Naxos Wine & Mythology Sunset Tour: 3 hours, Portara views

Walk uphill through winding alleys to taste wine in a medieval cellar, then watch the sun set at Apollo's gate

A three-hour guided walk through Naxos old town combines a wine tasting in an 800-year-old Venetian cellar with views from the medieval castle and ends at the Portara at sunset. The tour includes three glasses of local Naxian wine paired with cheese, a sip of rakomelo (honey and cinnamon raki), and an English-speaking guide who weaves in the mythology of Dionysus and ancient Greek symposiums as you move through the narrow streets. The walk concludes at the marble Portara, Apollo's temple gate, where the guide shares the island's history against Aegean views.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Naxos old town and sunset

• Walk through old town alleys
• Visit medieval castle summit
• Enjoy local wine and cheese tasting
• Learn about Dionysus and Greek myths
• View ancient Greek vase replicas
• Drink rakomelo, honey cinnamon raki
• Walk to Portara gate
• Watch sunset over Aegean Sea

The experience

Three hours means you start in the old town and climb steadily uphill through the winding alleys of the medieval quarter. Your guide brings the narrow streets to life: each corner and coat of arms carries a story from Naxos's Cycladic past through the Venetian occupation to today. The walk itself is the frame. The mythology and history fill it as you move.

Halfway up, you step into an 800-year-old Venetian wine cellar and gallery built into the castle itself. Here you sit for the tasting: three glasses of local Naxian wine paired with local cheese, while your guide introduces Dionysus and the ancient Greek symposiums. Gatherings built around wine, friendship and pleasure. Replicas of ancient Greek vases depicting Dionysian feasts and myths hang on the cellar walls, and the guide uses them to anchor the stories. You finish with rakomelo, raki infused with honey and cinnamon, the way it was drunk in antiquity.

From the castle summit, you see the best views across Naxos before descending to the waterfront and the Portara: the massive marble gate of Apollo's temple, one of the island's most recognizable landmarks. Your guide offers context on the monument and the long history behind it while you watch the sun set into the Aegean, the sky turning pink and amber. Before the tour ends, your guide suggests the best spots for lunch, shopping and other activities if you want to explore Naxos on your own afterward.

What’s included

• Three glasses of local Naxian wine paired with local cheese bites.
• one glass of rakomelo (honey and cinnamon raki).
• access to the 800-year-old Venetian wine cellar and gallery.
• an English-speaking guide who leads the walk through the old town, the medieval castle and the Portara.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 16:00Last departure this season: 30 Oct

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Naxos Cultural Tours

Is this one for you?The fixed three-hour window means the tour ends at sunset, so the timing works only if you can start early enough in the afternoon to reach the Portara as the light fades. If you want the wine tasting and the castle views but need flexibility on when you finish, ask the operator about start times before booking.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the walk like physically, how much climbing is involved?

The route leads uphill through the old town to the medieval castle, so there is steady climbing, but the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll move at a pace that lets you take in the narrow streets and stop for the wine tasting partway up.

When does the sunset part of the tour happen?

The Portara walk and sunset viewing happen at the end of the three hours, so the timing depends on when you start. Your guide will choose the departure time to align the tour's conclusion with sunset.

What exactly is the Portara?

The Portara is the massive marble gate of Apollo's temple, a landmark monument on Naxos's waterfront. Your guide explains its history and significance as you watch the sun set over the Aegean from there.

Is the wine tasting indoors, and how long do you spend in the cellar?

Yes, the tasting happens inside the 800-year-old Venetian wine cellar built into the castle. You sit there for the three glasses of wine, cheese pairing, and the rakomelo, with your guide sharing the mythology and stories of ancient Greek symposiums while you taste.