KERAMOTI, NAXOS: A HIDDEN VILLAGE AT THE HIGHLAND CROSSROADS

Keramoti is among the smallest and least visited villages of the Naxian uplands. It is built deep in a ravine and is almost hidden from the main road, which passes above it at a junction known as Stavros Keramotis. The settlement belongs to the group of emery-producing villages, although farming has always been its mainstay, and it preserves a traditional layout of stone houses and alleys that cars cannot enter.

Location and Setting

Keramoti lies in the central uplands of Naxos at an altitude of about 460 metres and about 2 kilometres from Koronos. Distance from Naxos Town is given as 25 to 30 kilometres in a local guide. The village belongs to the Drymalia municipal unit and is surrounded by greenery and high mountains. Its houses are small, stone-walled buildings along narrow alleys, with a central square and a traditional cafe-taverna just off it, which serves as the local meeting place.

Population has fallen over time. A local guide gives 106 residents in 1981, 119 in 1991 and 56 in the 2021 census; another source reports 76 in 2001 and, in an older article, only about 20 permanent residents with roughly 80 houses, most of them empty in winter. The differences reflect different counting methods and dates. Residents are described as working in livestock farming and agriculture, and the village is known for wine and honey.

Stavros Keramotis: The Crossroads

The junction of Stavros Keramotis is the largest intersection of rural roads on the island, connecting Keramoti with Apeiranthos, Koronos, Moni and Kinidaros. A small whitewashed church dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross stands there and gives the place its name, which is said to refer to the cross-roads. The location offers a wide view over the east coast, including Moutsouna, the Small Cyclades and, on clear days, Amorgos, and over the west towards Naxos Town and Paros. The viewpoint and church are just uphill from the village, and the stop is a standard part of drives through the interior.

The Village: Church, Museum and Water

The parish church of the village is dedicated to Agios Ioannis Theologos (Saint John the Theologian), and a small folklore museum operates in its courtyard. Local sources describe the collection as continually growing; opening hours are not formally published and should be checked locally. The village’s main festival is Stavroproskynissi, the feast of the Veneration of the Holy Cross in Lent, celebrated about 28 days before Easter Sunday with traditional music, dance, food and local wine.

Water has shaped the village. Features listed in local guides include an old stone-and-marble bridge over the southern stream, traditional outdoor laundries, two abandoned watermills and an old reservoir that collected water from tributary streams and released it through channels to vegetable gardens at Perada. Together they record how closely village life was tied to the stream in the ravine.

An Emery Village by Association

Keramoti is counted among the emery-producing villages of Naxos together with Apeiranthos, Koronos and Komiaki, although local sources say agriculture has always been its mainstay. Its terraced, amphitheatre-like settlement is read by some guides as a reminder of the prosperity that mining brought to this part of the island. For the industry itself, see the Koronos guide and the Skado guide.

Walking to the Routsouna Waterfall

Keramoti is the starting point for a walk of about 2 kilometres to the Routsouna waterfall, described in one hiking guide as the largest natural waterfall on Naxos; the walk returns by the same route. Flow is likely to vary by season, so conditions should be checked locally before setting out. The same source notes that the springs of the island’s two rivers are close by, and that the surrounding area is suitable for longer walks, including the ascent of Mount Koronos, described there as the second highest mountain on Naxos. Paths are not always signposted, so water, sturdy shoes and a map are advisable.

Visiting Keramoti

Keramoti is reached by car or taxi from Naxos Town via the Stavros Keramotis junction; public bus services in the interior are seasonal and timetables should be checked at the terminal. Cars cannot enter the alleys, so the village is explored on foot. Services are very limited, and the cafe-taverna is the only one mentioned in the sources reviewed; larger choices are available in Koronos and Apeiranthos. It combines with Koronos (about 2 kilometres), Skado, Moni (Moni guide) and Kinidaros (Kinidaros guide). Because the village is residential, visitors should keep to the lanes and public spaces, and treat the church as a place of worship. At this altitude the village is generally cooler than the coast; late spring and early autumn are comfortable seasons for walking.

Quick Answers

What is Stavros Keramotis? It is the largest crossroads of rural roads on Naxos, marked by a small Holy Cross church and a viewpoint over both coasts.

How many people live in Keramoti? The 2021 census recorded 56 permanent residents.

What is Keramoti known for? It is known for its traditional ravine setting, its folklore museum, old watermills, wine and honey, and the walk to the Routsouna waterfall.

Is the Routsouna waterfall flowing all year? Flow is likely to vary by season, so conditions should be checked locally.

Keramoti is small enough to cross in minutes, but its position at the crossroads, its water-driven village layout and the walking routes that start from it make it a useful stop for understanding the upland villages of Naxos. For planning a stay on the island, see the fabnaxosvillas villa portfolio and the guide to getting to Naxos.