When in Naxos, Greece make sure to visit the Kouros near the picturesque village of Melanes. During our September 2021 trip, after we explored Kalamitsia Monastery, we spent the rest of the morning walking the trails that lead to the Naxos Kouros at Melanes.
What are Kouros?
Kouros is the name given to Greek statues of a young male that represents youth. In Naxos, the Kouros are very large statues and are made of Naxian marble. There are three Kouros in Naxos, two near Melanes and one near Apollonas. They are all lying down, unfinished and abandoned. This blog page is about the two near Melanes. Built in the 6th century, one statue is near the village and called the Flerio Melanes Kouros. You will find the other Kouros a bit further in an ancient quarry referred to as the Faragi Kouros.
Location
The Kouros are located South East of the village of Melanes (A). To drive there though, head North first to the main road and then turn South East. There is a small parking area (B) where you can leave your car and easily follow the signs to the first and second Kouros.
Path to the First Kouros
You will find the path to the Flerio Kouros well marked and also easy to follow. Just a short distance from where you park. It was not at all crowded when we were here, just a few other people.
Flerio Kouros
The Flerio Kouros is 4.7 meters long and weighs about 5 tons. It is an unfinished statue as it lacks detail. He lies in a shady garden and has broken legs and no feet. Most likely why he was never finished.
Path to Second Kouros
The path to the Second Kouros is also well marked. You will reach a gate after a short walk. Go through the gate, closing it behind you and continue up the trail. It is a very lovely trail and also has some great views. You can also see a marble quarry in the distance. Marble is all over Naxos.
Faragi Kouros.
The Faragi Kouros is just up the hill from the gate. Not too far and also not very steep. This giant is 5 meters long and and he also weighs 7 tons. He too is unfinished and missing his feet, but his feet are located near him. He is laying up a hill, however, he looks like he had been dropped or he fell.
Where We Ate
After a busy morning we were hungry so we stopped in Melanes to eat lunch. We ate at Arolithos. It was a great choice as the food was fantastic and the view was especially awesome! We loved that instead of photos on the wall there were mirror! I enjoyed a baked eggplant dish. Steve had breaded fried cheese with a spicy sauce. We also had bread and dip and orange cake. We especially enjoyed the ambiance. As a matter of fact, this was one of our favorite places to eat.
Conclusion
To sum up, the Kouros of Melanes is a must do in Naxos. In fact, I would hightly recommend it. All in all it was a fun time.
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Follow these Links for more posts of my 2021 Greece Vacay:
Lionas Beach and Apollonas Kouros Sept 2021
Kalamitsia Monastery Sept 2021
Mt Zas and the Cave of Za, Sept 2021
The Portara of Naxos, Sept 2021
Elounda Peninsula All Suite Hotel, Revisited 2021
Ancient City of Lato, Sept 2021
Aforesmenos Lighthouse, Crete, Sept 2021
Avli Lounge Hotel, Rethymno, Sept 2021
Matala Beach Caves, Crete, Sept 2021
Hike to Martsalos Beach, Sept 2021
The Chapel at Georgioupoli, Sept 2021
Koutalas Beach and Sea Cave, Sept 2021
A Walk Through Chania, Sept 2021
Links to our 2018, 2019, 2021, and also 2022 Trip can be found in this post:
2 Weeks in Greece, Delphi, Meteora, Corfu, Santorini, Athens Sept 2022
14 Days in Greece, Crete, Naxos, Santorini, Athens Sept 2021
10 Days in Greece Athens, Crete, Santorini 2019
8 Days in Greece, Athens, Milos, Santorini 2018
Diary of a Gen-X recommendations for hotels, restaurants, & tours are based on our own experiences. We do not receive compensation for recommending at any of these nor are we affiliates of any hotels, restaurants, or tours. The only hotels & restaurants we recommend are places we stay which are clean, comfortable, and provide exceptional hospitality.