Car Hire Naxos

Mini guide to Naxos

Although this island is lovely and replete with fine beaches and interesting archaeological sites, it is not yet as developed for tourism as some of the nearby Greek islands in the Aegean. This fact makes it ideal for those looking for a more culturally authentic Greek island experience.

In the port town of Hora is the Kastro of Hora. This exquisite Venetian castle was built in the 13th century by a nephew of the ruler of Venice. Inside the wall that surrounds the Kastro area is one of the most well preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean as well as a 16th century Catholic cathedral.

There are also several fascinating mountain villages on the island. For instance, in Apirathos you can taste delicious bread freshly baked in a wood burning oven, and Filoti produces a variety of delicious wines for local consumption that can be had no where else in the world.

For entertainment and leisure, Naxos offers dining and beach experiences that rival those of better known Cyclades Islands. It has some of the the longest and best beaches in the Cyclades, such as the fine sand beach Ayios Prokopios just south of Hora. Around the harbour in Hora and in the Kastro are many good traditional tavernas as well as several gourmet restaurants.

A drive around the island will reveal that Naxos is different from other Aegean Islands. On the hillsides you will see Venetian towers and in the villages are many small Byzantine chapels, some of which have frescos dating as far back as the 9th century.

Olympic airlines offer daily flights to and from Athens, and the island can be reached by hydrofoil or ferry from many of the other islands in the Aegean including Paros and Mykonos.