Naxos Town

Naxos Town

Naxos Town, also Naxos Chora, is the largest settlement and port of the island, located on the west coast. Its cubical whitewashed houses are built amphitheatrically above the port, around the walls of an ancient Venetian castle - this part of the town is known as Kastro, with narrow maze-like alleys and arches between the houses. The alleys are full of small shops, cafes and restaurants, and one can gladly get lost in this labyrinth while looking for a certain place or just wandering around. The buildings on the top of the hill, inside the castle walls, bespeak of Naxos past when the island was under the rule of Marco Sanudo - the Duke of Naxos who built the fortress. There you can see two preserved towers, a few churches and two monasteries - The Capuchin and the Ursuline.

If you come to the island by ferry you will be "welcomed" by the Apollon`s Gate (Portara) - a huge marble doorway which was part of a massive ancient temple dedicated to Apollo and dating back to 530 B.C. It rises up on a small islet, connected to Chora via causeway. The second thing that grabs the attention is the church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, a small white chapel in the middle of the port among the fishing boats section. Along the port is the lively promenade lined with restaurants, cafes, fast food and small shops, and a few strolls away from it is the main square. The promenade ends at a municipal car lot (there are a few parking lots in Naxos Town) and after it is the cove of Agios Georgios, a sandy beach with very shallow water and plenty of hotels around it.

Hotels in Naxos Town

Photos

Naxos TownThe top of kastroNaxos port

highlights: the largest settlement with port and Venetian castle, village in Naxos, Cyclades Islands, Greece

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