Naxos Bus Tour: Demeter's Temple, Marble Villages & Kouros

Eight hours through Naxos villages, ancient temples and marble quarries without driving yourself

A guided bus tour of Naxos Island covering the 6th-century Demeter's Temple, the marble-paved neighborhoods of Apeiranthos and Chalki, the fishing village of Apollonas, and the unfinished Kouros statue at the ancient marble quarries. The tour runs 8 hours with an English-speaking local guide and includes hotel or central pickup. Demeter's Temple requires a separate cash payment at the gate and is closed Tuesdays and May 1st. The bus travels through winding mountain roads, so bring motion sickness medication if needed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Naxos Island highlights

• Visit Demeter's Temple and museum
• Tour pottery workshop and olive press museum
• Free time in Chalki village
• Lunch and explore Apiranthos village
• Free time in Apollonas fishing village
• See the Kouros marble statue

The experience

The day starts with a stop at Demeter's Temple, a 6th-century BC sanctuary set uphill through a garden. You'll walk the grounds, visit the on-site museum, and learn the temple's history before the guide leaves you to explore at your own pace. On Tuesdays or May 1st when the temple closes, the tour redirects that time to the villages instead. From there the bus heads to Damalas, where a local potter named Manolis welcomes you into his traditional workshop to show how ancient pottery techniques still work, followed by a restored olive press museum that walks through the old oil production process step by step.

Chalki comes next: an old commercial center with Venetian architecture where you get roughly 45 minutes to wander the marble alleys, browse ceramic galleries and souvenir shops, or visit the Vallindras distillery, the island's oldest. The route then climbs to Apeiranthos, a village built into the foot of Fanari mountain with Venetian towers, narrow marble streets, and views that open across the island. This is where you have free time for lunch. The local specialties are rosto and kalogiros, and the tavernas line the main square. After eating, the bus passes the emery mines and descends to Apollonas, a fishing village on the coast where you can swim or sit by the water with coffee or dessert.

The tour ends at the Kouros, an 11-meter unfinished marble statue that has lain in the same spot for over 2,500 years. The bus is air-conditioned throughout, and the guide speaks English and Greek. The route crosses winding mountain roads. The elevation in the villages can run 4–5°C cooler than the coast, so a light jacket helps in spring and autumn. Pickup happens from central points in Naxos Town, Stelida, Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, and Plaka Beach, or you can meet the group at the starting point.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned bus throughout the day.
• English-speaking local guide.
• pickup from central Naxos Town, Stelida, Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios or Plaka Beach.
• visits to Demeter's Temple grounds, a traditional pottery workshop in Damalas, an olive press museum, the villages of Chalki and Apeiranthos with free time to explore, the fishing village of Apollonas, and the Kouros statue at the marble quarries.

Options for this experience

3 options

Bus tour of the highlights of NaxosUp to 15 people · Guide in English or Greek · Available from 1 May 2027Includes pickup

Skips the stop at the Temple of DemeterUp to 15 people · Guide in English or Greek · Available from 18 May 2027Longer stop at Apollonas instead: on Tuesdays and on May 1st the Temple of Demeter is closed, so you will make a longer stop at Apollonas. Pickup included

Private tour of the Naxos highlightsUp to 6 people · Guide in English or Greek · Available from 22 Apr 2027Private: If you would rather experience it only with your own group, friends or family, you can book our private tour. Build your own itinerary: you can follow our recommended itinerary as described, or design your own to suit your preferences. Pickup and drop-off options: pickup and drop-off is included from the areas of Naxos Town, Stelida, Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, Maragkas and Plaka Beach. Pickup included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 8h, from € 35 per person, with a live guide in English and Greek and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 22 Apr 2027

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 49

Live guideEnglish and Greek

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 24 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site€ 3

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Naxos Bus Transfer

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the main archaeological and cultural sites of Naxos without navigating mountain roads yourself: the fixed route and guide handle the logistics, and the long stops in Apeiranthos and Chalki let you set your own pace through the villages and choose where to eat lunch.

Traveler reviews

4.82★★★★★★★★★★

1,445 verified traveler reviews

5 ★1,242

4 ★158

3 ★33

2 ★9

1 ★3

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Greek.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (under 5).

What is Demeter's Temple and why do I need to pay extra to enter it?

Demeter's Temple is a 6th-century BC sanctuary on Naxos, one of the island's most significant ancient monuments. Entry requires a separate cash payment at the gate, which the tour guide does not cover. You'll walk through a garden to reach it and have time to visit the on-site museum as well.

Can I do this tour if Demeter's Temple is closed?

Yes. The temple closes on Tuesdays and May 1st, and on those days the tour redirects the time to Chalki and Apeiranthos villages instead, so the full 8-hour itinerary still runs.

How much free time do I get for lunch in Apeiranthos?

Apeiranthos is a long stop where you have free time to eat lunch. The village has several tavernas serving local dishes like rosto and kalogiros, and you can explore the marble alleys and shops at your own pace.

What should I bring for the mountain roads?

The tour crosses winding, mountainous roads, so bring motion sickness medication if you're prone to it. In spring and autumn, mountain villages are 4–5°C cooler than the coast, so a light jacket is recommended for comfort.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel?

Pickup is included from central locations in Naxos Town, Stelida, Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, and Plaka Beach. If your accommodation is elsewhere, you can meet the group at the starting point instead.

What is the Kouros and where is it?

The Kouros is an unfinished marble statue 11 meters tall, lying in the ancient marble quarries where it has remained for over 2,500 years. It's the final stop on the tour and one of Naxos's most distinctive monuments.