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Naxos Site Seeing

Hora

Hora is the island's capital, its administrative centre, and its harbour. It offers all modern facilities year-round. A number of monuments in Hora, such as Portara, the archaeological site of Grotta, and the Venetian castle, attest to its past. The archaeological museum and Vassilis and Kathy Koutelieris folk museum collection are also located in Hora. During the summer, holidaymakers flock to Ai Yioryis beach, at Hora's south, while some swimmers prefer the waters at Grotta beach, at Hora's north, just beyond the port. Local products are sold in the market, alongside folk art, artefacts, clothing, and jewellery. There are dozens of restaurants and taverns where visitors can taste local dishes, as well as a range of cafés, bars and clubs suitable for all types of night-life. There is regular public transportation from Hora to all villages and beaches.

Halki

Located in the middle of the Tragea plateau, Halki is the old commercial centre of the island, but also, until recently, the administrative centre of the Municipality of Drymalia. This region is fertile and densely cultivated with olives and other fruit trees; since antiquity, it has been the most fertile and productive part of the island. The plateau is surrounded by a number of villages-Kaloxylos, Akadimoi, Himarros, Tsikaliaro, Damarionas, and Damalas. The area is often called the "Mystras of the Cyclades" because of the large number of churches located there, most of them dating from the sixth through the 14th century.

Damarionas

Many of the old mansions in this village are nowadays being renovated. Locals are occupied with olive cultivation, agriculture, and stockbreeding. The old church of the Transfiguration, in the centre of the village features a wood carved iconostasis and old icons. Damalas A small picturesque village with a few permanent residents. The newly renovated traditional olive press at Damalas and the traditional ceramics workshop are really worth visiting.

Moni

The village is built on a slope with a view of the Tragea plateau. It is named after the paleochristian church of Panayia Drosiani, which was founded as a monastery. The village is famous for its tapestries. Kinidaros. A pretty village that produces a range of products from its stock farming activities. It also attracts large crowds during its paniyiri (local celebration). The spring that supplies Hora with water is located near Kinidaros, while there are also marble quarries in the area. During the summer nights, there is considerable revelry in the open-air tavernas.

Melanes

The village is built in a fertile valley with running water that once powered watermills. The hamlets of Kouroynohori and Myloi are located there. The Fragkopoulos Tower attests to its importance as a fief during Venetian rule. One of the two ancient, half-finished kouroi lies outside Flerio near Melanes.

Potamia

Comprised of three hamlets-Ano Potamia, Mesi Potamia, and Kato Potamia-built along a verdant valley among orchards with old watermills, the area is ideal for walking or hiking.

Sangri

Built on a fertile plateau planted with olives and located eleven kilometres southeast of Hora, Sagri has a number of sights such as the fortified monastery of Holy Cross- now Bazeos Tower, founded in the 17th century, which has been restored recently and where the Naxos Festival takes place every summer; the monastery of Agios Eleftherios; the Byzantine churches of Agios Nikolaos and Agios Artemios, dating from the eighth century and built during the iconomachy; and, the Somaripa tower at Kato Sangri. South of the village, at Gyroula, is an archaic temple dedicated to Demeter.

Filoti

From Tragea, the road climbs to Za, the highest peak in the Cyclades (alt. 1,004 meters). Filoti is built amphitheatrically at its foothills and is the largest village on the island, boasting restaurants, coffee houses, bars, shops, and banks. The church of the village, Panagia Filotitissa, is one of the prettiest on Naxos with rare icons, a marble iconostasis, and a sculpted bell tower. Local sights include the Barozzi tower. The road from Filoti leads to the Himarros tower, but also to Kalantos, the southern and most lee bay of the island, with port facilities.

Danakos

A small village built at the base of a ravine with lots of running water that once powered watermills. The Fotodotis Monastery is located near the village amid a gorgeous setting; it's the island's oldest monastery. From the church of Agia Marina, at the turn off to Danakos, a path sets off for the Peak of Zas Mountain (1004 m).

Apeiranthos

Apeiranthos is built on an altitude of 600 meters, at the foot of Mount Fanari. It's also known as the ‘marble village’ and preserves the characteristics of the architecture of the Venetian era. Apeiranthos is distinguished from other villages by dialect and customs. Locals trace their roots to the mountain villages of Crete, from where their ancestors migrated in the 17th century; they are said to have a bent for poetry and the arts, while the women are especially skilled weavers. The 17th-century Zevgoli Tower built atop a rock at the village's entrance is quite impressive. Coffee houses and tavernas serve local wine from mountain-grown vines. There are a number of noteworthy Byzantine churches in the area. Worth visiting are the 4 museums located in the village:

  • The Archaeological Museum,
  • the Geological Museum of Apeiranthos,
  • the Folklore Museum of Apeiranthos, and
  • the Natural Science Museum.
Keramoti

Famous for its wine and honey, the village is marked by the church of Stavros and offers a vantage point for surveying the island's eastern and western shores. The stone bridge of the village is shaded by a beautiful pergola.

Koronos

The village is built in a valley by the eastern foothills of Mount Koronos at an altitude of 540 meters. Quaint and colourful, it was once the heart of the local emery industry but since the mines closed, activity has dwindled as many locals migrated to Athens. Coffee houses and taverns serve wine from mountain-grown vines. The church of Panagia Argokoiliotissa just outside the village attracts thousands of pilgrims with its paniyiri (first Friday after Easter).

Skado

A pretty mountain village built on a vine-covered slope. It is just a few kilometres away from Koronos, its amphitheatre-like built houses remind the prosper times of the emery mining. The village is surrounded by mountainous vegetation (mainly holly). On the exit of the village you can see a memorial tablet dedicated to the victims of the starvation of the Second World War.

Galanado

A picturesque village set along the Tragea road, about eight kilometers from Hora. Locals are occupied mainly in agriculture and stockbreeding. The Venetian-era Belonia tower rises just outside the village by the church of Ayios Ioannis.

Glinado

A lively market village with a number of tavernas and developed stock keeping marked by the church of Ayios Nikodimos, the island's patron saint. At Kampos, between Glinado and the coast, an ancient temple dedicated to Dionysus was found at the place called Yria (7th century B.C). Agersani A village marked by pretty houses with well-kept gardens. It's worth visiting the church of Ayios Spyridon, while around the village are a number of pretty chapels and the monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos.

Tripodes

A pretty village with paved lanes and abandoned windmills. The church of Panagia features a fine wood-carved iconostasis and rare icons. The ruins of the Palaiopyrgos are visible on the road to Plaka beach.

Eggares

A pretty, verdant village east of Eggares valley, about eight kilometres north-east of Hora. It's worth visiting the Eggares Olive Press, the Pradouna tower and Faneromeni Monastery; there are two dams in the area, one at Eggares and one at Faneromeni. The old stone double-arched bridge of Kserotagari river is also worth seeing.

Galini

A small village marked by pretty homes built in the Eggares valley, about seven kilometres north-east of Hora. The fortified monastery of Ypsilotera rises between the village of Galini and Amiti beach; during Venetian rule, local farmers sought shelter there.