plethora of islands called the Cyclades, each one having something special to offer visitors. Although I hoped to see Santorini before I return to the states, I was drawn to Naxos early in my research, and I decided before I even arrived in Greece if there was one island I could visit, it would be Naxos.

Blissful is the word that comes to mind to describe this island defined by serene mountains and villages. A classmate, Spencer, joined me. We left on a five-hour ferry Friday evening, viewing a beautiful sunset and playing cribbage (a card game esteemed by my West Coast colleagues that I never heard of before I arrived in Athens) and arrived just after 1 a.m. George, the friendly owner of the Windmill Studios where we were staying for the weekend, was waiting at the port for us with his red van. I could immediately sense a lifestyle reverse of Athens, exactly what I was searching for in this weekend getaway.

We woke up early on Saturday to begin our exploration of Old Naxos Town. From our hotel, one road leads to the main square, where a sign outside a trellis-covered tavern reading "Waffles with fresh fruit, 5 Euros" charmed me, and "Eggs with bacon and filtered coffee, 5 Euros" charmed Spencer. So we sat down and had ourselves a delicious breakfast. The fruit mixture of peaches, apples, oranges and pears was so fresh and drizzled in honey, and the waffle was sprinkled with cinnamon, my favorite, and yoghurt. Again, blissful is the word that comes to mind.

A short walk from the main square is the harbor. Even with it being around 10 a.m., I could not get over the area's tranquility. We walked along the water for awhile, the harbor filled with boats, and a tiny, solitary monastery sits on an islet. Naxos is known for its Portara, an ancient archway on its own little peninsula overlooking the remains of an unfinished temple to Apollo, began in the 6th century B.C. From the top, you have a panoramic view of Naxos town, the white stucco houses atop the hills and the sea stretching to the horizon.

Stretching from this peninsula is a long row of jetties, of which most of the rocks appeared to be marble. We walked rather far out on the jetties and spent about an hour just sitting, listening to the waves slowly roll in and crash against the rocks. I had a book to read, but after reading a few pages, I kept finding myself getting lost in the rolling in and then the ebbing of the tide. The Aegean Sea is crystal blue and glistens so brilliantly, you can't help but listen and get lost in your thoughts.

We then spent the afternoon exploring the kastro, where a Venetian castle once crowned the town. Walking through the village, we discovered one sun-drenched white stucco house after another, with all different kinds of flowers, plants and trees covering trellises and roofs, as well as cats sleeping on banisters. We visited the archaeological museum, where we saw a number of Cycladic marble figurines from the Mycenaean age. The building is where Nikos Kazantzakis, the famous author of Zorba the Greek, studied in the former College Francais.

After a few hours virtually by ourselves walking around this village, we made our way back down toward the waterfront. We planned to head back to the hotel and change into swimming gear, but on the walk back, restaurant special signs caught our eye declaring "Happy Hour 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.," "We serve 101 Cocktails," and the clincher, "4 Euros." Mixed drinks in Greece run an average of 9 or 10 Euros, which converts to about $15 a glass. Spencer and I looked at each other, and our eyes both revealed recognition that we would regret not taking advantage of such a deal.

Naxos is one of only three places in the world where fragrant Citron trees grow, and two families have used the rare plant and its juices to produce a unique alcohol called Citron. Because of a shortage of trees in the last couple of decades, the families have not been able to continue exporting around the world, so Citron can only be found on Naxos.

So we sat down along the water, ordered two glasses of Citron to partake in the island's culture and chose our 4 Euro cocktails. Thinking it fitting, I ordered an Aegean, made with rum, banana liqueur, orange and pineapple juice, blue caraco and grenadine. Over politics, it was a perfect way to spend an hour on a Greek island.

Anxious to get ourselves in the Aegean, we walked to the nearby beach around 6 p.m., so only a few other people were around. What I especially enjoy about swimming in the Aegean Sea and the Saronic Gulf is that the water is so calm; you can swim so far out and just float. There was a slight wind, just enough for a little wave action, so I swam to the buoys and then just floated along the small waves

After showering, it was time to eat the Greek way. We found a charming little restaurant along Old Market Street around 9:30 p.m. We ordered several appetizers, including zucchini balls, "cheese of the 12 Gods"--local cheese wrapped in a pastry with honey and sesame seeds--and tzaziki. The bread was warm and fresh, and again we ordered Citron. For the main dish, Spencer ordered rabbit stifado, and I got lemonada, but we ended up trying a little bit of each other's. I never imagined rabbit could taste so delicious!

The next day we took a bus tour of the island. We thought about renting a moped or four-wheeler, but we saw a sign for Blue Star Ferries, and it was only 25 Euros for an all-day tour from 9:30 to 5. There were only 10 other people, so it was a nice intimate excursion. That's what I like about island life--everything's so much more personalized and friendlier.

I could not get over the breathtaking views of the countryside. Naxos is actually one of the most fertile areas in Europe, producing, according to our tour guide, the "best" potatoes in all of Europe. Dotted with Venetian towers and early Christian churches, marble quarries and olive groves, Naxos emanates tranquility in the bona fide sense of the word.

In Halki, we went to one of only two Citron distilleries in the world, and then in Apollonas we swam at a small beach where you could swim out to a stretch of rocks. What was neat is that you could see the difference in depth beyond the rocks because the waves were crashing and the water was a deeper blue. I swam out as far as I could, but the wind actually stimulated some stark spraying the farther I went, so the rocks remained elusive.

Before meeting up with the bus, we had a delicious lunch along the waterfront of fresh shrimp, octopus (quite tasty) and again, a number of appetizers, including olives, cheese, and the obligatory Citron. In such a relaxing setting, I almost forgot I had to catch a ferry back to Athens in a few short hours.

Along the drive back to Naxos Town, we saw one of the famous kouroi of Naxos, an 11m- tall statue from the Archaic period that stands with his arms at his side, looking straight ahead. We also stopped at an olive press and viewed emery caves. The sprawling fields and mountains were just simply beautiful, especially with the sea extending in every direction and other islands cresting in the distance.

Unfortunately, my ferry was scheduled to leave the port of Naxos at 6:25 p.m., and the bus arrived back at 5:45. Rather than enjoying my last bit of time on the island, I rushed back to the hotel to grab my bag that I kept in Spencer's room for the day, then sprinted to the port. I arrived at 6:20, and I thought for sure I might have to pull off a scene from the movies and leap on to the ferry...but there was still quite a line of people waiting to board. Spencer got to stay through Monday since he's not taking the classes I am, and I was utterly envious giving him a hug goodbye at the port. I honestly wish I could have spent my last week in Greece on Naxos rather than in Athens. Athens definitely has its historical significance, but in the end, the city itself is large, condensed metropolis with an overabundance of traffic and pollution; it's exciting in the sense of things are always happening and you're always meeting interesting people. But I'm definitely drawn to the quieter life of the Greek islands like Naxos.

Now, back from paradise, I'm trying to fathom the fact that not only do I have a mere four days left in Greece; this is also the last week of my undergraduate career. On Wednesday, I’ll take a written Greek final, and that test will be the last final exam for me…ever. At this thought, I feel elated, but a bit dejected as well. Testing my knowledge of Greek verb conjugation sure is a heck of a note to go out on, though!