Making the most of Naxos
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
On the approach to Naxos harbour, ships pass the Portara, the colonnaded entrance to an unfinished 6th-century BCE temple dedicated to Apollo.
Vessels berth in the middle of town.
Naxos is both the largest and most fertile Cyclades Island, with agriculture providing much of its income rather than tourism alone. Its principal town appears on maps as ‘Hora’ and is also called ‘Naxos’ or ‘Naxos Town’; most visitor-oriented restaurants and shops are here. Several beach settlements continue southwards along the coast from Hora.
The island is celebrated for excellent beaches, some exposed to favourable winds that make them particularly suited to windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Getting around
Walking is the most practical way to move around the town itself.
Watch for rental fraud, particularly at businesses dealing exclusively in motorbikes and ATVs. Some supply only basic cover while presenting it as comprehensive insurance.
Nearby places
Naxos’s rural villages contain many rewarding sights, including Byzantine frescoes inside the Panagia Drosiani monastery at Moni.
Standing alone in the landscape is the Sanctuary of Demeter, dating from 530 BCE. On the way to Halki, visit the Venetian Bazeos Tower; the village also has a museum and distillery devoted to the fragrant liqueur Kitron.
Money
The local currency is the Euro.
Opening Hours and
Public Services trade Monday-Friday from 8.00am to 2.00pm. Retail Stores & Specialty Shops open Monday-Friday, 9am to 1.30pm and 5pm to 9pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Supermarkets operate Monday-Friday, 9am to 9pm, and Saturdays, 9am to 6pm. Most Tourist Shops and Convenience Stores keep no formal schedule and, in summer, generally trade from dawn until well beyond midnight.