Naxos Kastro (Castle)

Location: Town

The Castle (Kastro) of Naxos, Cyclades: The Castle of Naxos Town along with the Tower of Glezos serves as a protective shield to the impregnable fortress of Sanoudos in Chora of Naxos, and was originally built under the supervision of Markos II Sanoudos (the Venetian conqueror after whom it was named), who came along with the establishment of Frank sovereignty in the Aegean in 1207.

✔ DISCOVER THE TOURS IN NAXOS!
Book your Tour in Naxos or explore the island with your own car rental.

The fortification adjoining the fortress is conspicuous by its pentagonal shape and has three gates. The Glezos tower popularly referred to as the Krispi stands like a sentinel in close proximity to the northwestern gate and certain parts of the tower extend to the western and northern side of the fortress. It consists of four floors and it is the only castle in Naxos with a round shape. The fortress circuit towers, particularly the Glezos tower is impeccably preserved even to this day. The entry to the tower is conspicuous by the customary coat-of-arms that once belonged to the Crispi family.

The tower was handed over to the Archaeological Service by Mr. Petros Glezos who believed that the tower would be well preserved by such a prestigious institution. Restoration work is still going on and the Archaeological Society intends to build a Museum. Upon successful completion of the work, it will become the foremost Byzantine Museum in the whole of Cyclades. The Glezos tower was restored in the period 1968-1969. In the year 1968, the tower underwent comprehensive restoration. In more recent times, from the year 1995 work on building the museum commenced and is an ongoing activity.

Things to see in Kastro:
Ursulines School and Merchant Academy
Venetian Museum
Archaeological Museum
Catholic Cathedral

Explore Naxos and surrounding islands with a tour

Discover some of the most popular tours in Naxos:

View more tours

How to get there

The Kastro (Castle) of Naxos is located in Chora, just a 10-minute walk away from the central bus station and 6 minutes from a parking lot.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked Naxos transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 22850 25835, 0030 22850 24829 or book your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere’s the option of renting a car in Naxos with as little as 15 euros per day and pick it up directly from the airport, port or your hotel. Using a car rental allows visitors to discover the Kastro (Castle) and many other places of interest in Naxos at their own pace.

Public transfers: The central bus station of the island is located at the port of Naxos. There are bus connections between this bus station and the most areas of the island. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop in every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination, so that he makes a stop there.

✔ How to organize your holidays in Naxos

Ferry to Naxos: Book your ferry to Naxos from Athens, Naxos, Santorini and other islands.
Hotels: Discover our selection with the best hotels and accommodation in Naxos.
Tours and Activities: Explore the island with some amazing tours and activities.
Sport Activities: Book activities such as Jetskiing, Scuba diving, Sailing and more.
Car rentals: Discover the island on your own by booking your car.
Island hopping packages: View packages including multiple islands like Santorini, Naxos and more.
Tailor-made trip: Do you want to customize your trip according to your needs? Contact us!