Naxos Town (Chora)

Information about Town (Chora)

Chora Naxos or Naxos Town: Chora is the capital and main harbour of the island of Naxos Greece. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful Cycladic villages in the entire group for it has a fine architecture, composed of Venetian and Cycladic elements. Naxos Town has kept an authentic and traditional character and a strong local colour.

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This large town is located on the west coast of Naxos and, on its top, stands an impressive Venetian castle, characteristic and trademark of the island. This marvelous construction has been built following the orders of Marco Sanudo who conquered the Cyclades in 1207 and used Naxos Island as the seat of the Duchy of the Aegean which he created.

The castle (called Kastro in Greek) was containing Sanudo's residence as well as the various institutions and administrations of the duchy. It was designed by an engineer and has a pentagonic shape, built according to Venetian architecture with beautiful buildings, mansions, monuments and churches standing on the paved narrow streets. It is a beautiful and charming place that has kept its medieval atmosphere. In the castle's area is the Archaeological Museum of Naxos, housed in an old Jesuit Commercial school.

In the northern part of the capital a long paved road leads to the islet of Palatia (Palaces) where stand the unfinished Temple of Apollo and the trademark of the island, the famous Portara (Big Door) which is the gate of the temple.

Around the port area you will find most of the important features like banks, bus departures, luggage storage and car hire. The waterfront and marina slope all the way round to the headland, on the other side of which Agios Georgios Beach begins. Various fish restaurants, taverns, cafes and bars are lining on the waterfront which is the island's center of tourist activity.

The beach of Agios Georgios (Saint George) is close to the capital and is a long golden sandy beach lined by many restaurants and cafes and is a well-known spot for windsurfing.This beach is very busy and is the most northern of a long line of superb beaches on the west coast.

Chora is the arrivals point for most visitors and is much geared up for this. The Grotta area is to the north, it is worth making the short journey here and there are a couple of caves to look into. There is a small stony beach here but because of the wind is not recommended.

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How to get to Town (Chora)

There are many different ways to get to Chora (Naxos Town) from any location on the island.
Airport to Chora: 3 km / 1.8 miles | Plaka to Chora: 9.3 km / 5.7 miles | Agios Prokopios to Chora: 5 km / 3 miles

Tours: Discover Chora with an organized tour of Naxos, starting from 65€.

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 Chora 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.
From Naxos airport to Chora: Note that there is no bus station at the airport and the best option is to book a car or a transfer. If you still want to use the public bus, after exiting the airport buildings, follow the road to the left, the bus station (Naxos Camp) is located 500 meters away. From Naxos Camp, visitors can take the bus route Plaka - Agia Anna > Chora (approximately every 30 minutes during summer) to Naxos central station.
From Naxos port to Chora: The central bus station is located at the port of Naxos.

✔ 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!

Things To See And Do In Town

Kastro Portara Archaeological Museum Venetian Museum Museum of Naxos Ancient Town Panagia Mirtidiotissa Orthodox Cathedral Catholic Cathedral Ursulines School and Merchant Academy Monastery of Agios Ioannis Chryssostomos

Restaurants (20)Cafe (6)Dessert (3)Bars (11)Clubs (1)Shopping (16)Sports (3)Other Businesses (5)Wellness (5)

Map Of Town, Naxos

Hotels in Town

Anassa Naxos

Rooms, Suites, Junior Suites, Honeymoon, Family Rooms Town Book now from: 45 €

Anatoli Hotel

Hotels, Apartments Town Book now from: 26 €

Anixis Hotel

Hotels Town Book now

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Reviews of Town, Naxos

Guest 2007-12

Hi, i'm Norwegian and I'm 44 years old. In the summer of 2006 I visited Greece and the island of Naxos. I was staying in Lagoudera and some friends recommended the Main Town, so I decided to go. I went there by the bus. It took me only 10 minutes to get there, but I had to wait long for it. I very much enjoyed the trip. I stayed in the area, so I didn't have to use a map or anything. The village has beautiful architecture and is very clean. Also it is crowded with great atmosphere. You can find telephone, bank, mini market, restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, shops, travel agencies, museums, internet cafes, hotels and other accommodations. My favorite thing about the village was the narrow roads, with lots of different local stores. But the bad thing is that is not good enough for pedestrians. Where is the tennis curt, mini golf, one walking points A tip for future visitors would be, come to Naxos, you will be satisfied.

Guest 2007-03

Nationality: French Age: 17 -How did you get to Naxos Town: By car -Where is your accommodation located: On the southern coast of Naxos -How much time did it take you to reach Naxos Town: 5 minutes -What are the conditions of the roads that take you to the village: It would be nice if the Roads were a little larger. -If you used public transportations, did you have to wait long for the bus: I didn't use public transportation. -Did you enjoy the trip to Naxos Town: Yes it was very nice and very scenic. -In order to get to the village were there enough signs in order to find it: It was perfectly indicated I had no problem finding it. Why did you choose this particular village: It was included with the program of the organization that I am involved with this summer. -How would you describe the Naxos Town: Touristy, crowded. Commercial, holiday ambiance -Can everything, one might need, be found in the village: Telephone, bank, mini market, restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, shops, travel agemcies, museums, internet cafes, hotels and other accommodations - Did Naxos Town meet your expectations? Yes Rate: 8/10 Ok in comparison to other villages on Naxos - Favorite thing about Naxos Town: The girls (tourists) - Is there anything that you dont like about the village or things that should be done by the authorities to improve it or is something missing: The shop keepers need to work on their people skills (not very friendly) - Any recommendations/tips for future visitors: Come here to relax - Would you come to this village again: Probably not because there are so many places to see in Greece Other recommended villages? No

Guest 2010-10

A very picturesque quarter, this is actually the heart of Naxos Town! This is the oldest quarter of the town and its name means "castle", as in the past this part of the city was protected by strong walls. It has paved streets and nice arches on the way. Houses are old and seemed a bit depressing to me because they are small in size and had narrow windows. Some houses had turned into hostels, but I doubt if people really liked them. They may be cheaper than rooms by the sea, but seemed very old buildings. I liked the gift shops in Kastro and bought many souvenirs from there. The small taverns were also very cozy, but didn't seat in any of them. They had great smells, but there is nothing in Greece like a meal by the sea!

Guest 2010-12

This big marble door is the first thing you see as the ferry approaches the port of Naxos. Particularly at sunset this sight is marvelous as the sun dives into the sea at the background of this door. This sight is known as Portara, which means "big door". This is actually the only remaining from a large ancient temple that was built on a small island off the port of Naxos. Today, this island has been connected to the mainland with a small pathway and it gives a nice evening walk. A couple of statues have been placed on the way to Portara.

Guest 2011-01

I really love this restaurant. India - Thai - Chinese food on the menu. Great asian restaurant. I was really positively surprised when I first discovered this one. Since, I have become a regular customer.

Guest 2011-04

Don't have much to say, except that it had the best milkshakes in Town. Otherwise, a cool cafe like many others along the port.

Guest 2015-12

Naxos has probably the most stunning port in Greece. Now, imagine it during night... You are walking along the port, the lights of the town make the water and ships glow and in the middle of all that, a tiny little island with a church on it, shining like a sun. Very cute scenery.

Guest 2015-12

There are soooo many good restaurants and snack bars in Naxos, but I don't see any of them on Greeka. Waffle house was the only place I visited from the things you listed. So, this is a place where you wait 30 mins in queue for the ice-cream. Very popular, with tons of customers. And I will just say that their ice cream is very good, many flavours, nicely done, but it's not that tremendously awesome for people to "kill" each other over it. And that's all. :)

Guest 2015-12

From the restaurants listed on Greeka, I visited two of them, plus one "snack bar". Susanna was the first thing my boyfriend and me visited, because it was recommended to us as the best place in the world, with the best pizza in the world. I ate pasta here (pesto), with some additional appetizers and sweets, and my boyfriend took pizza. I was beyond content, with both service and food. The waiters know excellent English, they are educated, polite, of broad culture, and stop by each table for a chat. I was very happy with their manners, communication and complete service. My food was awesome, perfectly done and I liked it a lot. My boyfriend took one of their pizzas (and this is where the recommendation is), and he had a mixed feelings about it, but I'm sure it was him and not the restaurant. He just took very heavy pizza, with a lot of heavy meat (sausage, this and that, 4 types of meat) + heavy cheese... He took the heaviest possible pizza there and it's normal to feel sick after you eat it all. :)

Guest 2015-12

I was surprised to see such rich collection. Compared to Milos, where you need five minutes for whole museum, Naxos archaeological museum is rich in exhibits, history and explanations. My warm recommendation, for both educational purposes and admiration. This area has great quantity of archaeological excavations which will show you its rich history and way of life.

Guest 2015-12

I was surprised to see there are almost no photos of this museum, so I included few, although they are of very bad quality. Not much to say here - very nice place, rich collection, informative and a must during your visit to old town. Karavias family keeps it intact and preserved and it's an informative showing of way of living back then.

Guest 2015-12

I was completely stunned by Naxos, and I can say the same for its fortification part. The complete old town is beautiful, ancient, funny, strange, magnificent and original. I could walk here for ages. Nice tower, nice surroundings, nice museums, streets, houses... Everything is stunning!

Guest 2015-12

Portara gives Naxos a mysterious, dreamy and ancient touch. You look at it from the town, standing alone on the hill, and walk there through a stone path on which the waves crash from all sides. View from the top of the hill is magnificent, and not only Naxos town, but also the sunset and, on first place for me, waves crashing and spending itself all around. Small warning: be careful if you decide to walk to Portara during night, because there is no light on the road, and you may get splashed by big waves, because you cannot see them.

Guest 2015-12

Naxos has the best restaurants in Greece, I'm pretty sure. When you start checking all of them in the port, at the end you won't know which one was the best, because the food is absolutely marvelous in most of them. They are all elegant, with organic food, majestic, with greatly looking dishes and plates. As far as I remember, my best meal was exactly in this restaurant, Il Girasole. I was beyond content with my pasta, and my boyfriend was super-content with his meat and other things he ordered. Everything had perfect taste, looked perfect, we had big portions, and the service was on top- the girl that served was warm, happy, polite, optimistic and very nice. Warm recommendation.