Kourounochori village, is on the eastern side of Naxos town, Chora, next to Melanes village on the road to Kinidaros. The village is built in an inclined position, with the main road to pass on the top and the entrance to the village is under the main road. It is known for its important archaelogical findings in Flerio location, and its plethora of flowers which is the reason is also called Anthohori (meaning flower village in Greek).
Stroll through whitewashed houses with beautiful verandas, narrow streets with slabs, mansions and courtyards filled with flowers and all kinds of fruit trees, citrus trees, and olive trees, and admire the imposing Fragopoulos Delarocca tower, a fortified tower dating back to the 14th century. Kourounochori village exudes an air of nobility.
The mansions in the village and their engraving inscriptions show the existance of visits of important elite and political figures. An inscription is commemorating the visit of King Othon, in 1833.
Delarocca tower is worth the visit here. It’s considered the oldest Venetian tower on the island, with a 3 floors interior, and a large courtyard where you can see a marble table, bastions, holes for thwarting attackers with scalding water, and cages. It’s known to be owned by 3 owners to nowdays, the Sommaripa family, then it was acquired by a man named Fragopoulos and now belongs to the Dellarocca family. According to the legend, the initial owner was the Duke of Naxos Niccolo III dalle Carceri, who was murdered in the area in 1383 by Francesco Crispo, who succeeded him. The tower used to be a school at once, and now hosts a museum with very important findings from the ancient aqueduct.
The Flerio region which is near by is a rich lush agricultural area. Known for its archaelogical treasures of
- the 11 Km ancient aqueduct that transported water from the Flerio to Naxos town, built in 6th century BC. The entrance of aqueduct in Flerio shows the aqueduct to be made by clay tubes and an underground tunnel of 230 m long. Later during te Roman era, the aqueduct was made a built track.
- The ancient marble quarries,dated back to 6th and 7th century BC. These marble quarries used to supply with marble the entire art world of ancient Greece. Inside the marble quarries, one can see amazing findings of huge marble statues, 2 of them are the famous Naxian Kouroi of Flerio dating back to the 6th century, and 2 young naked men about 5.5 m each one. They each weigh between 5 and 7 tonnes. This Kouros is more detailed than the Kouros of Apollonas
Flerio is a very popular tourist destination, especially for those who love history.
Kourounochori is a small village, worth the stop. It belongs to the district of Melanes, with its residents to be occupied in agriculture, livestock farming, and construction.
Kourounochori village has a well known taverna on the main road, the “Mousatos Taverna” specializing in meat. It’s among the top rated tavernas on the island, and if you find yourself in the area, we highly recommended it. Its ribs and the fresh vegetables will impress you!
If you want more information check this here
