Pet-Friendly Attractions in Naxos

The Portara is the giant marble doorway of an unfinished 6th-century BC temple of Apollo, standing alone on the islet of Palatia at the edge of Chora and reached by a short causeway. It is unfenced, free, and open at all hours, so a leashed dog is welcome to make the walk with you. Sunset here is the iconic Naxos image and far cooler than the daytime town.

Chora's old town is a maze of whitewashed lanes climbing to the Venetian Kastro, the medieval hilltop quarter built by Marco Sanudo, full of arched passageways, coats of arms, and sea views. It is all walkable on foot with a leashed dog, with countless shaded corners and terrace cafés to pause at. The narrow streets stay cooler than the open waterfront in the heat of the day.

The inland villages reward a cooler day out: Halki, the old commercial heart of the Tragea valley with neoclassical mansions and a famous kitron distillery, and Apiranthos, a striking marble-paved mountain village with stone houses and Venetian towers. Their open streets and plane-shaded squares are easy to wander with a leashed dog. Both sit higher and cooler than the coast, a relief in midsummer.