Tour 1 - Naxos Town

Approaching the island by boat, the visitor will see two small islands to the left and right of the harbor, one with the little church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa and the other called Palatia which is linked to Naxos Town.

The imposing gate, Portara as it is known by the local people, rises in splendid isolation above the town, the last relic of the ancient marble temple dedicated to Apollo which the Naxian tyrant Ligdamis ordered to be built in the god's honor in the 6th century B.C. For two and a half centuries now it has stood looking out towards the sacred island of Delos.

Archaeologists believe that the building of the temple was never completed because work on it had to stop when war broke out between Naxos and Samos, and thereafter it remained unfinished.

Below the hill in Aplomata lies Grotta, where the sea eats deeply into the land. There can be no doubt that earthquakes, landslides and, of course, the rise of the sea level have meant that the appearance is considerably different from that it was in antiquity.

At dusk, as the sun slowly sinks like a ball of fire into the sea and disappears, the "Portara" is bathed in a glorious twilight glow. Sunset is a shear delight on this island; despite the proximity of the noisy harbor and the crowded Chora there is a sense of tranquility which transports one back in time, creating a delightful feeling of being far away from it all. In the distance the island of Paros can be clearly discerned on the horizon.

At the northern end of Chora, at Grotta beach, traces of a Minoan settlement have been found. The area took its name from the cave at Aplomata (grotta being the Italian word for cave).

Tour 1 - Naxos Town

the medieval castle and the churches of naxos town

Ruins of a huge ancient temple, traces of a Monian settlement and inumerous archaeological finds. Approaching the island by boat, the visitor will see two small islands to the left and right of the harbor, one with the little church of Myrtidiotissa, and the other called Palatia which is linked to Naxos Town ...
naxos town, the port, portara, grotta

Tour 2 - Naxos Town castle and churches

military and religious naxos town

An impressive medieval castle, several old and more recent churches, traditional chapels, monasteries and fountains. The impressive medieval castle of Naxos Town has protected it for decades against pirate invasions. Today, the castle includes lovely shops and taverns and hosts concerts and art events ...
crispi - glezos tower, churches, catholic cathedral

Tour 3 - The countryside of Naxos

the scenic and lush countryside of naxos

High mountains that form lush valleys of olive groves and vineyards in between. The scenery in the countryside outside Naxos town is very beautiful; there are picturesque little villages scattered high up in the mountains or down in the valleys, with an abundant supply of water and lush vegetation ...
countryside, villages, secluded beaches, towers

Tour 4 - Central villages

the central villages of naxos

At the point where the road forks away to the southern part of the island lies Tripodes or Vivlos, with the windmills that are so characteristic of the Cyclades. The next village is Ano Sagri, situated on a hillside and commanding a splendid view ...
tripodes, sagri, filoti, apeiranthos

Tour 5 - Mountainous Naxos

from apeiranthos to the emery mines of moutsouna

Amongst the area's sights the Church of the Apeirathitissa Panagia, with its sculpted marble screen, and the Churches of Theoskepasti, Ag. Ioannis Theologos and the oldest of all, Ag. Paraskevi, located a little outside the village, are all worthy of mention ...
apeiranthos, zevgoli's tower, moutsouna, kouros of melanes

Tour 6 - Northern Naxos

exploring the northern side of naxos

The next place along the way is Kinidaros, a village with plentiful supply of water and renowned for its excellent singers, its feasts and festivals. To the south lies Moni, with the monastery from which it takes its name lying just outside the village ...
kinidaros, koronos, koronida, apollonas, kouros of apollonas

Tour 7 - Southern Naxos

the most magnificent beaches of naxos

From the nearby village of Gallini a road leads up to the Monastery of the Sublime Virgin, which is known as the Angelakopoulos Tower after the name of its last owner. One of the most notable buildings on the island, it lies not far from the sea in the valley of Engares. Originally, as the marble plaque at the entrance tells us ...
monasteries, lush valleys, amazing beaches