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Worth seeing in Naxos

Chora – The castle. Situated above the coastal “veranda” of Chora, the capital of Naxos, on a hill that turns towards the sky and is crowned with the medieval castle of the 13th century. It is worth dedicating a whole afternoon to visiting the castle, as its narrow ascending roads will lead you into picturesque lanes, mansions with well-tended gardens and monumental buildings. One of the most impressive of these is the Della Rocca-Barozzi Tower, an old mansion which today houses the Venetian Museum. Next to it is the Glezos Tower, which operates as the Byzantine Museum. Stroll through the little lanes and you will come to the Catholic Cathedral, an impressive medieval building with a marble floor and coat-of-arms. Behind this church there is yet another church, the Panagia Theoskepasti, which is believed to be the oldest monument in the Castle. Higher up is the Archaeological Museum of Naxos, which is housed in the old Commercial School and has exhibits that date from the Late Neolithic period (4,000 BC) until the 6th century AD. Directly opposite the Museum is the Ursuline convent, which has functioned since 1739 until today as the cultural centre of the Catholic archdiocese. For people who have difficulty walking up this far, there is an elevator that fits 12 people and has its exit on the east side of the Castle.

After wandering through the Castle, you will end up at Portara, the archaic gate to the temple of the god Apollo, which was to remain incomplete forevermore, where you can take stunning photographs with a view of the sea at sunset.

The towers of Naxos. The architecture of the towers and tower houses that originated during the Venetian period, has enriched a large part of the Naxiot philosophy of buildings. The prime example of a tower is the Bazeos Tower, dating from 1600 AD, which is located in the plain of Agiasos, at the 12th kilometre on the central road that connects Chora with the hinterland. Until the early 19th century, it was a monastery dedicated to the Holy Cross. Today in the summer it hosts the Naxos Festival, with a large range of cultural events. On the southeast side of the island, on the road for Za, the tallest mountain, you will find the imposing circular Cheimarros Tower, with a height of 15 metres.

The archaeological sites. In addition to the museums located in the Castle, Naxos is filled with archaeological sites of great importance. Near the airport is the stunning archaeological site of Iria, the Sanctuary of Dionysus, the surviving architectural remains of which date to the 6th century BC, although the site was in use from as early as the Mycenaean period. Perhaps the most important archaeological site on Naxos is that located near Sagri, at the spot known as Gyroula. In the middle of nowhere, on an inland hill, stands the temple of Demeter (circa 530 BC). It is considered a precursor of the Parthenon, built in the Ionic order and made completely of white marble with a square shape and columns along its facade.

Melanon Aqueduct. In the region of Flerio is yet another of the most splendid finds on the island, the ancient aqueduct of Melanes. It has a length of around 11 kilometres and was in use from the 6th BC to the 8th century AD, transporting the rich waters from the springs of Flerio and Melanes to Naxos town. In order to construct it, the Naxiots dug into the mountainside and built a tunnel. You can see the entrance to the tunnel of the aqueduct, its exit and other parts, which have been excavated in five places. As you drive from Flerio to Chora, you will see many signs at points where sections of the aqueduct have been uncovered.

The kouros of Naxos. At a distance of 36 km from Chora, at the top of the village of Apollonas and at the spot of Kastraki, there “sleeps” in blessed fashion one of the kouros statues of Naxos, an unfinished marble statue 10.5 metres long and dating to the 6th century BC.

The beaches of Naxos

Cosmopolitan and with organised amenities, isolated with tamarisk and cedar trees for shade, small or huge, the beaches of Naxos welcome everyone, even windsurfers.

Coming one after the other, Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna create an arch of dentilated sandy beaches and green waters, with beach bars all along them. Plaka, with tall sandy hills, white sands and a few organised amenities is the ideal solution for those not looking for a “family” beach. Travelling towards the south, you will come to isolated Orkos, with a series of shaded bays. If you love water sports and especially surfing then Mikri Vigla is for you.
Very close by, you will find Kastraki, the second longest beach on Naxos after Plaka, with white sands, blue-green waters and cedar trees on the beach.
If the distance does not put you off, then travel to the southern peninsula of Naxos. At Alyko, with no organised amenities and with sea the colour of water in a swimming pool, three caves await to be explored. Along the same route are Pyrgaki and Agiasos, with huge sandy beaches and shallow waters.
If you want guaranteed deserted beaches, then go to the north, on the other side of the island. Here you will find the pebbled Bay of Abraam. To the east, and at a great distance from Chora, it is worth braving the long journey to visit the exotic little gulf of Panormos.

Excursions from Naxos

The villages of Naxos, in both the mountainous and semi-mountainous regions, create a wonderful picture that typifies the island in so many ways.

Apeiranthos is perhaps the best-known and most historic village, located at a distance of 28 kilometres from Chora, at an altitude of 570 metres. Untouched by the standard tourism on Naxos, it wins over with its authenticity, its picturesque lanes and well-tended houses with marble facades. It has an Archaeological Museum, Folk Art Museum, Geological Museum, Library, a Women’s Textiles Cooperative and two tower-houses.

A little before Apeiranthos is elegant Chalki (Halki), a residential area and commercial centre of Naxos in the past, as can be seen in its many neoclassical houses endowed with olive groves and monuments. The main attractions of the village include the churches of the Panagia Protothronos (6th century) and Agios Georgios Diasoritis (11th century AD) and the Barotsis (Barocci) Tower, built in the early 17th century by the Venetian family of the same name.

As you come back down from Apeiranthos, don’t forget to take a stop at or have a dip in the little lake of Moutsouna. Connected with the history of emery mining, its main sight is the cable railway used by the emery quarries on the island, one of the top industrial monuments in Greece.

Don’t miss Koronos, one of the most beautiful mountain villages on the island, with a traditional square and the whitewashed lanes, which stretches out along the length of a stream.

As you descend from the mountain towards the north, the village of Apollonas, a beautiful fishing village in Cycladic colours, will appear before you.

On your route for Apeiranthos you will come to the island’s largest village, Filoti. Although it has developed tourism services it remains picturesque, especially if you follow the route from Arion Tower, with a view over the southern coastline.

Returning to Chora, visit Potamia, one of the traditional villages and just 8 kilometres from the port. Built in a lush green valley with eternal plane trees, its waters are supplied by rivers (potamia, hence its name), which are filled with water every season of the year.

Food and Entertainment on Naxos

The island’s agricultural wealth gives it a relative autonomy and puts Naxos high on the list of Cycladic islands with the best cuisine. It’s also rather interesting that the recipes can be prepared quite differently depending on which part of the island you visit.

The local meat-based dishes include: pork rosto (pork cooked in a pot with garlic and wine); pork fricassee with wild greens; lemony rabbit; rooster in a tomato or wine sauce; and kalogeros, a recipe found in various versions in other Cycladic islands (beef fillet with aubergines, cheeses and tomatoes).

As for seafood, you will find a large variety of dishes without major differences from those in the other Cycladic islands, with the exception of mackerel and salatouri (ray fish in a lemon-olive oil sauce).

The great variety of Naxiot cheeses can be found in the largest markets in Greece and so it is essential that you sample them while you are on the island (don’t miss the graviera and the arseniko), as are the local potatoes and tomatoes which owe their great taste to the clay in the soil.

Naxiot cakemaking can boast of melachrino (a type of walnut pie), while for dessert don’t forget to try the citrus liqueur.

In the shops of both Chora and most of the villages of mountain Naxos you will be able to purchase local products as well as textiles and pottery.

During the evening hours, take a stroll through the old town where most of the bars are located, while there are also cafes that remain open after midnight around the port. A little outside of Chora, there are several clubs close to the waves.

Getting from the airport to Naxos

Naxos Airport is located 3 km south of the port and approximately 4 km from Agios Prokopios. In Naxos town (Chora) you can take the KTEL buses to the airport. Alternatively, there is a taxi rank outside the arrivals lounge of Naxos airport, from where you can take a taxi during the airport opening hours.