The pottery workshop in Damalas is a traditional 4th generation pottery workshop where you can closely follow the clay treatment process as well as buy clay and decorative items (daily until late at night, 22850 32820).
Also of particular interest are the churches and monasteries of Naxos. It is worthing a visit to Agia Kyriaki, located at Kalloni (3 km from Aperanthus) dating back to the period of Iconoclasm, one of the most important monuments in the Balkans. The Agioi Apostoloi, a Byzantine church of rare architecture, as it is one of the few two-floor churches in Greece. Agios Mamas in the area of Potamia, a byzantine chapel with remarkable sculptures and frescoes in the inside. Kastromonastiro or Photodotos Monastery near the village of Danakos, which is considered to be the oldest and perhaps most important cave monastery of Naxos (June & September: 11am - 2pm / July & August 11am - 3pm). The monastery of Kaloritsa, which is a natural cave with dimensions of about 30 m. in length and 10 m. in width, converted into a church in the 4th century. The ruins above the Byzantine monastery of Panagia Kaloritissa are dated between the 11th and 13th centuries (Kambos Ayiasou, hill Prophet Elias 22850 31326). Finally, the monastery of Panagia or Drosiani on the way to Chalki. The temple, was originally a Catholic monastery and has a unique architecture (11:00 - 17:00).
Naxos is full of castles and towers worth visiting, such as the Apano (Upper) Castle, one of the most impressive monuments of the island, take the path that starts from Tsikalarios and admire the Aegean Sea view. The Venetian castle of Chora, inhabited ever since its construction until today. The Jesuit resort between Melanes and Potamia in the area of Kalamitsia which was the summer monastery of the Jesuits of the island, a blend of western and local architecture. The Aparilos Castle between Sagri and Ayiasos, an important center of the Byzantine Empire dating back to the 7th century (22850 31326).
Many of Naxos’s villages deserve your attention too, like the Acadimis in the plain of Tragia where the headquarter of the Hellenic School of Chalki is situated with the schoolmaster Nikos Exarchopoulos, founder of the Experimental School of Athens. The famous beautiful Aperanthus at an altitude of 600 m with marble cobbled streets and Venetian towers. Apollo, which was the port of Komiaki, where the famed marbles of the island were transported, note that just a few meters away is located the famous kouros of Apollo. Atsipapi, a special medieval settlement in the northeast of Naxos. Danakos, a small hamlet built in a canyon at the foot of Mount Zeus or Zas. The Moutsouna, the harbor of Aperanthus with the old aerial railway that until the 1970s carried the emery from the Koronos mines. Sagri, one of the most beautiful villages of Naxos, being preserved due to its exceptional architecture and finally Halki a small and picturesque village in the plain of Tragia.
Also of particular interest are the churches and monasteries of Naxos. It is worthing a visit to Agia Kyriaki, located at Kalloni (3 km from Aperanthus) dating back to the period of Iconoclasm, one of the most important monuments in the Balkans. The Agioi Apostoloi, a Byzantine church of rare architecture, as it is one of the few two-floor churches in Greece. Agios Mamas in the area of Potamia, a byzantine chapel with remarkable sculptures and frescoes in the inside. Kastromonastiro or Photodotos Monastery near the village of Danakos, which is considered to be the oldest and perhaps most important cave monastery of Naxos (June & September: 11am - 2pm / July & August 11am - 3pm). The monastery of Kaloritsa, which is a natural cave with dimensions of about 30 m. in length and 10 m. in width, converted into a church in the 4th century. The ruins above the Byzantine monastery of Panagia Kaloritissa are dated between the 11th and 13th centuries (Kambos Ayiasou, hill Prophet Elias 22850 31326). Finally, the monastery of Panagia or Drosiani on the way to Chalki. The temple, was originally a Catholic monastery and has a unique architecture (11:00 - 17:00).
Naxos is full of castles and towers worth visiting, such as the Apano (Upper) Castle, one of the most impressive monuments of the island, take the path that starts from Tsikalarios and admire the Aegean Sea view. The Venetian castle of Chora, inhabited ever since its construction until today. The Jesuit resort between Melanes and Potamia in the area of Kalamitsia which was the summer monastery of the Jesuits of the island, a blend of western and local architecture. The Aparilos Castle between Sagri and Ayiasos, an important center of the Byzantine Empire dating back to the 7th century (22850 31326).
Many of Naxos’s villages deserve your attention too, like the Acadimis in the plain of Tragia where the headquarter of the Hellenic School of Chalki is situated with the schoolmaster Nikos Exarchopoulos, founder of the Experimental School of Athens. The famous beautiful Aperanthus at an altitude of 600 m with marble cobbled streets and Venetian towers. Apollo, which was the port of Komiaki, where the famed marbles of the island were transported, note that just a few meters away is located the famous kouros of Apollo. Atsipapi, a special medieval settlement in the northeast of Naxos. Danakos, a small hamlet built in a canyon at the foot of Mount Zeus or Zas. The Moutsouna, the harbor of Aperanthus with the old aerial railway that until the 1970s carried the emery from the Koronos mines. Sagri, one of the most beautiful villages of Naxos, being preserved due to its exceptional architecture and finally Halki a small and picturesque village in the plain of Tragia.
