Naxos: Citron Distillery Tour & Tasting with Local Sweets

Summary

Citron tasting in naxos distillery with sweets and local flavors

You’ll taste Naxos citron liqueur straight from a historic distillery, sample homemade sweets like marzipan dipped in chocolate, and hear real family stories from your guide Sofia. The hour goes fast but leaves you with new flavors (and maybe a little buzz). It’s local warmth you can actually taste.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Kitron distillery tour and tasting

• Arrive at Probona Distillery courtyard
• Taste local citrus products and liqueurs
• Sample traditional sweets and marzipan
• Enjoy Naxian ouzo with olives and bread sticks
• Taste local Rakomelo and citron-flavored raki
• Learn about distillation secrets

Top questions

How long does the citron distillery tour in Naxos last?

The guided tour and tasting last 60 minutes.

Is food included during the Naxos citron tasting?

Yes, you’ll get homemade sweets, local snacks, and drinks during the tour.

Can children join the Naxos distillery tour?

Yes, infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are allowed.

Are alcoholic beverages served on this tour?

Yes, you’ll taste Kitron liqueur as well as ouzo and raki if you wish.

Is the Naxos citron tasting suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Who leads the distillery tour in Naxos?

Sofia from the founding family guides most tours herself.

What else do you taste besides Kitron liqueur?

You’ll try marzipan with dark chocolate, halvadopita, dried citrus fruit, olives, breadsticks, figs, nuts, and homemade lemonade.

What’s included

Your hour at Probona Distillery includes guided tasting of Kitron liqueur plus ouzo and raki if you want them; homemade lemonade; traditional sweets like marzipan covered in chocolate; halvadopita; dried citrus fruits; olives; breadsticks; figs; nuts; all shared with Sofia’s warm storytelling before you wander back out into Naxos town.

What’s the experience like?

“Try this one — it’s the strongest,” Sofia grinned, sliding a little glass my way. I’d barely stepped through the old courtyard of the Probona Distillery in Naxos when she started telling stories about her great-grandfather, who started making Kitron here before anyone even called it ‘craft’. The air smelled like lemon leaves and something sweet I couldn’t place at first. Maybe marzipan? There was a breeze coming off the garden, carrying that green citrusy scent right into the room where we sat under faded family photos.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much on a tasting tour. Sofia explained how Kitron is made from citron leaves — not lemons, not limes — and then handed us slivers of chocolate-covered marzipan and these chewy halvadopita things that stuck to my teeth (in a good way). At some point, someone poured ouzo, and then raki with figs and nuts. I tried to say ‘efharisto’ properly but probably butchered it; Sofia just laughed and poured more lemonade. The whole thing felt like being let in on a family secret.

It was only an hour but honestly, I lost track of time between sips and snacks. The light changed as we sat there — softer by the end — and I kept thinking about how many generations had done this exact thing in this spot. If you’re looking for a quick day trip in Naxos that feels real (and yes, includes all the good stuff like homemade lemonade), this citron tasting tour is just right. I still think about that first sip — sharp, green, somehow nostalgic.