Hora is the island's capital, its administrative center, and its harbor. It offers all modern conveniences year-round. A number of monuments in Hora, such as Portara, the archaeological site of Grotta, and the Venetian castle, attest to its past. The archaeological museum and Vassilis and Kathy Koutelieris folk museum collection are located in Hora. In summer, holidaymakers flock to Ai Yioryis beach, a long stretch of sand to Hora's south, while some swimmers prefer the waters at Grotta beach, to Hora's north, just beyond the port. Local products are sold in the market, alongside folk art, artifacts, clothing, and jewelry. There are dozens of restaurants and taverns where visitors can sample local dishes, as well as a range of establishments catering for all types of nightlife. There is regular public transportation from Hora to all villages and beaches.
Halki. Located in the middle of the Tragea plain, Halki is the administrative center of the second largest settlement on the island-the municipality of Drymalia, which includes the villages of Tragea and mountain areas. Tragea is fertile and densely cultivated with olives and other fruit trees; since antiquity, it has been one of the most fertile and productive parts of the island. The plain is ringed by a number of villages-Kaloxylos, Akadimoi, Heimarros, Tsikaliaro, Damarionas, and Damalas. The area is known as the "Little Mystras" because of the large number of churches located there, most dating from the sixth through the 14th century.
Damarionas. Many of the old mansions in this village are being renovated. Locals are occupied with olive cultivation, agriculture, and stockbreeding. The old church of Christos in the center of the village features a wood carved iconostasis and old icons.
Damalas. A small picturesque village with a few permanent residents. It's worth visiting the renovated traditional olive press at Damalas and the traditional ceramics workshop.
Moni. The village is built on a slope with a vie woven the Tragea plain. It is named after the church of Panayia Drosiani, which was founded as a monastery and was famous for its tapestries.
Kinidaros. A pretty village that produces a range of products from its stock farming activities. It also attracts large crowds with its paniyiri. The spring that supplies Hora's water is located near Kinidaros, while there are also marble quarries in the area. In summer, there is considerable revelry in the open-air tavernas.
Melanes. The village is built in a fertile valley with running water that once powered watermills. The hamlets of Kouroynohori and Myloi are located here. The Fraggopoulos Tower attest to its importance as a fief during Venetian rule. One of two ancient, half-finished kouroi lays outside Flerio near Melanes.
Potami. Comprised of three hamlets-Ano Potami, Mesi Potami, and Kato Potami-built along a verdant valley among orchards with old watermills, the area is ideal for walking or hiking.
Sagri. Built on a fertile plateau planted with olives and located eleven kilometers southeast of Hora, Sagri has a number of sights such as the fortified monastery of Timios Stavros, founded in the 16th century; the monastery of Ayios Eleftherios; the Byzantine churches of Ayios Nikolaos and Ayios Artemios, dating from the eighth and ninth centuries and built during the iconomachy; and, the Somaripa tower at Kato Sagri. South of the village, at Gyroula, is an archaic temple dedicated to Demeter.
On the 12th Km of the main road linking the capital city of Naxos (Chora), with Sagri, the Bazeos Tower dominates the land leading to the seacoast of Agiassos.
Filoti. From Tragea, the road climbs to Za, the highest peak in the Cyclades (alt. 1,004 meters). Filoti is built amphitheatrically at its foothills and is one of the largest villages on the island, boasting restaurants, coffee houses, bars, and a market. The village church, Panayia Filotissa, is one of the prettiest on Naxos with rare icons, a marble iconostasis, and sculpted bell tower. Local sights include the Barozzi tower. The road from Filoti leads to the Himarros tower.
Danakos. A small village built at the base of a ravine with lots of running water that once powered watermills. The Fotodotis Monastery is located near the village amid a gorgeous setting; it's the island's oldest monastery. From the church of Ayia Marina, at the turn off to Danakos, a path sets off for the Za's peak.
Apeiranthos. Apeiranthos is built in the heart of mountainous Naxos at the foot of Mount Fanari. It's also known as the marble village and preserves intact the architecture of the Venetian era. Apeiranthos is distinguished from other villages by dialect and customs. Locals trace their roots to the mountain villages of Crete, from where their ancestors migrated in the 17th century; they are said to have a bent for poetry and the arts, while the women are especially skilled weavers. The 17th-century Zevgeli Tower built atop a rock at the village's entrance is quite impressive. Coffee houses and tavernas serve local wine from mountain-grown vines. There are a number of noteworthy Byzantine churches in the area. Worth visiting are the village's 4 museums:
- The Archaeological Museum,
- and the Natural Science Museum.
Keramoti. Famous for its wine and honey, the village is marked by the church of Stavros and offers a vantage point for surveying the island's eastern and western shores.
Koronos. The village is built in a valley by the eastern foothills of Mount Koronos at an altitude of 540 meters. Quaint and colorful, it was once the heart of the local emery industry but since the mines closed, activity has dwindled as many locals migrated to other areas. Coffee houses and taverns serve wine from mountain-grown vines. There is an ethnographic museum, while the church of Panayia Argokoilotissa just outside the village attracts thousands of pilgrims with its paniyiri.
Skado. A pretty mountain village built on a vine-covered slope.
Galanado. A picturesque village set along the Tragea road, about eight kilometers from Hora. Locals are occupied mainly in agriculture and stockbreeding. The Venetian-era Belonia tower rises just outside the village by the church of Ayios Ioannis.
Glinado. A lively market village with a number of tavernas and developed stock keeping marked by the church of Ayios Nikodimos, the island's patron saint. At Kampos, between Glinado and the coast, an ancient temple dedicated to Dionysus was found at Yria.
Ayios Arsenios. A village marked by pretty houses with well-kept gardens. It's worth visiting the church of Ayios Spyridon, while around the village are a number of pretty chapels and the monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos.
Tripodes. A pretty village with paved lanes and abandoned windmills. The church of Panayia features a fine wood-carved iconostasis and rare icons. The ruins of the Palaiopyrgos are visible on the road to Plaka beach.
Eggares. A pretty, verdant village east of Eggares valley, about eight kilometers northeast of Hora. It's worth visiting the Eggares Olive Press, the Pradouna tower and Faneromeni Monastery; there are two artificial dams in the area, one at Eggares and one, under construction, at Faneromeni.
Galini. A small village marked by pretty homes built in the Eggares valley, about seven kilometers northeast of Hora. The fortified monastery of Ypsilotera rises between the village Amiti beach; during Frankish rule, local farmers sought shelter there.