Naoussa Guide: The 15th-Century Sunken Venetian Castle, Fishing Harbour and Alleys

Ten kilometres north-east of Parikia at the head of a huge, sheltered horseshoe bay (15 minutes by KTEL bus or car), Naoussa (Naousa) has evolved from a fortified medieval fishing village, notorious in the 16th century as the stronghold of Ottoman Admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa and Aegean pirates, into the most glamorous yet authentic harbour village in the central Cyclades.

1. The Old Fishing Harbour (Limanaki) & The Sunken 15th-Century Venetian Castle

Everything in Naoussa revolves around its miniature, semicircular Old Fishing Harbour (Limanaki), where brightly painted wooden kaiki boats still unload red mullet and octopuses every morning just inches from waterfront café chairs:

• Walking Out to the Half-Sunken Venetian Castle (Kasteli, Free 24/7): protecting the northern side of the harbour basin is a stone breakwater wall that leads out to a circular two-storey Venetian watchtower (Kasteli) standing half-submerged in the sea. Built in the 15th century by the Venetian Sommaripa dynasty, this fortified sea gate originally had an iron chain stretched across the narrow harbour entrance to the opposite church pier of Agios Nikolaos to lock out pirate ships at night. Walk carefully along the wave-splashed stone mole (especially 30 minutes before sunset) to stand inside the ruined circular tower looking back across the entire whitewashed amphitheatre of Naoussa.

2. The Whitewashed Labyrinth, Kimisis Theotokou & Piperi / Agios Dimitrios

1. The Pedestrian Alleys & The 'Bridge' Over the Stream: step behind the harbour past the little arched bridge spanning the seasonal stream bed (lined with giant eucalyptus trees and lively evening souvlaki and meze spots) into a car-free maze of whitewashed cube houses, pink bougainvillea canopies, art galleries and linen boutiques.
2. The Church of the Assumption (Kimisis Theotokou): climb the stepped whitewashed lanes to the highest point of the village, where the grand twin-towered marble cathedral of Kimisis Theotokou commands a panoramic view over all of Naoussa Bay toward Kolymbithres.
3. Town Swimming at Piperi Beach (5 Mins' Walk West): if you want a quick dip without taking a bus or boat, walk 5 minutes west of the harbour to the shaded, sandy-pebble cove of Piperi Beach (or 10 minutes east past Moraitis Winery to sandy Agii Anargyri).