Eggares

Tours

Explore the wonders of Naxos island on this guided bus. Visit the valley of Gyroula and the marble quarries of Apollonas. Stop at the villages of Chalki, Apiranthos, and Damalas along the way. Start with a pickup from a variety of locations on Naxos and first travel to the green valley of Gyroula. You will visit the marble temple of the Goddess Demeter, one of the most important ancient monuments on the island. The next stop will be the tiny village of Damalas. Learn everything about the old procedures of olive oil production at a restored olive press museum. Afterward, visit a traditional workshop of a third-generation potter and know the secrets of his art dating back to ancient Greece. Continue to Chalki, an ancient commercial center and a place of beautiful Venetian architecture. You will have approximately 50’ free time to explore by yourselves. Don’t miss the oldest distillery of the island – Vallindras distillery - located right in the middle of the village, the sophisticated ceramic art galleries and the cozy shops with souvenirs and local products. Next, make a long stop (approx. 1,5 hours) at the famous village of Apiranthos located at the foot of Fanari mountain. Admire the beautiful views of Venetian Towers, marbled alleys, cozy tavernas, verandas, and traditional shops. Here, you will have free time for lunch – it is highly recommended to taste the local recipes of “rosto” and “kalogiros”. Driving past Koronos village and the famous emery mines, you will reach Apollonas. Get free time at the picturesque fishing village to go for a quick dip and enjoy a coffee or desert by the seaside. End your tour with a visit to the infamous “Kouros”, an unfinished marble Statue of 11 meters, lying in the same spot for more than 2500 years! Drive along the west coast, one of the most beautiful routes on the island with an amazing view of the ocean, and be returned to your pickup point.

Meet your guide at Naxos Bus Transfer Office, right outside Naxos Port and drive directly to your first stop, Demeter’s Temple. Admire the impressive restored sanctuary, take amazing pictures and visit the small on site museum. Next stop will be Chalki village, the old capital and commercial center of Naxos. Get free time (approx. 40’) to explore its colorful alleys, shop unique souvenirs, visit the distillery of “Vallindras” or just enjoy a coffee at one of its cozy cafes. Continue driving through old olive groves and reach Panagia Drosiani, a church of unique architectural style devoted to Virgin Mary- considered among the oldest in the Balkans! Here you will make a short stop to take pictures and if the church is open, also pay a quick visit to admire its unique frescoes. Outside Kinidaros village you will make a short stop by the road to photoshoot the contemporary marble quarries before you reach Flerio valley. Walk through its lush gardens and meet the Kouros Statue, one of the most striking examples of Naxian marble art. The restored olive press museum in Eggares is the best way to end your tour! You will learn about the century-old procedure of olive oil production, as well as taste samples of olive ingredient delicacies. *On Tuesdays and on the 1st of May the Temple of Demeter is closed and instead you will visit the village of Filoti. Walk to its central church and learn the touching story of its construction followed by a short visit to the neighboring folklore museum.

Enjoy a tour perfect for adventurous people and Kayak along the coast of Naxos Island. Admire beautiful landscapes and coastlines and try to spot local wildlife before stopping at caves and enjoying a local meal (optional meal). Start the tour at the beautiful, sandy beach of Kalandos, located on the southern edge of Naxos Island, protected from the northerly summer winds. Explore the area, the island’s southernmost wetland, and the first resting and feeding stop for migratory birds on their long journey from Africa. Finish the equipment check and safety briefing by your certified guide before paddling a distance of about 8 km along the south coast of Naxos, heading east. Take in the breathtaking view from the neighboring Cycladic Islands and make stops at tiny sea coves where we’ll stop to swim with forbidding, craggy cliffs towering over us. Paddle in the tranquil, blue-green waters and awesome geological formations along the coastline will meet your eyes until you reach the most impressive of them all: Rhina Cave with its ceiling of miniature stalactites and its inviting beach nearby. Make a stop at Rhina Cave's beach for about 30-40 min. Enjoy delicious snacks prepared for you by the guide and sample the local products and delicacies of Naxos. Enjoy snorkeling in the waters around the beach and spotting local wildlife. Head back to the kayak to return to the starting point at Kalandos Beach. End the tour with a scrumptious traditional (optional)meal at the local taverna where you can relax and enjoy the view.

Stroll down the cobblestone alleys of Chora, Naxos main town. In the company of your guide, you’ll make the rounds of the local produce market the way the Naxos people do. Once there, you’ll pick and choose your own local, fresh, seasonal produce, bursting with fragrances, colors, and flavor. You’ll be putting your vegetables to good use during the cooking course that will follow. Your route will also take you to tiny traditional shops, hidden in the alleys of Chora, where you’ll find out all about the traditional products that Naxos is famous for throughout Greece: olives, olive oil, honey, potatoes, fruit, cheeses, and meat from Naxos are sought for and in great demand. At some of the shops you’ll have the chance to sample the actual products. Sampling the amazing local cheeses will simply delight you. You’ll be equally delighted when you sample versions of the signature Naxos liqueur made from citron, a citrus fruit. Our tour will take you down the maze-like alleys of the Chora castle built in the 13th century when Venetian rule started on Naxos and the island was known as the Duchy of Naxos. You will get a glimpse of local life in those times of yore and come to appreciate not only the beauty of Cycladic architecture but its functionality as well. Your walk will end at a small traditional taverna where you’ll meet the talented chef we work with. He’ll ask you to help him with the preparation and, step by step, he’ll show you how to make mouthwatering, traditional appetizers and the renowned Greek salad, all the while paying tribute to the Mediterranean’s flavors and aromas. Next, comes the greatest part of the tour. We’ll all be sitting down to share the dishes you made yourself, along with another Greek traditional dish prepared by our chef. We’ll raise our glasses, toast each other, and enjoy a day spent in enjoying and experiencing. After your meal, we’ll end our tour the Greek way: with a cup of traditional Greek coffee to round off your culinary experience.

To explore the techniques of hand carving marble and mosaic in 3 hours beginner workshop in our open-air marble art garden studio. Hand-carved marble and stone, kind sculptures, mosaic. During the workshop, you can enjoy the wonderful nature in our garden which is nestled in the valley between the villages of Eggares, Galini Amitis Beach on Naxos Island. Our garden is very close to the river Engares. To arrive at our garden you have to pass the river that is surrounded by canes. Grimantis Marble Art Garden is a secret Garden. Just driving to Grimantis Garden is a big adventure. Come to our beautiful garden that has been in my family for generations. I will introduce you to the basic of creating mosaics using all natural crystalline marble and granite pebbles collected from the local beaches of Naxos just as the Ancient used to. Design inspiration may come from archaic motifs. Work from our samples or bring your own ideas. Alternatively learn hand carving of marble and sculpture techniques. I will provide a worktable, a block of Naxos white marble for practice, a small stone for a relief carving, safety glasses, hand tools, hammer, files, sandpaper. Enjoy fresh lemonade, coffee or tea, and sample of the fresh fruits from the garden. Everyone takes their finished relief carving or mosaic with them.

This hike will take you up to the top of the most popular mountain in the Cycladic island cluster: Mount Zas! Once you reach the peak, there are many things to be proud of! Not only will you be at the highest point in the Cyclades ( 1003 m / 3290 ft), but you’ll have hiked to the summit of the mountain where Zeus, Father and King of the Olympian Gods, was raised. That is the reason why the mountain was named after Zeus (Zas in Naxos’ local dialect). This pleasant hike of moderate difficulty begins at the small country church of Agia Marina at Danakos village. The trail you’ll be following is exactly the same trail people have been following to the top of the mountain since ancient times. As you hike up, you will encounter the fascinating 4th-century BC inscription carved on a rock: “ΟΡΟΣ ΔΙΟΣ ΜΗΛΩΣΙΟΥ.'' What does the inscription say? Come with us and find out how mythology blends with history! You’ll start walking up a dirt trail flanked by the signature vegetation of the Cyclades. Higher up, it gradually becomes a jagged limestone path that’ll take you to the craggy summit of mighty Zeus. The vast blue of the Aegean Sea will accompany you along the way, while the view of the neighboring Cycladic islands is breathtaking. When you’re at the top, the 360 degree view is worthy of the Gods: plains and green slopes, small villages and tiny, whitewashed country churches (how many can you count?) as far as the eye can see . Once you reach the top, you’ll spend some time taking photos and having a delicious traditional treat. After you take in all the beauty, you start on your way back! At the end of your hike you'll enjoy a delicious traditional picnic! The hike to the peak of Mount Zas never disappoints. It’s actually a hike you’re not likely to forget. Do join us for this epic hike and discover unspoiled, pristine Naxos off the beaten track. Distance: 6 km / 3.7 m Altitude: 1003 meters / 3290 ft Ascend: 391 meters / 1282 ft Descend: 391 meters / 1282 ft Terrain: dirt trail, rocky trail

Make the most of your time in Naxos and rent a private air-conditioned mini bus with a professional English-speaking driver. Experience the island according to your own interests and benefit from pick-up at the place of your choice. Choose from multiple activities, such as taking in the views from lookout points, visit wineries and farms or relax in one of the amazing hidden beaches. Take your time to explore the island’s nature and admire unique sights as Demeter’s Temple, Kouros and Kori statues, Venetian Towers and Byzantine chapels. Visit places that you can only reach privately and taste delicious local dishes in small non-commercial taverns. Recommended 4 hours itineraries: 1) If you are mostly interested in sight-seeing and monuments Demeter’s Temple (entrance fee 4€/person to be paid on the spot in cash) Chalki Village with a visit to the oldest distillery in Naxos and taste of the local liqueur "kitron" (entrance fee 3€/person to be paid on the spot in cash) Panagia Drosiani Monastery (one of the oldest Byzantine monasteries in the Balkans with rare frescoes Kouros Statue at Flerio Eggares olive press museum with olive oil and olive delicacies tastings This would be a rather rushed itinerary with short stops, but you can see as much as possible in 4 hours. 2) If you want to visit the most popular villages Chalki – Apiranthos Apiranthos is Naxos' most famous and popular village, but you should estimate approx. 1.5 hours of total driving to go there and return. It is easily combined with another stop to Chalki or/and Filoti. 3) A little bit of history and culture Demeter’s Temple - Damalas pottery workshop – Chalki Village – Eggares olive press museum. Demeter’s Temple is Naxos' most significant ancient monument and most probably the #1 “must see” on the island. The pottery workshop in Damalas is nice to buy souvenirs and the owners offer a presenation on the pottery mill in English. Chalki is one of the most beautiful villages and you can visit the oldest distillery in Naxos, located right in the middle of the village. Eggares olive press museum should not be missed. It is near Naxos Town, they make a great guidance in English and you will also have the opportunity to taste and buy delicious olive products of great quality.

You’ll start your hike at Kinidaros, a scenic village nestled amid marble quarries towering over it. At one time or another, most of the village men have been quarrymen but Kinidaros is famous for a completely different trait: Music! For the Kinidaros locals music comes first. Most of them are skilled musicians, everyone plays an instrument (or two or three), and everyone keeps the Cycladic folk music tradition alive and well. You’ll leave Kinidaros behind to walk on a dirt trail which gives you the opportunity to gaze at the awesome marble quarries from a distance. The dirt trail turns into a cobblestoned path that takes you all the way down to the river. The views of the nearby mountains as they blend with the deep blue of the Aegean, the lush greenery that awaits you below, the path itself which actually traverses a small ravine cannot be beaten. As soon as you reach the riverbanks, the landscape changes completely. The 18th-century, double-arch, stone bridge known as Mill of Hadji stands guard over everything and once you’ve walked past it towards the riverbank, you’ll notice the difference: the air is cooler, shady spots abound, and vegetation is rioting next to abandoned watermills, lagoons, and small waterfalls, while crabs and water turtles make their way at the water’s edge next to oleander bushes and plane trees. A little later, the trail takes you past the serene, small, country church of Aghios Georgios in the fertile Lagada area and a majestic four-arch water mill. You continue making your way surrounded by plane trees and reed beds until you reach the 18th-century tower of the Pradouna Elders. At that point, you enter the traditional farm settlement of Mesa Geitonia. Last, the trail takes you to Eggares, an old, quiet farming village in the embrace of a fertile plain where you’ll have the chance to visit one of Naxos’s oldest remaining olive mills: recently renovated, the Eggares Olive Press dates back to at least the late 1800s when it pressed locally-grown olives for the village community. At Eggares, we’ll share a great, leisurely meal at one of the village’s best traditional tavernas. Then our transport will take you back to your accommodations!

The hike takes a route through small and picturesque traditional villages and areas of unrivaled natural beauty. You'll start and end your hike at Halki, a gem village which boasts samples of remarkable neoclassical architecture. You'll be leaving Halki behind us as you hike through the scenic valley of Tragea, dotted with Byzantine churches different in architectural style and from various eras, some decorated with outstanding frescoes. You ’ll hike through the area’s olive, fig, and citrus groves to reach Panagia Drosiani, one of the Balkans’ oldest churches. Dating back to the 6th century AD, it’s considered one of Naxos’ most significant Christian monuments. Halfway into your hike, you’ll be reaching the village of Moni and, after a short break under the shade of the trees, you’ll continue to the scenic small villages of Kaloxylos and Akadimoi. There you will make a stop at the old Olive press factory. In this atmospheric space, you will discover the way in which olive oil was produced a hundred years ago.Then From start to finish, you’ll be in the company of Nature: forested landscapes, dirt trails and stone-paved paths, a verdant ravine, clusters of oaks and plane trees, all join forces to make your hike an unforgettable one! At the end of your hike, you'll visit the local distillery producing Kitron, Naxos’ citrus-based liqueur, to toast life, laughter, new friends, and a day to remember! Your hike ends with a delicious meal at one of the island's best traditional tavernas under the shade of a climbing grapevine (optional meal). Join us and experience true Naxos at its best!

Unravel the one of Naxos’s oldest remaining olive mills which is recently renovated, the Eggares Olive Press. View actual tools and equipment that were used in the space at that time. Visit and learn about the traditional methods of olive oil production from a brief presentation. Next stop is the remarkable statue of a Kouros which is located outside the village of Melanes, in the countryside of Naxos.The statue lays on the ground and it is 6 meters long and dates back to the 7th century. Then ascend to the charming village of Halki. Walk through its charming streets and discover a mixture of neoclassical buildings and traditional Cycladic architecture. In the heart of the village, lies a small distillery called Vallindras which mainly functions as a museum with kitron products (yellow drink from a fruit a bit less bitter than lemon) available for purchase and tasting. You can admire traditional items, machinery, and tools used for the distillation process. Continue our short roadtrip to Damalas village where you can appreciate the laidback nature and visit a pottery workshop fifth generation which keeps the Greek pottery tradition alive. Our last stop is the sacred temple of Demeter. This magnificent temple has been made exclusively of the finest quality Naxos marble and dates back to the 6th century BC.