Naxos

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades and for this reason, offers a number of things to do and places to visit during your stay. It is characterised by the variations in the landscape and by the beautiful villages, whose architectural style, influenced by the Venetians, adds to the individuality of Naxos in comparison to the other islands in the Archipelago.
To satisfy all tastes, we suggest you to stay, either on the water's edge - in Chora and the nearby beaches or inland in order to take advantage of the beautiful landscapes and unspoilt villages.
To fully enjoy your holiday, car hire is highly recommended.

CHORA
Situated on the west coast of the island, Chora is built around the Venetian Kastro which can be seen at the top of the hill.
Kastro, with its Middle Age architecture and fortress-like appearance, has much to offer. Once a shelter for the Catholic community, the maze of winding streets are bordered by medieval residences with coats-of-arms. 
To the north of the town, in the area known as Grotta, you will find the site of the ancient town.
The port has two arterial roads with commercial buildings. Unfortunately, the construction of some of these has not been well planned and they rather spoil the area.
You will find lots of rooms, studios and apartments of charm available in the area of the Venetian Kastro and in the area of Grotta.

AGIOS GIORGOS
300m from Chora, on the southern edge of the port town, you will find a long sandy beach bordered by several restaurants, cafes and hotels.
For the past several years, this part of Chora was considerably developed, particularly with the construction of hotels, resulting in an area of great activity.
On Agios Giorgios, there is a sports centre with equipment for many kinds of water sports.

SOUTH WEST COAST

Extending for approximately twenty kilometres, the beaches along the south west coast are the most beautiful in Naxos.

AGIOS PROKOPIOS
Situated 5km south of Chora is a long beach of fine sand which is well protected from the wind by dunes. Extending for more than 1.5km, Agios Prokopios counts amongst the best of the beaches in Naxos. Only a part of the beach has sun beds, parasols and water sports. By the water's edge are friendly tavernas and bars. Since the construction of the road, there has been a rapid expansion of tourism in this area and you will find numerous summer holiday homes. At the back of the beach, you will find a village which has a good tourist infrastructure, with shops and accommodation for rent in the alleyways. A good bus service runs to and from the port of Naxos.

AGIA ANNA, PLAKA, and ORKOS
 

Adjacent to the beach of Agios Prokopios is Agia Anna, a friendly little fishing port. On each side of the harbour are two sandy beaches edged with cedar trees which provide some shade from the sun. At the end of one of the beaches is a rocky headland which is dominated by a small chapel. There is a good tourist infrastructure, thus making this a pleasant holiday resort. A regular bus service connects Agia Anna with the port of Naxos.
Continuing from Agia Anna, you will find the best of these beaches at Plaka. Extending for approx. 4km and including the beaches of Orkos and Marangas, the waters are crystal clear and the sand is very fine.  More recently developed, there are now several hotels, rooms for rent, tavernas and bars along the beach. Despite a part of it having been commercialised, with sun beds, umbrellas and facilities for water sports, Plaka is rather a wild beach, with dunes and hedges of reed offering protection from the wind. There is little natural vegetation although there are a number of cultured vegetables grown in fields at the back of the beach. A little further inland, in the Plaka valley, there are some very interesting rock formations.

MIKRI VIGLA
16km from the port, there are two beaches separated by a headland formed of impressive boulders.  In the south, well protected from the wind, is Sachara beach, which extends for 3km. The clear waters reveal superb colours and the sand is of fine sand. In the north is Parthena beach which is excellent for windsurfing. There are several hotels, rooms for rent and various shops as well as a windsurfing club. Car hire is advisable

KASTRAKI- ANGALI- ALYKO- PYRGAKI
This beach of startlingly white sand and clear sea, which is interspersed by several small inlets, is a continuation of Mikra Vigla. The Alkyl area is bordered by sand dunes and clusters of cedar trees.

ENGARES and GALINI
7km north of Naxos town, on either side of the valley of Engares, are the villages of  Engares and Galini.  This fertile valley, which has an abundant water supply, is filled with orchards. Borders of tall plants which resemble bamboo protect the trees and also the country lanes which cross the valley, making them very pleasant for walking. The villages of Engares and Galini have excellent tavernas which are frequented by the islanders themselves. From Galini, a small road leads northwards to the beach of Amitis Bay and the Monastery of Panagia Ipsilotera, founded in 1600.

VALLEY OF MELANES

In this fertile region, there are several hamlets which are grouped together around the vineyards and orchards. In one olive grove close to Flerio, an unfinished statue (a "kouros") dating from the 7^th century BC can be found lying on the ground where the sculptors left it.  The picturesque village of Melanes is in a particularly lush area with flowing streams which at one time powered the now derelict water mills. This small village, with its alleyways and steps, its local people, and its tavernas serving their specialities (one of which is rooster in sauce), is well worth a visit.

VALLEY OF POTAMIA
Almost in the centre of the island on the road to Halki is the Potamia valley, a fertile area where the river almost always has water and which is filled with orchards. Within the area are three small villages Ano Potamia, Mesa Potamia and Kato Potamia. The (abandoned) church of Agios Mamas, who is the patron saint of shepherds, can be found in the area. It is believed that this church was Orthodox until 1207, when it was converted to a Catholic church. Ancient cemeteries, palaces and churches have been found between Potamia and Tragea in the area of Upper Castle, indicating use of this rock through the ages.

Naxos : Overview - Where to stay ? - Excursions - Photo gallery