About Filoti

The village Filoti is situated in the center of the island of Naxos and at an altitude of about 400 meters.

It is built in an amphitheatrical manner on two hills –Klefaro (on the left) and Rahidi (on the right)—as one faces it coming from the Chora of Naxos. They are at the foot of Za (“Zeus”), the tallest (1,004 meters) mountain of Cyclades, that has taken its name from the Father of the twelve Greek Olympian Gods.

In the middle –between the two hills– loom the parish church of the “Holy Mary of Filoti”, celebrated on August 15, and the “Castle of Barotsi”.

Filoti is surrounded by the green of cultivated vineyards, of olive trees and other –fruit-bearing– trees, but also of uncultivated oak trees, weaver’s broom (Spartium junceum), etc.Before the last big explosion of Santorini (1956), there were many springs and wells in Filoti, with quantities of water sufficient to irrigate considerable horticulture land areas, but due to the earthquake, the water was lost following other subterranean routes.

Filoti, with 1,500 permanent residents, is the largest village of the Cyclades.

This number grows during the summer months to 2,000 – with a peak in August when it reaches even 3,000 – when Filotites from all over come, mostly from Athens, Canada and the United States of America.

Filoti’s population started increasing even since the 7th century A.D., due to the flight from seaside areas for the fear of pirates.
As for the origin of the name “Filoti”, there are several theories, none of which, however, has been substantiated.