MOUTSOUNA: THE OLD EMERY PORT ON THE EAST COAST OF NAXOS

Descend from the marble lanes of Apeiranthos by a winding asphalt road and, after a series of switchbacks, the Aegean opens out at the bottom of the mountain. Moutsouna is a small seaside village on the eastern coast of Naxos, about 39 kilometres from Chora and some 9 to 11 kilometres from Apeiranthos, depending on the source. It is quiet today: a handful of tavernas, a fishing harbour, a sandy beach. But the rusting towers and cables above the waterfront are the clue to a different past. For much of the 20th century Moutsouna was the port from which Naxos shipped emery, a hard abrasive stone, to the industrial world.

The Port of Apeiranthos

Moutsouna is, in effect, Apeiranthos’s outlet to the sea. Tourism sources note that the settlements of the east coast are administratively part of the mountain village, and that much of the land is owned by its residents; the village itself is the largest settlement on the eastern shore and sits beside what is described as the island’s only natural harbour. Its permanent population is tiny: 84 inhabitants were recorded in the 2011 census, up from 65 in 1960, though the number of people around in summer is higher. The road is the only vehicle route in, and it comes down from Apeiranthos, which is why the two places are best visited together.

Emery: The Stone That Built a Port

Emery is a very hard, dark rock rich in the mineral corundum, long used as an abrasive for grinding and polishing, and Naxos has long been famous for its emery. It was quarried in the mountains inland, in the area of Koronos and Apeiranthos, and for the first half of the 20th century it was the main commercial activity of the villages of the area, bringing them considerable prosperity. The problem was getting it to the sea. According to one local history, a cableway was built between 1926 and 1929 and began work in 1930, carrying ore down from the mines to the harbour at Moutsouna, where it was loaded onto ships bound for Greek and foreign ports. Treat the exact construction dates with some caution, as they rest on a single source; what all sources agree on is that the system worked until the 1970s or early 1980s, when cheaper artificial abrasives replaced the natural stone and the mines closed.

Much of the infrastructure was simply left where it stood. The pylons, the remains of the transfer station, the cranes and the hoists that once lifted blocks of emery onto the waiting boats can still be seen around the harbour, and along the road down to the village you can spot rusting wagons and the line of the old cableway. Industrial heritage is not usually what people come to Naxos for, but it is part of why Moutsouna feels so different from the island’s other coastal villages: it was a place of work before it was a place of leisure. The old mines themselves are reachable by a detour on the way down.

Beaches: From the Harbour to Panormos

Moutsouna has a small beach in the middle of the village, good for a swim before lunch, and a longer sandy beach just around the bend, with clear water and easy access. About 1.5 kilometres further on is Azalas, a beach of smooth pebbles reached by a dirt road that turns off on the left at the entrance to the village; local tradition, which we mention in our guide to Apeiranthos, says that the icon of the Virgin was found on this shore. Neither is organised, which means few facilities and a great deal of calm.

The southbound coastal road leads on to a string of smaller hamlets and beaches. The nearest are Ligaridia and Kanaki, where Psili Ammos beach lies about 8 kilometres from Moutsouna, and then Klidos, about 12 kilometres away. Ligaridia and Klidos are described as the main animal-farming areas of the Apeiranthos community, so expect goats and sheep rather than sunbeds. The road ends at Panormos, a sheltered cove with a sandy beach; on the hill behind it are the remains of a prehistoric acropolis at Amygdalies, which local tourism sources mention but which is not a developed site.

Eating, Staying and Practicalities

The village has fish tavernas along the beach, a number of rooms to let, a mini-market and a bakery, which is a fair summary of what is on offer. The nearest medical centre listed is at Apeiranthos, around 11 kilometres away, and the hospital is in Chora. Parking is available at the entrance to the village, from where it is a short walk down to the waterfront. A bus service from Chora exists but is described as infrequent in summer, so unless you are staying locally, a car is the practical choice. Tavernas open, close and change hands from year to year, so we have not named any; ask locally.

Visiting Moutsouna Today

The only vehicle route is via Apeiranthos: just before the village there is a sign on the right for Moutsouna, and from there the road descends steeply and winds all the way to the sea. It is a pleasant drive but a slow one, so allow the better part of an hour from Chora to Apeiranthos, then the descent, and plan the visit as a half-day or full day. The best combination is the one the road suggests: Apeiranthos in the morning, when the lanes are cool and the museums are open, and Moutsouna for a late lunch and a swim in the afternoon. Carry water and sun protection, because services are limited, and do not expect much shade away from the tavernas.

Nearby: Apeiranthos, Filoti and Chora

Moutsouna belongs on the same day as Apeiranthos, the village it serves; from there you can continue to Filoti on the main mountain road. Chora, where the journey begins, is described in our guides to Naxos Town and the Kastro.

Moutsouna is not a postcard village, and it does not try to be. It is a small working harbour that has outlived the industry that built it, and what remains — the rusting towers, the little beach, the fish on the grill — makes for a good counterweight to the polished, marble-white side of Naxos. Come down from the mountain, put your feet in the water, and look back up the slope at the line of the cableway: it explains the whole place.