Naxos Half Day History and Culture Guided Tour
Overview
Naxos Town (Port) - Ancient Temple of Demeter- Chalki Village - Filoti Village - Panagia Drosiani – Kinidaros – Kouros (Melanes) - Naxos Town (Port)
Departures: 08.30 and 13.15
Runs: Daily
Duration: Approximately 4 hours
Guided in English and Greek
Children up to 8 years old may join us for free.
From 8 up to 12 years old: 50% discount.
THE TOUR:
Join this tour and get the opportunity to see many of the most emblematic sights of Naxos in only 4 hours! Learn about the island’s history, pose using its iconic monuments as your background and get a small taste of its delicious products.
Meet your guide at Naxos Bus Transfer Office, right outside Naxos Port and drive directly to your first stop, Demeter’s Temple. Admire the impressive restored sanctuary, take amazing pictures and visit the small on site museum.
Next stop will be Chalki village, the old capital and commercial center of Naxos. Get free time (approx. 40’) to explore its colorful alleys, shop unique souvenirs, visit the distillery of “Vallindras” or just enjoy a coffee at one of its cozy cafes.
In the all year-round lively village of Filoti, you will visit the church and explore the interesting collection of the folklore museum, exhibited in an old traditional house. A short, yet overwhelming visit that allows you a sneak-peak in the local life of the villagers, understand their strong bonds with the church and experience their genuine hospitality by tasting two of their local products: cheese and raki.
Continue driving through old olive groves and reach Panagia Drosiani, a church of unique architectural style devoted to Virgin Mary- considered among the oldest in the Balkans! Here you will make a short stop to take pictures and if the church is open, also pay a quick visit to admire its unique frescoes.
Outside Kinidaros village you will make a short stop by the road to photoshoot the contemporary marble quarries before you reach Flerio valley. Walk through its lush gardens and meet the Kouros Statue, one of the most striking examples of Naxian marble art.
Useful information:
On Tuesdays and on the 1st of May the Temple of Demeter is closed. Instead you will visit a traditional pottery workshop in Damalas Village. Also, the Demeter's Temple closes early (noon) in case of predicted heat wave. In that case, the tour that departs in the afternoon (13.15) again visits the pottery workshop in the village of Damalas.
You will have to climb steps and walk uphill in order to visit the Temple of Demeter
The tour guide is not licensed and thus not allowed to guide you inside Demeter's Temple and Panagia Drosiani Church. You will get all the information about the monuments before you enter.
This tour will take place rain or shine
The tour begins and ends right outside Naxos Port. Luggage storage is provided for the participants free of charge.
Pick up service is included only for the morning departure of 08.30. Drop-off is not included.
It is customary upon the visit to a church to donate a small amount of 1€-5€. These money are used for the operational costs of the church and many times for donations on behalf of the church to people/ families of the community that are in need.
Pick up spots and times for the morning departure of 08.30
PLAKA BEACH
Plaza Beach Hotel - Main Road: 07.50
Plaka Camping: 07.50
3 Brothers Restaurant: 07.50
Yazoo Summer Bliss: 07.50
MARAGKAS
Maragkas Super Market: 07.50
Paradiso Tavern: 07.50
AGIA ANNA
Agia Anna Port: 07.55
Margaritis Market: 07.55
AG. PROKOPIOS
Nikos Restaurant: 07.55
Birikos Hotel: 07.55
Lagos Mare Hotel: 08.00
STELIDA
Naxian Emerald Hotel: 08.00
Lianos Village: 08.00
Naxos Palace Hotel: 08.00
Golden Sun Hotel: 08.00
NAXOS TOWN
Naxos Camping: 08.05
Princess of Naxos Hotel: 08.05
Koutelieris Supermarket (Porto Naxos Hotel): 08.10
Naxos Bus Transfer Office: 08.15
Included/Excluded
- Modern, luxury air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional English/ Greek speaking Escort
- Professional driver
- All taxes
- Luggage storage during the tour
- Pick up service (no drop-off) only for the morning departure
- Entrance fee for the Temple of Demeter (4€/person to be paid on spot in cash)
- Meals and Drinks
- Personal Expenses
- Hotel pickup/ drop off service
- Church donations at Filoti Village (church and folklore museum)
- Gratuities for the tour guide and driver
Tour Plan
Dimitra Temple
Is located near the village of Sangri. This astonishing temple has been made of the finest quality of Naxos marble and is believed to date back to the 6th century BC. As Dimitra was the ancient goddess of grain, people used to build temples to her close to fertile areas. Some excavations in the area certify that the area was used for a religious purpose since the late Mycenaean Era. The temple was built in around 530 B.C in the classical architectural style. The temple declined after the 3rd century B.C. With the domination of Christianity, the temple of Dimitra was turned into a Christian religious center and a small chapel was built in the center of the temple. This chapel was dedicated to Saint Ioannis and was constructed using the marble of the ancient temple. The church was probably ruined in the 6th century A.D., after an invasion of the Arabs.
Chalki Village
Halki in Tragea valley once administrative centre, is a beautiful village with long history. It is situated in the middle of an olive grove with towers built by Byzantines and Venetians. The beautiful houses provide evidence for the town’s earlier prosperity.
Its noteworthy sights include the Church of Panagia Protothroni, which has been in uninterrupted service since 1052, the imposing, 17th century Barozzi Tower and the pretty mansion housing the historic Vallindras distillery, which has pioneered the renowned citron liqueur.
Panagia Drossiani
The remarkable Church of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Drossiani –a short distance from Moni Village, is one of the oldest Byzantine churches not only in Naxos but also in Greece and definitely a place to visit, in the middle of a beautiful scenery.
The church, part of an old monastery, has a unique architectural style, with bare stone-walls, a three-part attic with dome and three adjoining chapels on the northern side with square dome bases on their roofs.
Some of the frescoes that have been saved date to the 6th century and are considered among the oldest in the Balkans, while the rest belong to the period between the 11th and 14th centuries.
The church also features a marble iconostasis, marble stands for votive candles and the old icon of Panagia Drossiani – connected with many legends and traditions.
According to one of these, the church was so named because the area was blessed by Virgin Mary with plentiful waters and was therefore ‘cool’ (Drossia=coolness).
Melanes (Kouros Statue)
The Kouros of Melanes at Flerio is 4.7 metre long statue (Kouros) of Naxian marble, located in a village garden in Melanes. The kouros of Flerio lies in the shade of a rural garden. The figure is unfinished and had been roughly worked with chisels by ancient stonemasons. This is clear from the many dents, which cover the entire statue.
