East of Hora, the Tragea is a large green plain surrounded by rugged mountains. In the feudal era, inhabitants withdrew here to escape pirates. They built churches and monasteries here, which earned the island of Naxos the nickname "little Mystras". In the 16C and 17C, the hills bristled with towers, the residences of Venetian nobles and wealthy Greeks who shared the land. The villages of Halki, Kerami, Filoti and Apeiranthos are really pleasant places to stop.