29
Oct
Scattered throughout Naxos – nestled lush green valleys of oak, maple, fig, olive and plane trees and atop mountains and hills — are hundreds centuries-old churches, chapels, cathedrals, and monasteries documenting the island’s rich legacy of religious monuments.
Take a spiritual drive, hike or bike trip to explore one of Greece’s largest collections of Byzantine churches, monasteries and fortresses, many with resurfaced frescoes and unique-to-Naxos religious architectural styles.
Visit the cluster of churches in what is informally known as the “Byzantine Park” in the Tragea region home to several outstanding examples of Byzantine architecture in the Cyclades, such as Panagia Drossiani and the 6th century fortified monastery of Christ Photodotis, Naxos’ oldest monastery (trail #3).
Discover Naxos’s “Little Mystras,” a reference comparing the Byzantine character of the Sagri valley to the Byzantine citadel in the southern Peloponnese.
Take to the hiking trails on Naxos and traverse a variety of paths: some remnants of medieval roads, some cobblestone, others provincial, some winding, some shaded, others asphalt.
They lead to several of the over 200 Byzantine (and over 500 pre-and post-Byzantium) churches — 120 of them with original frescoes – dating as far back as the 6th and 7th centuries.
Here is a list of must-see churches and Byzantine monuments visitors can see when taking to one of Naxos’s seven numbered hiking trails.
Keep in mind that a peek inside to many of these centuries-old monuments and their icons and frescoes may require the assistance of a nearby village caretaker who is keeper of the keys.
TRAIL #1
ROUTE: Apiranthos – Agios Ioannis Theologos -Agia Kyriaki – Emery Mines
BYZANTINE CHURCHES TO SEE:
TRAIL # 3
ROUTE: Danakos – Christ Photodotis – Tragea Valley [Pera Chorio -Apiranthos] Agios Ioannis at Finelia – Kerami – Metochi – Tragea
BYZANTINE CHURCHES TO SEE:
TRAIL # 4
ROUTE: Tragea (Chalki)– [Agios Georgios Diassoritis]– Monitsia – Panagia Rachidiotissa – Moni – Kaloxylos – Akadimi – Chalki (circular route)
TRAIL # 5
ROUTE: Tragea (Chalki) – Tsikalario – Apano Kastro – Agios Andreas – Ano Potamia
TRAIL # 6
ROUTE: Melanes (Agii Apostoli) – [Kourounochori] – Myli – Flerio (sanctuary of the springs, ancient quarries) – Ano Potamia – Messi Potamia – Kato Potamia – Episkopi (Agios Mamas) – Mitropolou
TRAIL # 7
ROUTE: Tsikalario – Chimarros – Agios Sissois – Agii Anargyri – [Pyrgos Paleologou] – Sagri – [Agios Nikolaos] – Gyroulas (temple of Demeter and Kore)
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