Walking, hiking and trekking on NAXOS

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GENERAL INFORMATION

LINKS NAXOS

IMPRESSIONS OF NAXOS

WEATHER ON NAXOS

BOATS NAXOS
   - Blue Star Dilos
   - Blue Star Naxos
   - Champion Jet
   - All Seajets
   - Artemis
   - Express Skopelitis
     OR Express Skopelitis

MAPS

WALKS

(last update on the 27th of January 2024)

*** = very beautiful

**** = exceptional

+ Gpx = with Gpx-file

1. Ano Potamiá - Káto Potamiá and back ***  + Gpx 

2. Ano Sagrí - temple of Demeter - Agios Nikólaos - Ano Sagrí  + Gpx

3. Apíranthos - Agia Kyriakí and back ****  + Gpx

4. Apíranthos - Fanári and back***  + Gpx

5. Apíranthos - Fanári - Kalóxylos - Chalkí ***

6. Apíranthos - Fanári - Moní ***  + Gpx

7. Apíranthos - Sifónes - Stavrós - Keramotí

8. Chalkí - Apáno Kástro - Ano Potamiá and back ***  + Gpx

9. Chalkí - Apáno Kástro - Potamiá - Agios Mámas - Káto Potamiá ***

10. Chalkí - Filóti and back  + Gpx

11. Chalkí - Damariónas - Panagía sti Spília and back ***  + Gpx

12. Chalkí - Damariónas - Pýrgos Bazéou - Tsikalarió - Chalkí ***

13. Chalkí - Keramí - Agios Ioánnis sta Finélia - Apíranthos and back ***

14. Chalkí - Panagía I Drosianí - Moní - Kalóxylos - Chalkí ****  + Gpx

15. Chalkí - Tsikalarió - Ano Sagrí - temple of Demeter and back

16. Chóra (Náxos) - Moni Chrysostómou

17. Chóra (Náxos) and its surroundings

18. Engarés - Agios Artémios and back ***  + Gpx  NNN

19. Engarés - Kinídaros and back ***  + Gpx

20. Filóti - Agia Marína - Danakós - Fotodótis - Apíranthos ***  + Gpx

21. Filóti - Agia Marína - Pýrgos Chimárrou

22. Filóti - Agia Marína - Zas and back ****  + Gpx

23. Filóti - Agios Ioánnis and back

24. Filóti - Agios Ioánnis sta Finélia - Apíranthos and back ***

25. Filóti - Chalkí - Moní (the church-route) ****  + Gpx

26. Káto Sagrí - temple of Demeter - Damariónas - Chalkí

27. Káto Sagrí - temple of Demeter - Kástro Apalírou and back

28. Káto Sagrí - temple of Demeter - Pýrgos Bazéou - Damariónas - Chalkí

29. Koronída - Apóllonas ***  + Gpx

30. Kóronos - bay of Liónas and back ****  + Gpx

31. Kóronos - Skadó and back ***  + Gpx

32. Kóronos - Tzoumagiá (valley of Liónas) and back ****  + Gpx

33. Mélanes - Kournochóri - Koúroi and back ***

34. Mélanes - Koúroi - Ano Potamiá - Káto Potamiá - Agios Mámas - Káto Potamiá - Ano Potamiá  ****  + Gpx

35. Mélanes - Koúroi - Páno Potamiá - Chalkí ***

36. Moní - Apíranthos ***

37. Pánormos - Korfári - Andrioús and back

38. Stavrós - Keramotí - Routsoúna waterfall and back ***  + Gpx

39. Stavrós - Kóronos (Mávro Vouní) and back

Together with Páros, also the island of Náxos takes a special place among the Cyclades. With a surface area of 448 km² Naxos is definitely the largest island of the Cyclades, larger than Andros (385 km2),  Páros (195 km²) and Tínos (195 km²). It also has a fairly large population: in 1991 the island had a little under 15 000 inhabitants. Just like Páros, also Náxos is very centrally located, which means that it is the landing place of many boat connections. Long boat lines to Santoríni, to Kos and Ródos, to Ikaría and Sámos or to Amorgós often call at the islands of Náxos and Páros.
In addition, there are of course a lot of connections with Sýros, Páros,  Ios and many other Cycladic islands, especially due to the interesting connections of the Aqua Jewel and the Artemis, two boats which are the successors of the old Panagía Tinoú and the Panagía Chozoviótissa.
A very particular connection is the one covered by the Express Skopelítis. Almost daily this boat goes from Amorgós (Katápola and Egiáli) via the Little Cyclades (Donoússa, Irakliá, Schinoússa and Koufoníssi) to Náxos. In this way, the island of Náxos often becomes the place where people have to change boats, for example to travel from Amorgós to Folégandros or Sífnos.

On line ferry tickets booking: ZAS TRAVEL

Already in the ancient times, Náxos was a rich island, amongst others because of its marble-quarries and its agriculture. But also in these days, Náxos is definitely the richest and most multifaceted island of the Cyclades. The island is very fertile, especially because there are plenty of wells; the villages in the interior are really picturesque, and you can find Byzantine chapels, towers from the Venetian era and even kouros-statues everywhere. Also the beaches attract many tourists nowadays.

Boats coming from the Piraeus arrive at the harbour of Náxos or Chóra after 6 to 7 hours. Náxos is a very lively town, with a busy harbour and lots of traffic. There are many large buildings in the modern city, which does not make it as attractive as the other villages and towns on the Cycladic isles. However, the town is dominated by a marvellous kástro. In 1207, in the aftermath of the 4th crusade, the Venetian gentleman Marco Sanudo, built a fortified castle on this spot. Until 1566 Naxos even remained the capital of a Venetian dukedom. The nobility then settled around the kastro. This is also the catholic neighbourhood of Naxos, with the catholic church and with a couple of monasteries. Over here you can also find a beautiful archaeological museum (among others with the famous Cycladic statues). 
There are also older remnants to be found in Náxos, such as the Portára, the large gate on a small island in the harbour – this is a remainder of the ancient temple of Apollo.
From the central bus station close to the harbour there are very good connections with many of the villages in the interior, such as Chalkí, Filóti, Apíranthos, Damariónas, Engares, Mélanes, Potamià, Kinídaros, etc., and also with lots of beaches like Mikri Vigla, Agia Anna, etc.

The interior of Náxos is magnificent and still has to offer a lot of authentic spots.

The large village of Filóti is built in the shape of an amphitheatre at the foot of the slopes of the highest mountain, Zas (1001 m). This might be one of the most beautiful villages of the island, with the Barozzi-tower and the Panagía-church – from where you have a great panoramic view.

The town of Apíranthos is situated about 8 km more to the north. This is also a very picturesque village on the slopes of the Fanári-mountain (883 m). Because marble was used a lot here, Apíranthos was given the nickname “marble village”. The small churches, the archaeological museum and the Zevgoli- and Bardani-towers are worth a visit.

We can also recommend a visit to the villages of Chalkí and Damariónas (more to the south-west), to Kóronos, which is also built on the slopes of the mountain, and to Koronída, the highest village on the island (700m). But on the hikes you will even discover much more: small villages such as Potamiá, Moní, Tsikalarió, Mélanes and much more: kouros-statues in Flerió, Potamiá or Apóllonas, monasteries, towers, ancient remnants, and many more things.

Náxos is also renowned for its beaches: the crowded beach of Agios Geórgios, south of Chóra, and then the beaches of Agia Anna, Mikrí Vígla, Kastráki, Alíko, Agiassós, etc. more to the south.

The interior of Náxos is a paradise for hikers. Because the distances are larger than for example on Sífnos or Amorgós, you have to prepare your hikes well in advance. You often have to catch a bus or a taxi first in order to get to the point of departure, because there are not a lot of hikes in the immediate vicinity of Chóra. Therefore, it could be a good idea to stay in the interior for a couple of nights, for example in Filóti, Apíranthos or Chalkí; it is also possible to stay the night at the end of the hike to Apóllonas. 

The nicest map of the island of Náxos is, as usual, published in the very interesting Anávasi-series (Topo 10.28): it shows a lot of monopátia and it is really quite indispensable. On the Anávasi-map you can easily get about 20 - 25  ideas for hiking trajectories; the last edition is from 2016 and includes 17 numbered and signposted hikes.

Panoramic view of Chóra Naxos

Byzantine church of Agii Apóstoli

Panoramic view of Filóti

 The kouros of Apollonas

 The Hellenistic tower of Chimárrou

 The pebbles on the beach of Liónas

 The temple of Demeter

 A square in Apíranthos

 The Panagía in Chalkí

 The Bazeou-tower