KOUROUNOCHORI: THE FLOWER VILLAGE OF THE MELANES VALLEY

Kourounochori (also spelled Kournochori) is among the smallest villages on Naxos and one of the greenest. It sits on the slope of a hill in the Melanes valley, on the road from Chora toward Kinidaros, and counts only about 110 permanent residents (109 or 111 in the 2021 census, depending on the record, and 105 in 2011). Visitors tend to arrive for the ancient aqueduct, the unfinished kouros nearby or the old tower, and then stay for the lanes: flowers spill from courtyards and windowsills, stone mansions line the slopes, and the village keeps an air of quiet, slightly faded nobility that its neighbours do not share.

The Flower Village

The village is one of four settlements in the Melanes valley, one of the most fertile and best-watered parts of the island. Built on a slope, it is sheltered from the northerly winds and is said to enjoy a mild climate through the year. Its one- and two-storey houses are whitewashed and framed by courtyards and gardens full of flowers, which is why it is often called the “flower village.” Scattered among them are several old mansions, evidence that Kourounochori was long a favoured retreat of wealthy and notable Naxians, and in the village a circular marble plaque is engraved with an inscription commemorating the visit of King Otto in 1833. Walking paths lead to the surrounding villages, and the area is good for gentle hiking.

The Della Rocca (Frangopoulos) Tower

The village’s principal monument is the Frangopoulos or Della Rocca tower, about 100 metres from the village car park. It is described as one of the oldest fortified towers on the island, dating from the 14th century. The three-storey building stands in a courtyard and has bastions and murder-holes, openings through which defenders could drop scalding water on attackers. A marble table on the veranda bears an inscription dated 1727 that is attributed to the Sommaripa family, an earlier Venetian owner; the tower was later acquired by a man named Fragopoulos and today belongs to the Della Rocca family. The Naxos branch of the Frangopoulos family, recorded on the island from 1628 to 1925, converted to Catholicism, served as British consuls in the 19th century and held tower-houses at Chalki and at Melanes. One local legend also associates the tower with the murder of the Duke of Naxos, Niccolò III dalle Carceri, said to have been killed in this area in 1383 by Francesco Crispo, who succeeded him; take this as legend, not as a documented fact about the building. The tower is a private home, so it is best admired from the outside.

The Archaeological Collection and the Ancient Aqueduct

The village’s old primary school, a typical 1950s building made by local craftsmen, now houses the Archaeological Collection of Kourounochori, which opened in July 2010 as a visitor information centre. It was created by the University of Athens and the Greek archaeological service as part of a project to conserve and present the ancient aqueduct and the Sanctuary of the Springs at Flerio. The exhibits include complete and fragmentary marble sculptures, tiles and pottery from the sanctuary, and sections of the clay pipes of the aqueduct, which were collected in the Kourounochori area. The aqueduct itself is described as one of the island’s major archaeological sites: it ran for some eleven kilometres, partly through a tunnel cut into the mountain, bringing spring water from Flerio and Melanes to Naxos Town, and sections are signposted along the road between Flerio and Chora. We have deliberately not given its date, as the sources we found disagree on the period of use; check with the museum. Opening hours of the collection vary with the season, so ask locally.

The Church of the Savior and the Feast of Grapes

The central church of the village is dedicated to the Savior (Sotiros) and celebrates on 6 August, the Transfiguration. After the liturgy the priest blesses grapes, praying for a good harvest, and shares them out to the congregation; a feast follows, with live music, dancing, local delicacies and wine. It is one of the nicest village customs on the island and is open to anyone who turns up respectfully.

Visiting Kourounochori Today

The village lies on the road from Chora to Kinidaros, in the valley beyond Melanes, and there is a parking lot outside the narrow streets. Buses from Chora are reported to run from the morning until the early afternoon, so check the timetable before relying on one for the return. The village has two restaurant-cafes serving dishes made from local ingredients; they open and close with the season, so ask locally. Allow an hour or two to wander, see the tower and the collection, and extend it with a stroll toward the neighbouring villages if the weather is good.

Nearby: Flerio, Melanes and the Mountain Road

The unfinished kouros at Flerio, in the Melanes valley, is the obvious companion visit. It is one of two similar statues in the area, each about five metres long and weighing an estimated five to seven tonnes, made from the same quarry that supplied the Colossus of the Naxians on Delos. The much larger Kouros of Apollonas is described in our guide to Apollonas. From here the road continues toward the mountain villages, including Filoti and Apeiranthos, and back toward Chora, described in our guide to Naxos Town.

Kourounochori is a place for people who like small things done well: a tower with its history intact, a single-hall museum in a former school, a grape blessing on a summer morning, a lane with a geranium on every sill. It will take you an hour or two, and it will probably be the village you describe afterwards to people who ask what you did on Naxos.