The area

The Holiday homes Azalás belong to the small settlement Ágios Dimítris, which lies two kilometers (1.2 miles) north of Moutsoúna. Our establishment lies where the coastal plane ends and the hills come right to the sea.

View over our bay; the Holiday homes Azalas lie to the right of the small island in the centre of the picture.

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the tiny settlement Ágios Dimítris

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The coastal plain between Moutsoúna and Ágios Dimítris is cultivated mainly with wheat and barley that is used as pasture for sheep. Along the foot of the hills grow old olive groves. Many abandoned fields are overgrown with phrygana, i.e. low shrub vegetation. Here and there lie old stone houses that were inhabited by shepherds and farmers until around the middle of the last century. The low hills to the north of the settlement are covered with maquis shrubland and small woods of kermes oak and wild olive.

To the north and to the south of Ágios Dimítris lie two ravines with dry river beds.

gorge in the southern valley

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plane tree in the dry river bed

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the northern ravine

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small gorge in the northern ravine

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Walking along the coast to the north one meets several idyllic coves and bays with marvellous rock formations.

rocky coast at Firolimnári

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the bay of Gaidourómandres

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small pebble beach at Alatsógournes

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astonishing rock formations

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Moutsoúna

The beautiful small harbour village of Moutsoúna lies in two kilometers distance from the settlement Ágios Dimítris (10 minutes by car or about half an hour on foot). In summer several tavernas are open in Moutsoúna, and you can get your groceries in a small, well-stocked minimarket. During school season there is a bus to the next larger village (Apíranthos) and to Naxos-Town.

Moutsoúna

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the quay with the cranes of the former emery loading station

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Several nice tavernas lie directly at the sea.

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boats in the harbour of Moutsoúna

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In between Azalás and Moutsoúna lies Cape Stavrós – a wonderful destination for a trip. On the south side of the cape, close to Moutsoúna, one can visit the amazing, well protected beach of Chochlakás.

Cape Stavrós near Moutsoúna

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at the tip of the Cape

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the beach Chochlakás

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Between the rocks at the tip of the cape lies a small beach, reachable only by boat.

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All-round view from the tip of the Cape

Apíranthos

The next larger settlement is the idyllic village of Apíranthos that lies in the mountains in 10 kilometers (6 miles) distance from Moutsoúna at a height of about 550 meters. In Apíranthos you can visit four small museums and stroll through the narrow alleyways with their old traditional houses and with many beautiful taverns and shops with local products.

the traditional village Apíranthos in the mountains

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alleyway in Apíranthos

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the church Panagía Apiranthítissa

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Several marked hiking trails start in Apíranthos:

to the peak of mount Fanári, 900 m high, with a picturesque chapel and a breathtaking view over the island
through fields and forests to the chapel of Ágia Kyriakí with important medieval wallpaintings; the path continues to the emery mines and finally meets the gravel road near Azalás
to the Monastery Fotodótis and the village of Danakós on the slopes of mighty Zas — with 1,000 meters the highest mountain of the Cyclades
around Mount Fanári, a marvellous hiking tour of five hours

Apíranthos seen from the south

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Monastery Fotodótis between Apíranthos and Danakós

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Ágia Kyriakí, one of the oldest churches of the island with very rare wallpaintings

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on the summit of mount Fanári

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Naxos-Town (Chóra)

The capital of Naxos “Chóra” has a charming Venetian quarter with small alleyways with many tiny shops and cafés. You can visit two archaeological museums, and on a small peninsula next to the harbor lie the ruins of a temple of Apollon with its impressive giant gate, the Portára.

the giant temple gate, the Portára

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the venetian fort in Chóra

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alleyway in the fort

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The island

The island of Naxos bewitches mainly by its great diversity. Every valley, every mountain, every village has its own character and its own appeal.

Naxos has a lot to offer – immerse yourself into the charming and fascinating island of Dionysus!

Filóti, the largest village of Naxos

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Kinídaros

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The diverse landscape of the island, from ancient cultivated areas over lush rivers to forbidding mountain peaks, barren hillsides and lonely coasts, offers many possibilities for beautiful hikes and excursions.

Every day you can dive into a different world!

view from mount Kóronos to the south

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terraces at Lioíri near Kóronos

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the waterfall at Routsoúnas near Keramotí

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at the south coast near Pánormos

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All over the island you can visit interesting monuments, witnesses of long past times. The oldest buildings of the island are small settlements and strongholds from the Early Bronze Age, the Cycladic epoch, known mostly for its famous Cycladic idols. Other important ancient monuments are a Mycenaean domed tomb, ruins of a large temple of Dionysus, a partly restored temple of Demeter, unfinished monumental marble statues, and a round tower from the Hellenistic epoch. In addition, the island has an exceptionally large number of important Byzantine churches, many with old wallpaintings (among them one of the oldest churches of the Balkans, Panagía Drosianí near the village of Moní). Finally in many villages you will find a medieval tower of the Venetian epoch.