iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

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Our virtual stroll ends here, in front of the church of Agia Paraskevi. Perhaps we will extend it one day, to show you more aspects of the village of Apiranthos!

A very simple church, of a rare sobriety. You won't find the pomp of many Greek Orthodox churches here.

Our stroll will now go up and get lost in the picturesque streets of the village, without any precise goal... We will see where our steps lead us through this maze!

Believe it or not, when we made the shots for this virtual stroll, we had no idea where we were going...

When you get lost in the narrow streets of a Cycladic village, you always end up somewhere...

Our stroll through the narrow streets took us to the other end of the village and we are curious to find out where we are going since, a little further on, we see a car parked...

We actually came to the dead end of a road that runs along the north-west of the village and joins the road that leads to the villages in the north of Naxos. Just a little further on you see the church of Agia Paraskevi bathed in light.

At the top of the stairs from Platanos Square, continue upwards to plunge into the maze of narrow streets...

A few steps lead up to the entrance of the Zevgoli tower, where we will make a small detour before continuing up the alley.

It is here, above the Zevgoli tower, that you will start to get lost in all these alleys.... A little further on, you can see the entrance to a vaulted passage. Let's go this way!

What's on the other side of this magnificent vaulted passage? Let's keep a little mystery and go up the alley instead...

We were actually looking for a very precise picturesque passage, where we had taken some nice pictures a few years before. But how to find our way through such a labyrinth?

Believe it or not, when we made the shots for this virtual stroll, we had no idea where we were going...

The tower has been renovated and is now inhabited, especially during the summer. Apparently, when they are present, the owners allow access to the verandas and inside, but when we passed through in September 2020 the door was closed.

To tell the truth, we don't know if this nice square is really called that... The church apparently dates back to the 18th century and is called "Fotodotis, Metamorfosi Sotiros" (Illuminator, Saviour of the Transfiguration).

Our virtual stroll could have ended here, on this beautiful square bathed in the late afternoon lights, but the curiosity was stronger and we kept climbing...

There are beautiful walks to be made in the mountains of Naxos. If you want to go for a walk in this valley, the passage to reach the path you see below starts from the other side of the road.

Our stroll will first follow this marble paved street to the small square at the foot of the Venetian tower Zevgoli, before getting lost in the picturesque alleys of the village.

At the entrance to the church esplanade, a plaque recalls the memory of Manolis Glezos (1922-2020), born in Apiranthos. Manolis Glezos is the man who, accompanied by his friend Apostolos Santas, stole the Nazi flag from the Acropolis in 1941 after the capture of Athens. A reckless act which is considered to be the first act of resistance by occupied Greece.

This long marble paved alley lined with restaurants, cafes and shops is worth a visit in Apiranthos alone, even if you don't want to get lost in the narrow streets of the village.

Between the entrance to the village and the small square below the Zevgoli tower, the alleyway offers beautiful views of the surrounding landscape.

We will now arrive at the foot of the Zevgoli tower, with its church and small square nestling in the hollow of the rock.

To go in the village, pass in front of this monument and cross the road a little further on.

We are here on the esplanade of the largest church of the village, Panagia Aperathitissa (Our Lady of Apiranthos). It was unfortunately closed when we passed through, so we couldn't bring back any interior panoramas.

As you can see on the satellite map, Apiranthos can only be visited on foot... Leave your car, scooter or quad here. Have a nice walk!

One of the most picturesque places in Apiranthos, in the shade of a large plane tree and leaning against the rock face on which the Zevgoli tower stands. Our stroll will now make a short detour towards the church and then climb towards the entrance of the tower.

Here we are in the middle of the terrace that occupies the whole square, facing the entrance of the church. Behind us, at the other end of the square, stairs lead up to the narrow streets of the village heights and the entrance to the Zevgoli tower.

Look up, you pass under the Zevgoli tower. Seen from below, this 17th century Venetian tower looks like an impregnable fortress.