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Naxos Old Town Food Tour: Cheese, Mezedes & Wine Walk

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/13

Duration3h 30m

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Cheese tastings, winding alleys, taverna mezedes and old castle tales in Naxos

You’ll taste your way through Naxos Old Town with local cheeses and wine, wander hidden alleys past markets and castles, snack on Greek “superfoods,” then share mezedes and those famous potatoes at a cozy taverna. Expect laughter with your guide, new flavors you’ll crave again later, and views that stick with you long after you leave.

3h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Walk through Old Town back streets
Taste Naxian cheeses with wine
Stop at local food store for snacks
Walk Venetian Castle backstreets
Visit former Ursulines school viewpoint
Share mezedes and wine at taverna
Taste local citron liquor

The Experience

“You have to try this one — it’s the xinotyro,” our guide Maria grinned, holding out a crumbly wedge that smelled like sun-warmed hay and salt. I was still chewing the last bite of graviera when she poured us a little glass of white wine (local, obviously), right there by a stall stacked with oranges and wild herbs. The air in Naxos Town is always moving — sea breeze carrying oregano and something sweet from the bakery behind us. I didn’t expect to laugh so much just standing around cheese.

The walk through the Venetian backstreets felt like drifting through someone’s memory — uneven stones underfoot, shutters painted blue or sometimes just left bare wood. Maria paused every few corners to point out something odd: a faded sign in Greek script, or an old man selling potatoes who winked at us as we passed (his hands were stained ochre from peeling). We ducked into a food shop for these “superfood” bites — honestly, I can’t remember half the names but they tasted earthy and sharp. My friend tried to say thank you in Greek; the shopkeeper’s smile was pure patience.

We climbed up near the castle for a palate cleanser shot (kitron? It burned in a good way) and took photos where the whole port glowed gold. Dinner was family-style at a tucked-away taverna: plates of mezedes sliding across the table, those famous Naxian potatoes (I get why everyone talks about them now), more wine. Someone started telling stories about the Ursulines school — I only caught bits between bites but it felt like being let in on secrets. The day trip food tour in Naxos ended with sticky fingers and that citron liquor lingering on my tongue. I still think about that last view over town when I’m hungry late at night.

What’s included

Your evening includes guided walks through Naxos Old Town’s Venetian alleyways, tastings of graviera, arseniko, xinotyro and mizithra cheeses paired with local wines, Greek superfood snacks from traditional shops, family-style dinner with mezedes (including those famous potatoes), sweets to finish off your meal, commentary from an expert guide on island history and cuisine—and samplings of raki plus kitron liqueur before you wind down your stroll.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Naxos Cultural Tours