Naxos Town, Naxos Island

Cyclades, Greece

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Villages & Zeus Mountain

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Halki

A small traditional village, famous for its hiking routes to Demeter’s Temple and Panagia Drosiani among the fields and mountains of Naxos. Citron Distillery of Valindras is also worth visiting. 15 km from Naxos town.

Filoti

The largest village after Naxos town (3000 permanent people), panoramic beautiful village that if you leave the central road and go deeper you will be amazed by the local architecture. 17 km from Naxos town. 

Apiranthos

The most traditional village of Naxos with unique customs and a rich folkloric tradition. The central squares with traditional cafes are framed by beautiful houses that capture their history, cobbled streets with marble slabs and arches and Venetian towers. 22 km from Naxos town. 

Zas (Zeus) Mountain (1004 m.)

It feels always nice to hike on the top of a mountain and It gets more exciting when this mountain has the name of the God of the Gods. Zeus will offer you amazing views of all the Cycladic islands. Make sure not to miss it! 22 km from Naxos town.

Naxos has more than 25 alive villages. The ones on the list are the most visited ones and they are located in a row, on the same road so the same bus goes to all of them or you just follow the road with your car and one is after the other. After Filoti and before Apiranthos is the mountain of Zeus which can also be combined in the same excursion. Do not worry, distances are not huge and the roads are safe and well signed. This inland is what differentiates Naxos from the rest of the islands in the Cycladic complex.

Please keep in mind that besides the villages or the mountain which are very very beautiful, the most impressive is the route to go there. There are hundreds of old churches and medieval castles on the road, the landscape changes many times, something that you will not meet on any other island and this of course happens because of the size of the island. This is also the reason that we suggest that even you can go by bus, owning your own vehicle is more enjoyable for this area.

Zeus mountain has also a cave that offers shade and you can have a picnic. Something important is that if you decide to go up there it has to be very early in the morning because there is no shade and from a point and after it becomes very hot. The myth says that when God Zeus was born, the previous Gods were searching to eliminate him and his nanny brought him to the cave of this mountain to hide and protect him.

Sightseeings & Monuments

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Portara (Apollo Temple)

In town, opposite from Naxos port
A massive marble doorway that stands proudly as the jewel of Naxos. It is the first thing that you will see on the island as the boat approaches the port.

Castle & Old Town

In town 
It is a relatively big area that words cannot describe its charm, you have to visit this labyrinth both day and night!

Moni Fotodoti

20 km from town, 4km from Filoti village 
A very well-maintained monastery castle in a beautiful 30 minutes walking path after the bus stop “Agia Marina” (same stop for Zeus mountain) among the mountains in Naxos and when you finally reach the castle you just can’t believe the view. Monks used to check for pirates which is the main purpose of all old castles on the island. Not many people have discovered this special place!

The Jesuit Monks Palace

7 km from town, 2km from Melanes Village.
In the green and olive-filled valley of Kalamitsia, lies the imposing palace of the Jesuit monks surrounded by many stories about hidden treasures. The palace is ruined and fully accessible at all times of the day. Since there has been no restoration, many parts of the palace and the surroundings are not safe and you need to pay attention during your visit.

Demeter's Temple

15 km from town, 2 km from Sangi village 
Very recently discovered in a strange location, goddess of agriculture and fertility, ancient Greeks used to worship her to help them make kids. It feels like you are in the center of a circle.

Eggares Olive Press Museum

8 km of town, Engares village
An informative free small museum in a beautifully restored building. Very friendly guides and great tasting opportunities. In addition, the shop sells some great gifts and there is a small cafe.

Panagia Drosiani

19 km from town, 2km from Moni village
One of the most important Christian churches for its 6th-century foundation and its remarkable paleo-Christian paintings.

Kouros of Melanes

11 km from town, 2 km from Melanes village
A 5-meter statue lying on a farm in the fertile area of Melanes consists of a trademark of the island along with the Temple of Apollo.

It will be a pity to come from so far away and not visit these spots. Especially for the ones out of the town and not easily accessible by bus, if you do not drive we strongly recommend getting a one or half-day organized tour. All tourist offices on the port road sell tickets; You will discover some special places that otherwise you will ignore their existence and we promise you that the memories will stay forever.

Naxos is full of history and sightseeing, the above suggestions ARE ONLY our personal top favorites not to miss spots and we suggest them successfully for more than 30 years! For the complete list of attractions and points of interest, the best source of accurate information is the TripAdvisor page.