Although buses bound for Apóllon (in the north) link up the central Naxian villages, the core of the island, between Náxos Town and Aperáthou, is best explored with your own transport or on foot. Much of the region is well off the beaten track, and a rewarding excursion if you've had your fill of beaches; Christian Ucke and Dieter Graf's Walking The Greek Islands: Naxos and the Small Cyclades, published by Graf Editions and available from bookshops such as Zoom in Náxos Town, is a useful guide for hikers. Drivers should note that there are no petrol stations beyond Engarés when heading northeast, nor beyond the two at Halkí when heading into the mountains.

To the east of Náxos Town is FLÉRIO, the most interesting of the ancient Naxian marble quarries of the seventh- to sixth-century BC and home to two famous kouri, that were left recumbent and unfinished because of flaws in the material. Even so, they're finely detailed figures, over 5m in length. The Koúros Flerioú (Koúros Melánon), from around 570 BC, is a short walk along the stream valley, next to the Paradise garden café; the Koúros Farangioú (Koúros Potamiás) is a steeper walk up the hillside. Just above the car park is a compact, recently excavated and well-labelled Sanctuary, contemporary with the marble quarries. The bus from Náxos town is signed "Melanes Kouros".

On the road leading southeast of Náxos Town, the twin villages of Sangrí are on a plateau at the head of a long valley. Thirty minutes' stroll away from Áno Sangrí, on a path leading south out of the village, or 3km by surfaced lane, are the partially rebuilt remains of a Classical temple of Demeter (Tues– Sun 8.30am–3pm; free) from 530 BC, over which was constructed an early Christian basilica. The attractively laid out site, also known as Yiroulas, is on a low hill overlooking an appropriately agricultural valley, and has an award-winning museum with further reconstructions.