Kalaskiso: Visiting the Archaeological Area of Naxos

The archaeological area of ancient Naxos is now part of the Archaeological Park of Naxos and Taormina. The park and museum are administered by Regione Siciliana, and the site is in Giardini Naxos, in Sicily’s Metropolitan City of Messina.

The name Kalaskiso appears in the subject of this guide, but the official place information identifies the archaeological site as ancient Naxos and the museum as the Museo archeologico di Giardini Naxos. For a visit, those official names will help you find the relevant park and museum information.

Ancient Naxos lies south of the modern centre of Giardini Naxos, making the archaeological area part of the town rather than a separate destination. Its address is Via Lungomare Schisò, Giardini Naxos.

The earliest habitation levels include imported Euboean pottery and locally imitated examples, giving a sense of the kinds of material evidence represented in the collection.

One notable object is the Heidelberg-Naxos altar, an altar fragment dated to 530 BC and decorated with facing sphinxes. It was reassembled from one fragment held at the University of Heidelberg and another acquired in Giardini in 1973.

The archaeological area and museum offer two complementary ways to encounter ancient Naxos: the remains of the settlement outdoors and finds from it in the Museo archeologico di Giardini Naxos.

In the museum, the pottery from the earliest habitation levels and the Heidelberg-Naxos altar are among the specific objects and material described by the municipality. The altar’s two-fragment history links a piece held at the University of Heidelberg with one acquired in Giardini.

The park’s archaeological site and museum are both part of the same wider park. You can check the park’s official information to plan around the current opening arrangements for the places you intend to visit.

The archaeological area is at Via Lungomare Schisò in Giardini Naxos. The official park site has dedicated pages for opening hours across the places attached to the park, including the Museo Archeologico di Naxos, and for ticket information.

Opening hours and ticket prices can change. Check the official site before you go, using the park’s live hours and ticket pages to confirm the details for your visit. The municipality also refers to an official access price list, so consult the current park information for prices and any combined-admission terms.

Hotel Nike is in Giardini Naxos, the same town as the archaeological site; its room options in Giardini Naxos are listed online.

The archaeological area lies south of the modern centre, so you can pair a visit to the ancient settlement with time in Giardini Naxos. The town’s old-town streets, seafront and local history offer a different angle on the same place.

The site and museum share the Archaeological Park of Naxos and Taormina.

Local bus, train and walking options can help you plan your route around town. Check the park’s hours and ticket information before setting your order for the day, so you can plan the archaeological visit around the current access arrangements and then continue into the modern centre.

Where is the archaeological area of ancient Naxos?

It is in Giardini Naxos, south of the modern centre, at Via Lungomare Schisò.

What is the museum called?

Its name is the Museo archeologico di Giardini Naxos. The collection includes finds from the ancient settlement.

What is the Heidelberg-Naxos altar?

It is an altar fragment dated to 530 BC, with facing sphinxes, reassembled from two fragments.

Where can you check opening hours and tickets?

The Archaeological Park of Naxos and Taormina provides dedicated official pages for opening hours and ticket information.