Apeiranthos and the Mountain Villages

Apeiranthos is the village that people remember. It clings to the slope of Mount Fanari, around six hundred metres above the sea, and its lanes are paved with marble, its houses are built of stone and marble, and its squares are shaded by plane trees. The people of Apeiranthos have a reputation for independence and for a local dialect that preserves old Greek forms, and the village has long been known for producing scholars, poets and politicians out of all proportion to its size. A cluster of small museums covers archaeology, geology, folk art and local history, and the lanes themselves are the real attraction: narrow, shaded, studded with towers built in the Venetian period and lined with small shops selling weavings, honey and sweets. Visitors usually arrive in the middle of the day, so a calmer cup of coffee in the main square is part of the ritual.

The tour named Naxos Highlights Bus Tour with Free Time for Lunch at Apeiranthos is a shared coach or minibus trip, so it is one of the least expensive ways to see the interior. Itineraries of this type usually follow the mountain road from Chora through olive and fig terraces, stop at one or two viewpoints and give you unhurried time in Apeiranthos before heading back. Check the exact stops and times when you book, because some versions add Filoti, Halki or a coastal stop.

Use your free time well. Walk up to the upper village for the best views, step into a museum if the weather turns hot, and sit down for a taverna lunch of local cheeses, sausages, vegetable pies and grilled meat. Look for the local specialities such as fried cheese and handmade pasta.

Comfortable walking shoes matter because the marble lanes are slippery when wet and steep in places. The village is cooler than the coast in summer, but the road home can be winding, so people prone to car sickness should take a seat near the front.

Out of season, bring a jacket; the mountain air is sharper than at the beaches. If you have a hire car you can combine the village with Halki, Filoti and the Temple of Demeter in a single long day, but a tour solves the parking and winding roads and leaves the driving to someone else.

Take time to look beyond the main street. The upper village has stone towers, small chapels, a view across the valley and a calm that contrasts with the busy lunch hour. Look out for local products such as hand-woven textiles, honey, sweets and cheese in the little shops, and ask about the village's traditions of music and storytelling.

If your group is small and your guide is flexible, you may get a recommendation for a family taverna away from the square. Remember that mountain weather changes, so even on a hot coastal day a light jacket is wise, and that the road down is as winding as the road up.

Food is part of the pleasure. Many tavernas serve dishes made from local lamb, goat and cheese, as well as vegetable pies and handmade pasta, and you can finish with a spoon sweet and a small coffee. If you are vegetarian, ask for the seasonal vegetable dishes and fried cheese. Sit near the square if you can, because the village's life passes by, from schoolchildren to grandmothers carrying shopping, and the atmosphere of a working mountain community is as memorable as any museum.