Naxos Wine & Mythology Sunset Tour
Description
The Ancient God of Wine Was Born on Naxos! Your walk leads uphill to the medieval castle of Naxos, where breathtaking views await at its summit. As you walk through the winding alleys of the old town, step into an 800-year-old Venetian wine cellar and gallery. Here, savor three glasses of local wine paired with delicious Naxian cheese, while your guide introduces you to Dionysus, god of wine and revelry, and the ancient Greek symposiums that celebrated friendship and pleasure. During this intimate mini-symposium, view replicas of ancient Greek vases depicting Dionysian myths and feastings, brought to life through engaging storytelling. Conclude your tasting with a sip of rakomelo — raki infused with honey and cinnamon — the true nectar of the gods. Back to the waterfront sunset walk to the famous ‘ Portara” the Great Gate of Apollo. Enjoy sunset while Helios the sun god paints the sky with the last translucent shades of pink and amber before he sets into the Blue Aegean.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Walking down the pathway our immersive walk takes us back in time from the ancient gods to the Dukes and the walled fortresses of the Middle Ages. Words cannot fully describe the many sensations experienced every step of the way in the Old town of Naxos. Marvel at the narrow winding streets where every corner, every coat of arms has a story to tell. Re-live the towns history in this dreamy environment as your expert guide brings to life timeless myths and history of Naxos from its early Cycladic past to the Medieval and modern times. Before the end of the tour, your guide offers tips on the best places for lunch, shopping and further activities on your own so you get the most from your stay on Naxos.
Discover the best Naxos views from the vantage point of the former Ursuline School, today Avaton bar-restaurant, at the top of the castle
Our tour ends at the landmark of Naxos, the marble "Portara" -god Apollo's temple massive gate- where from your expert licensed guide will share an introduction about the monument and the long history of the island, with views of the Aegean and the castle city itself.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(57)
Angelica was phenomenal! Lovely person and incredibly knowledgeable. We enjoyed a total of 3 glasses of wine and one spritz. It was a great way to explore the town, learn history, and taste delicious wines just like they did in Ancient Greece!
Fun & informative tour! Guide was a great storyteller. It was kind of hard to hear her most of the time unless you were next to her. I thought we would make a few stops for the wine tasting but it was all in one sitting, 3 full wine glasses & a shot in one sitting felt rushed and not very enjoyable. We did see lots of beautiful spots during the tour of old Naxos, overall recommend this tour as something fun to do!
Our guide, Angelica, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and seemed to really enjoy sharing her knowledge on both mythology and wine with the group. The walk through town was enjoyable, and we appreciated the stops to take photos. The wines were good, however, we were under the impression that we were stopping at several places for wine - it is actually all served in the castle. The snacks accompanying the wine were nicely prepared and good choices, but there were only a few set out for a group of 12 - people seemed to hesitate and were reluctant to taste/try out of respect for making sure everyone could try everything. Preparing individual plates, or plates to be shared between 2 people, as we have experiences at other wine tastings would easily solve this. There was also a fair bit of "stall time" on the tour - including the encouragement to shop in the castle after the wine tour. The tour could have easily started later and flowed through directly to the sunset (which was beautiful)
This was such an exceptional experience! Our guide, Angelika, was so warm and knowledgeable about the history and mythology surrounding Naxos. This feels like an essential activity to feel the heart of the island!
We explored the mazes of the old town, which we would never have been able to do without our excellent tour guide. The guide was very knowledgeable and shared many interesting stories. Great way to start your stay in Naxos.
Very informative and a path to see the old town and city that you would not easily do o. Your own Anglica was a fantastic guide and we had a great time
We got lost in our way to meet. She waited on us. Was an amazing tour and guide. Loved her interaction with the guest.
Angelica was an amazing guide. She was fun to walk around the old town of Naxos with all of the history it provided. She made the mythology side of it a lot of fun and the wines were great! Three good samples of wine about halfway through the tour in an air conditioned gallery.
Overall, the experience felt more like a newly developed tour that is still finding its footing rather than a polished attraction. I was expecting a stronger focus on mythology, but there was very little historical or cultural storytelling throughout. The wine tasting itself was enjoyable, although it was immediately followed by what felt like a fairly aggressive sales pitch in the shop, which detracted from the experience. The tour also felt longer than necessary, and by the end I found it quite repetitive. Finally, the guide left before sunset, which was disappointing as this seemed like it should have been one of the highlights of the visit. Considering the cost of £60 per person, I didn't feel the overall experience offered good value for money
Wonderful mythology and wine walking tour. The guide was very knowledgeable, and thoughtfully integrated Greek history and mythology into walk through old Naxos town including a beautiful Venetian castle where we were introduced to some Greek wine. The tour ended at Apollo’s Temple for beautiful sunset.
