Mt zas (Zeus) hiking day trip questions

Agia Marina church is shown on Google Maps.
You will find it by entering the following coordinates: 37°02'41.5"N 25°30'28.5"E

That said I advise you to use OpenStreet maps instead of Google, You can also download the OsmAnd application which is more useful for hiking.

In the case of Mount Zeus all the directions of the hikes are very well indicated on wooden signs (I seem to remember that it is also written in English)

If you want to reach Agia Marina as a starting point for a hike to Mount Zeus, be aware that there are not many places to park your car.
From Agia Marina the path is identified N°2 with red and white markings all along the path

It takes an hour to reach Mount Zeus without hurrying (The elevation gain is about 300 meters).
From the top of Mount Zeus you can go to the cave, for that you have to go back about 300 meters and take the path that goes to the left.
The cave is about 1km from this junction. A little further is the source of Aria Spring. Continuing you will arrive at the village of Filoti.

At this address you will see an example of a circular route (but done in the other direction starting from Filoti) as well as some practical information to reach Agia Marina

https://www.naxostrek.com/en/trails/mt-zas-zeus-hiking-trail2/

Whatever your route, leave early, bring lot of water and wear good shoes.

That is a great site thanks so much.
I think when I was first searching I was looking for a city called Agia marina but then found the church

We definitely want to go the easier way. But then I read “the other way is much more rewarding “ darn it.

If we do go the easier way is it easy to find the marker to go back to the cave.

Also if we go the loop agia marina to Filoti how do people get back to their cars.

Air is it better to just go out and back in your opinion ?

Bus line 2 departs from Naxos town and stops at Filoti. The stop that follows Filoti is near Agia Marina but after disembarking you have to walk a few hundred meters (on a road, not on a path) to reach the start of the path.
.
So there are possibilities to park your car either in Filoti or in Agia Marina and use the bus.

That said, you will need to know the bus timetable and be able to synchronize your hike with it (there are only 3 or 4 buses in the morning during high season)
This is not the option I would recommend unless you find other local people who know this route and can explain it to you.

Easiest for you would be to hike from Filoti or Agia Marina and then back.

Follow the signs, paint marks or "Cairn" (the stones piled up by other hikers) you will not get lost. Anyway you won't be alone on this hike.

@JoLui - Thank you so much for all the helpful information. I, too, am interested in this hike, although I am not sure whether I am up to it.

Thanks. I agree. We will just do the Agia marina out and back

Thanks.

Marie,
The Agia Marina-Mount Zeus part is the easiest and best marked.
It is not a very difficult hike but it is not a simple "walk" in the countryside. There are rocky and sloping parts.
As I said before, leave early, bring sun protection, wear suitable shoes and enough water (last spring on Tinos, during a fairly long hike I lost all my water supply because of a container badly closed, it was not fun at all)

See
http://www.cycladen.be/Filoti-ZasEngFrame.htm

which explains the complete route Filoti-Agia Marina and back
(see the Agia Marina-Mount Zeus part only)

Awesome. Thank you.

About to post my whole nexos trip I start for feedback.

Thanks again JoLui,

That 600 meter change in elevation scares the heck out of me. I am trying to compare it to hikes I am familiar with. I did Termessos in Turkey a few months ago, which wasn't bad, but that was only 125 meters gain. Could I do four of those ... and still feel human the next day? Hmmmm.....

Also, I am traveling solo, and I am not sure that I want to tackle that hike by myself.

At the same time, the Mount Zas hike keeps calling to me.

Anyhow, my trip is still over a year away, and so I have time to decide. A week ago I thought I had pretty much settled on 4 nights in Naxos and 3 nights on Sithnos before the RS tour begins, but I keep finding more things I want to explore on Naxos ....

We did it in 2018 in our late 50s with my husband's brother and our young adult children. Near the top, you have to decide how to get there as there is no longer a clear path. It was rigorous but not unreasonable. You do see other people but not crowds. I was glad for that as I stopped to take some pictures of the goats and the rest of my party went on without me. I kept going and missed the turn. I heard voices and called to them and they helped me find the path!

Marie. From Agia Marina, it's an ascent of less than 400 meters (not 600 meters).
So you will see it when the time comes.

And since you are also going to Sifnos, be aware that Sifnos offers a lot of possibilities for easy hikes (with little difference in altitude!) and with sometimes the opportunity to make extended stops on isolated beaches.

BETHFL - that will totally be me! stopping and taking pics of hte goats that is funny

Here is a complete and very recent report with advice and beautiful photos of another hiking possibility on Mount Zeus. (from Aria Spring)
The last part of this hike joins the path when you come from Agia Marina. You will see the type of terrain and environment you will have for the last few hundred meters.

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/hiking-mount-zas-naxos-greece/

If you give up on the Mount Zeus hike, here is another easier hike:

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/naxos-village-trail-melanes-myli-kouros/

Thanks again, JoLui.

The earthtrekkers site was what originally turned me on to Mt. Zas.

I have also been looking at this guided hike: https://naxoshiking.com/villages-trail.php. Even though it's pricey for just me, I like the added context and interpretation as well as not being on a trail alone.

If I try to do both, I will need one more night in Naxos, making it 5 nights in Naxos and 3 on Sifnos. (I really don't want to give up Sifnos.) A brief, pre-tour excursion is becoming almost as long as the tour.

Decisions, decisions ...

I also like that trail .....
Melanes, myli and The Kouroi...but i cant tell by the map it looks like it is not round trip. sou you would end up in a different towns. BUT maybe it is the note about google not having hte whole trip.

So is it 3.8 miles for the round trip do you think?

also is this a particular trail like trail # xxx