Werk Press
  • Home
  • What We Do
  • Shop
  • Our Blogs
    • Art
    • Automobille
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Food & Cooking
    • Photography
    • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
  • T & C’s
  • Disclaimer
  • Get In Touch
Werk Press

Werk Press

  • Home
  • What We Do
  • Shop
  • Our Blogs
    • Art
    • Automobille
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Food & Cooking
    • Photography
    • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
  • T & C’s
  • Disclaimer
  • Get In Touch
0
Travel

A tour of Naxos the largest of the Cyclades, Greece

by admin October 21, 2020

I’m heading for Naxos, supposedly the island where Dionysus, the god and fun was born. It’s the largest of the Cyclades and probably the most fertile due to rain clouds forming on its mountains.

I can see those in the distance as I approach Chora, the capital, but I’m immediately impressed by the defensive citadel overlooking the bay, and the remains, Two imposing marble columns topped with a lintel, known as the Portara, rise high into the sky.

Chora

Like most islands, the port is lined but behind it, steep alleys lead up to the neighbourhood, topped by the Kastro, a defensive bastion of twelve towers, although only one, the Tower of Crispi remains. It was built by the crusader Marco Sanudo in the 13th century when he founded the Venetian Duchy of the Aegean. Still, many Venetian mansions survive, often with descendants of the original families still living there. Unusually for Greece, there’s a Catholic cathedral here and a 17th century Ursuline convent. Nikos Kazantzakis, who wrote Zorba the Greek, studied in the French Commercial School nearby.

Beaches

I start at Agios Georgios, Hora’s town beach, and continue south past the beautiful Agios Prokopios, sandy and shallow in a sheltered bay just beyond the headland of Cape Mougkri. This merges into Agia Anna, and then there’s the long, stretch of sand which is Plaka Beach. More gorgeous bays follow, punctuated with rocky outcrops, as far as Pyrgaki, literally the end of the road.

The peaks around Mount Zeus are calling so I get in my car to explore the interior of the island. It’s very green, full of olive trees and grape vines with potatoes growing on the plain near the sea. As I start to climb I see white villages dotted on the hillside with the mountains towering behind them.

Marble Quarries

The area between Melanes and Kinidaros has been the island’s marble quarry since ancient times and the hillside is scarred by huge gashes. Naxos marble is not as fine grained as Paros but better suited to large structures rather than fine classical sculpture.  The rock would undergo rough processing at the quarry before being moved to the final destination. 

In Flerio there remain two examples of Kouroi, large marble statues from the 7th and 6th centuries, each measuring about 5.5m. Both of these sleeping have limbs, perhaps by bad workmanship, and they were abandoned forever.

Halki

Halki was once the capital of Naxos and it lies at the heart of the Tragaea mountainous region, about 20 minutes’ drive from Hora. Handsome old villas and Venetian tower houses remind you of its and it’s full of arty boutiques. The local distillery, Vallindras Naxos Citron, and is still producing the island’s unique spirit Citron, made from lemon leaves.

Apiranthos

At the centre of the island, Apiranthos sits at the foot of Mt. Fanari, at an altitude of 600m and often has snow in winter. It’s close to the marble quarries and its narrow streets are paved with the stuff. Add Venetian towers, pretty two-storey houses, and picturesque squares and you have an undeniable sense of grandeur. Interestingly many of villagers are descendants of refugees who escaped from tyranny in Crete in the 18th century and they retain their own dialect.

previous post
LACMA: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
next post
Travel Guide: 24 hours in Edinburgh

Related Posts

Travel Guide: Morzine in the summer

March 26, 2021

What is there to see and do in...

March 26, 2021

Exotic winter sun breaks from the UK

March 26, 2021

Best places to experience fall in New York...

March 26, 2021

Getting Active in Bern, Switzerland

October 21, 2020

Top day trips from Geneva

October 21, 2020

Travel Guide: 24 hours in Edinburgh

October 21, 2020

Top attractions in Antarctica

December 2, 2019

7 winter solstice festivals to celebrate the sun’s...

December 2, 2019

Where to travel based on your Harry Potter...

December 2, 2019

Categories

  • Art
  • Automobille
  • Beauty
  • Craft
  • Fashion
  • Food & Cooking
  • Photography
  • Travel

Our Mission

We’re dedicated to the idea that writing about books and reading should be just as diverse as books and readers are. We began with the goal of leading a new discussion around books, readers, and publishing. Individually and collaboratively.

Recent Posts

  • Travel Guide: Morzine in the summer

  • What is there to see and do in Bermuda

  • Exotic winter sun breaks from the UK

  • Home
  • What We Do
  • Shop
  • Our Blogs
    • Art
    • Automobille
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Food & Cooking
    • Photography
    • Travel
  • Privacy Policy
  • T & C’s
  • Disclaimer
  • Get In Touch

Copyright @ 2021 | All Right Reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT