MELANES: THE GREEN VALLEY OF KOUROI, AQUEDUCTS AND WATERMILLS

Melanes is the village where Naxos shows how much of its ancient history lies just outside Chora. About 8 kilometres south-east of the town, on the road to Kinidaros, it spreads in amphitheatre fashion across a hillside at an altitude of only 63 metres, overlooking a valley of olives, fruit trees and running water that ranks among the greenest on the island. The 2021 census counted 464 residents (414 in 2011), and older guides give figures of about 450 to 500. Around it lie an Archaic marble quarry with two unfinished kouroi, the springs and sanctuary at Flerio, an ancient aqueduct, a Byzantine church of very early origin, watermills and Venetian towers. For a village this size, the density of things to see is remarkable.

A Black-Soil Village and Its Name

Melanes is generally counted among the oldest settlements on the island. Its name refers to the colour black, and there are competing explanations: locals say that it comes from the dark soil of the valley, which suits olive groves and orchards; the island’s tourism information gives a mythological version, in which the villagers mourned the giant brothers Otos and Ephialtes, who were killed after challenging the gods; and a third local legend tells of two brothers who fought for the governance of Naxos, and a sister who ordered black tunics to be worn in mourning. They are legends rather than documented history, and the local cultural association’s own description favours the soil. The community of Melanes includes four settlements: Melanes itself, whose main church is Agii Apostoli, together with Kourounochori, Myli and Agios Thalelaios (also spelled Thalleleos). The villagers are known as farmers, cattle breeders and skilled stonemasons, and the local association records that during the Second World War the Melanes valley supplied the mountain villages of Kinidaros, Keramoti and Koronos with food.

Flerio: Springs, Aqueduct and the Unfinished Kouroi

The position called Flerio, a short walk or drive outside the village, is where the antiquities cluster. The ancient sanctuary of the springs lies here, along with the entrance to the ancient aqueduct that carried water to Naxos Town; the village association says the aqueduct dates to the Archaic and Roman periods. Sections can be seen along the road toward Chora, and a restored late-Roman stretch is preserved at Agios Thalelaios. The collection at Kourounochori, described in our guide to that village, explains the site.

The two unfinished kouroi at Flerio and Faranga are the main attraction. One lies in a garden under olive trees, with both legs broken; the other is in the quarry itself, halfway up a marble outcrop. Wikipedia gives their lengths as about 4.7 and 5.0 metres and their weight as 5 to 7 tonnes each, though other guides cite larger figures, so treat the sizes as approximate. They are thought to date from the 6th century BC, and both are believed to have been abandoned after their legs broke during transport. Wikipedia also notes that the Colossus of the Naxians on Delos came from the same quarry. For the far larger statue at the other end of the island, see our guide to Apollonas.

Agios Georgios and the Village Church

Roughly 100 metres from the village, beside a mountain stream, stands the small church of Agios Georgios. The island’s walking-route description calls it initially a late-Roman structure and one of the earliest places of Christian worship identified on Naxos, with the present Byzantine church dated to the 12th–13th century and frescoes from several periods. The village’s principal church is Agii Apostoli (the Holy Apostles), which celebrates on 29 June with a three-day feast of live music, dancing, local food and wine.

Towers, a Jesuit Retreat and an Olive Press

Medieval towers are scattered around the village, which noblemen used as homes or summer houses. Among the sights listed by the island’s tourism information are the Jesuits’ summer residence at Kalamitsia, about 2 kilometres from the village, and the old olive mill at Demari. The 17th-century Kokkos Tower stands above a gully and can be reached by a detour on the walking route between Flerio and Potamia.

Walking: Myli’s Watermills and the Valley Trails

The valley is a favourite with walkers. A route promoted by the island’s tourism information leads from Melanes through Kourounochori and past a group of traditional watermills at Myli, then up to Flerio and on to the three settlements of Potamia and the historic church of Agios Mamas (Theoskepasti), described as a cruciform domed building with rare frescoes. Myli, named for its mills, is now largely abandoned, with a few residents remaining: three small neighbourhoods linked by a trail dotted with old watermills, their large funnels still in place. Paths are rough in places, so wear proper shoes and carry water.

Visiting Melanes Today

Melanes is on the road from Chora to Kinidaros, and public buses are reported to run from Chora from the morning to the early afternoon, so check the timetable before relying on one for the way back. The village has two traditional cafes and two tavernas known for local dishes; they open and close with the season, so ask locally. A half-day is enough for the village, the church and Flerio, and a full day if you add the walk through Myli and Potamia.

Nearby: Kourounochori, Agios Thalelaios and the Town

Within a few minutes are Kourounochori and Agios Thalelaios, a small village of about 85 people, where the restored aqueduct section lies. Chora, with its Portara and Old Market, is described in our guide to Naxos Town, and the mountain road continues to Filoti and Apeiranthos.

Melanes is the best argument on the island for leaving the car and walking. A kouros under an olive tree, a church of very early origin, a line of mills along a stream: it takes some patience to find them all, and none of them is signposted with much ceremony. That, in the end, is what makes them feel found.