Naxos Epano Kastro

Location: Potamia

Epano Kastro (Upper Castle) in Potamia, Naxos island: Close to the village of Ano Potamia, there is a hiking path leading to Epano Kastro, also known as the Castle of Tragea or Tsikalario Castle. This path is not easy but totally worth it when you reach up there. At an altitude of 420m, there is an old imposing castle with a view of the valley of Tragea on the east and the village of Potamia on the west. The strategic location of this castle shows that it was a point of reference for central Naxos and allowed good observation over the entire region.

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Discover the available Tours or get there with your own car rental, starting at 14€ per day.

Epano Kastro was the residence of the Duke of Naxos in the Medieval Times. It was originally constructed by the Venetian Marco Sanudo, who eventually chose the Castle in Naxos Town as his residence. Few ruins of old buildings survive until today, like ruins of storehouses and watchtowers. The walls are largely destroyed by time and wars.

Close to castle walls are the two Byzantine churches of Panagia Kastriani and Saint George. At the bottom of the hill, there are also two ancient cemeteries from the Geometric period. Findings from these cemeteries are today hosted at the Archaeological Museum of Naxos.

How to get there

Epano Kastro (Upper Castle) is located in Potamia village.

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 Epano Kastro (Upper 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 few buses from Chora to Potamia during the day. 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.