Apollonas

Being one of the remotest villages of Naxos, Apollonas lies on the northeast coast, 35 km away from the capital. Despite its location and the lack of other settlements in a distance of more than 10 km, Apollonas is relatively developed for tourists, with a choice of hotels and restaurants in the summer. The reason for its popularity is the archeological site called Kouros of Apollonas.

Apollonas has rich history since antiquity when it was famous for its marble quarries and export of Naxian marble. In the quarries an unfinished marble statue was found, with a height of over 10 meters. A statue of this kind is known under the term "kouros" which means a Greek sculpture of a young nude man, usually of noble origin. The kouros found in Apollonas was initially considered a statue of Apollon because of the village name but later it was identified as Dionysos. Today the statue is still in the marble quarries and it can be visited just before the village entrance.

There are a few beaches in and around Apollonas. One is just next to the pier and the white-blue church of Agios Ioannis Prodromou where all tavernas are concentrated - small but with fine soft sand and gently sloping bottom. The other beach is in the south end of the village, larger, longer and calmer. It has sand mixed with pebbles and boulders. A couple of wild beaches can be found north of Apollonas, with pebbles and clean blue water but they are accessible either on foot via short paths or by boat.

Photos

highlights: village with beach, ancient marble quarries and statue of Dionysos, village in Naxos, Cyclades Islands, Greece