Chora Naxos

The capital of the beautiful Naxos island, the largest island of the Cyclades archipelago and also the most verdant, also called the Chora, is located in the north east part.

A beautiful and fascinating town where the weight of time and past dominations is still very present. Narrow, steep streets that create labyrinthine mazes built specifically to defend against pirate raids, with its classic Cycladic whitewashed houses framed by bougainvillea and geraniums that give that touch of color, local craft shops and corners with cafes where you can relax in front of a cafe and where the relaxed and typically Greek atmosphere can be felt everywhere.

The Chora, despite being very populated in the high season, still remains the same, fortunately it has not yet been distorted by tourism and it is a real pleasure to visit it at any time always offering a different perspective.

Do not miss the Portara symbol of the Naxos island which is located on the Palatia islet connected to the Chora by a strip of land that houses the entrance to the temple dedicated to the god Apollo. Magnificent to visit at sunset when the setting sun paints the sea and the surrounding landscape in warm colors. Snorkeling is recommended near Palatia where the sea is extremely crystal clear and the marine life is lively.

In the highest part of the Chora, we find the Kastro also called the Naxos Acropolis, a building built in the 1207 period of the Venetian domination wanted by Marco Sanudo king of the island who made it the Duchy of the Aegean. Conceived by a Venetian engineer, the pentagonal fortress once had both an internal and external wall and housed the Marco Sanudo residence and manor houses with the insignia of the families above the doors. Twelve towers stood but today only one remains called Crispi, name of the last dukes of the Naxos island. In the small medieval village one enters from the Paraporti in the southern part or from the north through the Porta Trani where there is a vertical incision that at the time was used by the merchants to measure the fabrics. Inside the citadel, narrow streets that fit together and that will certainly make you lose in the alleys.

Also inside the Kastro, there is the Archaeological Museum considered one of the most important of the Cyclades Islands. In a building that was originally the Commercial School of the Jesuits, there is the historical archive of Naxos, archaeological finds dating back to the late Neolithic period up to the early Christian period, a collection of marble, and a collection from the Mycenaean era.

In the lower part of the Chora there is the Bourgos district with winding and narrow alleys considered the bourgeois Naxos area during the Middle Ages. The square is home to the Panagia Tou Christou church.

The Grotta district on the north side of the capital, a short distance from the Kastro and the port, has a splendid  Portara view and a very interesting archaeological site as parts of the ancient capital dating back to 1300 of the Mycenaean era have emerged from the excavations. The bay of Grotta with its stony beach is certainly not ideal for swimming as it is always beaten by the winds, if seen from the causeway leading to Palatia, it shows the foundations of ancient buildings now swallowed up by the waters.

A church not to be overlooked is certainly Panagia Mirtidiotissa which is located exactly on an islet facing the port that seems to welcome or welcome you to those who decide for their holidays in Greece to come to the Naxos island. Legend says that this small islet was the place of worship dedicated to the god Poseidon while history tells that it was built by some sailors who arrived from Citira who survived a shipwreck and landed on this small piece of land that emerged. Every day small boats shuttle the church.

The area of the seafront is full of beautiful places with attention to detail where there is a wide choice of taverns or restaurants where you can taste the local delicacies and Greek cuisine. The nightlife in Chora is not as lively as nearby Mykonos, but offers solutions for all tastes and to spend a pleasant evening.

Definitely to be included in the things to see in Naxos, where you can enjoy a day passing from one era to another in no time and breathe history and tradition of the enchanting Cyclades Islands.