Naxos Panagia tis Spilias

Location: Damarionas

Panagia tis Spilias (Virgin of the cave) is a church built in a cave, located in the area of Xerokampos, near Damarionas village.
Upon entering the small cave, one can see a collection of various icons and votive offerings that are placed beneath an imposing natural stone formation.

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Legend has it that in the old days, a noble family which had a daughter lived in a tower a little outside Damarionas. The daughter was very beautiful, and all men wanted to marry her. One morning the father saw numerous armed men coming into a field. He immediately thought that they were coming to take his daughter. The father couldn't do anything, so he told her to run away and find a place to hide.

The frightened girl followed the stream and found herself in a cave that had two icons inside. One of the icons depicted the Virgin Mary and was called Panagia Spiliotissa (the Holy Mary of the cave). The men followed her, so she had to run away from there. She climbed on a tree and prayed to the Mother of Christ to save her.

The men passed by her, but no one saw her, as if the Virgin Mary had blinded them. After spending the night on the tree, she followed the stream again and went out to Filoti to an aunt of hers. She immediately returned to the cave and built a church that still lies there today.

How to get there

Panagia tis Spilias is located near Damarionas Village.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 22850 25835, 0030 22850 24829, or booking your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere's the option of renting a car and picking it up directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Using a rental car allows visitors to discover Panagia tis Spilias and many other places of interest at their own pace.

Public transport: The central bus station of the island is located at the Port of Naxos. There are buses from Chora to Damarionas during the week. Line 7 reaches Damarionas. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination in advance.