Reviews

Marble carving

What an amazing experience! She was such a lovely lady! She guides you through the whole thing. If I ever visit again I’d definitely do it again. Worth it. She made homemade lemonade and gave us some freshly picked strawberries from her garden... amazing! Thank you so much for the wonderful experience.

A must do 

Going through Greek museums and seeing all those marble statues made me curious about the process of making them. I looked around for activities in Greece and this one stood out. So much so, I went to Naxos just for it. I was afraid it would be canceled because rain was pouring, but the carving area was sheltered so all was well.
Very friendly and patient teacher! I didn't have my mind set on a design so we went through some options before opting for an owl. The basics and techniques were explained and demonstrated, it took some practice to figure out how to hold the tools. A satisfying result was made with her help, which makes a nice little souvenir too!
All in all, great experience in a relaxing environment. Would recommend!

Marble carving in Eden's Garden!

My daughter Maia (23 years) and I did a 6 day marble carving course with Maggie. It was absolutely great! But hard work!! The first day, we got to know the different tools, how the marble "reacts" to what we do and practiced different techniques. The next 4 days we worked on our individual projects on a quite big piece of marble, using mainly the hammer and different chisels. We also used a mechanical (electric) tool to file coarsely. The last step was using sandpaper for polishing. The results are great and we are very proud of what we made. Maggie was patient, inspiring, fun to be with. The garden is fabulous and we loved sharing lunch (Maggie's salads and our leftovers from the restaurant we ate at the evening before! ;-) I definitely want to come back for a new project when I return to Naxos.

A highlight in Naxos

This was one of our top experiences in Greece! After seeing so much marble pieces in the Cyclades it was really nice to be able to create our own. The teaching was great and the environment was very pleasant. I would recommend it to all of those who want to try something different.

Essential experience on Naxos

Amazing experience, had a wonderful time carving with Maggie on Naxos! She was well equipped with tools, beautiful pieces of Naxos marble, and her skill and guidance was exceptional. I've been carving marble for over 20 years and had a fantastic time in the workshop. Would definitely do it again.

Unique experience!

My husband and 2 girls (15 & 18) spent a lovely afternoon learning to carve marble. I have a new respect for sculptors and am amazed at the craft. Located on a lovely farm, we were treated to fresh squeezed lemonade, strawberries and local wine. The resident peacock even came out for a stroll. If you are spending a few days on Naxos, I highly recommend this wonderful experience. Thanks, Maggie!

Excellent learning activity!

The 3 hours we spent learning to carve marble with Maggie was the highlight of our Naxos trip! Impressed with how much a beginner can achieve! Thank you Maggie!

Cool unique activity

Loved this class! Maggie is an excellent instructor and is not only extremely knowledgeable but also very patient and helpful. We went over basic carving techniques and then put them to use carving our own design on our chosen marble piece. Fun, unique experience that is definitely not typical but absolutely worth it.

Fun experience off the beaten path

My husband and I had a really fun experience learning from Maggie and she was very accommodating on what we wanted to carve (my puppy and an IPA). In addition, her farm is just really cool and she provided homegrown pomegranate snacks (and even gave us a couple after the class) and homemade wine. A piece of my husband's marble ended up cracking and she surprised by using the leftover piece and carved our names :) Overall, would definitely recommend this activity -- it really gives you an appreciation of marble carvings and is a true arm workout!

Family Carving

We had a great time! Myself and 3 kids made pieces to take home.. ty for a great afternoon! My kids were 17, 16 and 13. The lemonade was delicious!

Fun Time Learning To Carve Marble

Even for those with a total lack of artistic talent like myself it was a lot of fun. We met at the meeting point and were driven to the farm by pickup truck. We got to choose our stones, were given safety glasses and the basic instructions on the use of 3 tools. Maggie then helped sketch out the design and off we went, carving away. We were provided with homemade lemonade and some fresh fruit. The class lasted about 3 1/2 hours and we were left with a keepsake to take home . Just a tip, think of the weight of the stone that you choose and your baggage allowance for your flights!

A Wonderful Greek afternoon

My husband and I absolutely loved Maggie and her wonderful garden. We spent the afternoon carving our own stones and gained an appreciation for what an incredible art and skill marble carving is. Every statue or sculpture we see now is seen through new eyes! Maggie was so patient and kind with our very small group and both my husband and I felt like we'd really experienced something exceptional and original during our trip. I would highly recommend!

Great unique experience

Great afternoon learning the art of marble carving in the beautiful surrounds of Maggie’s garden. You’re able to get hands on straight away and under Maggies expert tuition you can create a piece of art!

Marble carving - a mini class not to be missed!

Maggie was a patient and knowledgeable instructor and my daughter and I each completed a simple design that we are quite happy with. The garden in which we worked is rustic but beautiful and occasionally you get a glimpse of peacocks, chickens, geese and a donkey. Olive and fruit trees abound and provide a pleasant background in which to work. A great activity to fill a day. Save time to visit the Olive Museum that's 2 minutes out of town.

Carving away

If you are looking for an out of the box activity look no further! The host was very helpful and encouraging, along with her experience and knowledge made for a fun and eventful class! We would definitely come back again

Highly recommended!

This was the highlight of our trip to Naxos. It was really cool getting to do the carving and the setting was beautiful!

10 day workshop worth every dollar!!

I participated in the 10 day marble relief intensive workshop. I gained an innate understanding of how rigorous and challenging working with the material is. I created 3 pieces in addition to learning silicon casting and creating a mother mold for future casting use. Maggie is an excellent teacher and a thoroughly enjoyable human.
The trip visiting the quarries and Kouros sculptures was incredible. I definitely recommend a deep dive into this medium if you have an interest and have the time!

Meaningful experience with sculpting local marble!

Friendly skilled teacher! Learned six tools, and finished a small piece! Lovely rural setting at group studio of local artisans. We worked outside, standing. There were options for sun or shade. Very meaningful after seeing the marble quarry on Naxos. Wonderful experience, relaxing and worked hard too. We asked the teacher to call a taxi for us to return to Naxos town, (15 minutes and €20 one way).

Amazing Experience

I had an amazing time! Maggie was an excellent teacher, she explained how to use each tool and demonstrated the techniques so that it was easy for us to follow. She helped me draw a design I liked and showed me how best to carve it out. Truly an amazing experience, highly recommend!

Marble carving

The highlight of my trip to Naxos. I got to make my own marble carving. It was a lot of fun. Maggie was very hospitable and a wonderful teacher.

We had a great experience!

This experience was so interesting and fun! The host was so friendly and helpful showing us helpful fixes for the process and telling us some history and facts about the island. They were so hospitable, even offering some food and wine at the end of the experience. Be prepared to stand for the experience and have your arms and shoulders a little sore. :)

Wonderful family activity

This was an outstanding experience! The instructor was very kind and patient with our kids. We learned a lot about marble carving, Greek culture, and more. Highly recommended!

Wonderful and memorable experience

I'm so glad we did this! This was a great experience and so much fun. Exhausting but fun!
When I booked this, I figured this might be a fun and unique experience for my 11 year old son to have and I was right! He loved it!
Maggie our host/instructor was so nice and incredibly knowledgeable no matter what questions we had for her related to marble and carving, she had the answer for us. She was just so nice and patient with us at all times. At the end of the carving experience she and her friend had a lovely meal for us as we waited for our taxi to bring us back to town.
I have a new found respect for this art. I knew this would be hard, but I had no idea how hard this is - by the end, my hands and arms were hurting lol but still so worth it!
I'm so glad we did this, now my son and I have a piece of marble carved by our hands (mine with help of Maggie lol) that we will cherish forever.

100% worth it!!

It was one of the best travel experiences I have ever had. We learned so much. She was very engaging, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and passionate about this craft. She was patient with us and took her time to help with our carving. Her family is amazing, and I will 100% go back again.

Amazing Naxos Experience!

When looking for experiences, an authentic to the area experience that is interactive and includes 'art' was an easy choice. Our host was an incredible teacher that took us through the basics of carving into marble, before we took to the task of creating our own pieces to take home with us. The work was challenging and rewarding, and definitely gives you respect for the amazing marble structures created by the ancient Greeks. All of this happens in a great sculpture workshop near a small island village, with fresh fruits to snack on, and a nice lunch of bread, cheese, egg, tomatoes, and wine to refresh us after the carving. I highly recommend it.

Amazing marble carving class

We had an amazing time, Maggie was a wonderful teacher and host. She provided delicious snacks and light meal at the end of class. I would highly recommend this experience

A must when in Greece

I always look for unique experiences that I can't do at home, and this may have topped all others. I learned about the marble and the tools used to manipulate it, and Maggie is a knowledgeable and welcoming instructor.

So cool!

Both Maggie and Dimitri were such great hosts and Maggie did a such a fabulous job of instructing, educating and assisting us that we all came away both appreciating her talent and feeling great about our own modest efforts.

J Green

We went as a group of 5 from a sail trip. Maggie and Dimetrious were wonderful and we had a ball. A great experience

Marble carving was unexpected fun! 

We (family of 4) unexpectedly heard about this activity from individuals around our hotel pool. We thought "why not!" This activity included transportation to/from the location which was a unique area off the beaten path. We met the lovely Maggie who showed us to our "stations". We started by picking our stone to work with and then we practiced with the tools on a larger marble block. Maggie provided tea and water for us. It's harder than you think carving marble! Much appreciation to the masters! Maggie was there to help the entire time and we left with an amazing souvenir! When it was time to leave, Maggie called the transportation for us (about 30mins out) and set up a lovely meal of traditional greek foods and local wine. Such a treat! We would definitely recommend!

It's worth trying something different!

We typically schedule a cooking class when we travel, but we decided to do something different and we are so glad we did! This was such a fun experience and Maggie was a great teacher who introduced us to this challenging skill.

Great Class!

This class was amazing! We learned the different techniques of carving marble and then got to pick a piece to do a design of our own. Maggie was wonderful at guiding us through creating our unique pieces. It was great to be able to create something special with a piece of marble from Naxos!

Fun day learning to carve marble!

We had a great time learning how to carve marble from Maggie. It was more labor intensive than we had expected but well worth it and a lot of fun! You may want to pick a simple design :)

Hands on cultural activity

Really good instruction and a plentiful supply of homemade lemonade. We all had a piece of marble carving to take home . What not to like? It was quite good after seeing the marble temples etc so the kids had an appreciation of how much work went into them.

Great course

Fantastic course. Really enjoyed learning the techniques and seeing a bit of “real” Naxos. Would highly recommend interested in learning some new skills.

Great local craft! 

This class was incredibly fun and informative! Maggie was super knowledgeable and very patient with our group. We were looking for something different to do and this was the perfect way to spend an afternoon!

Fun Carve

It WAS AO MUCH FUN!!!! Maggie was as great teacher and I went in there AMA thought I cannot do this but I did!! Maggie is very nice and we work in a garden with lots of quiet. She gives step by step instructions.

Expérience mère fils 

Très belle expérience partagée avec mon fils. Maggie est une artiste qui vous guide dans chaque étape avec beaucoup de générosité et d’enthousiasme ! Encore mille merci Magali & Evann

A NE PAS RATER

Expérience de la sculpture sur marbre réalisée en famille et absolument à ne par rater.  On apprend et comprend tt les étapes de la sculpture sur marbre avec un super professeur. Chacun réalise sa sculpture en étant assisté.

Totally worth it!

The teacher was really nice! She explained the process of sculpting the marble well and had some interesting tidbits about the history. She even gave me a ride back to the port.

Unique Fun You Don’t Want To Miss

Learning how to carve marble was an eye opening experience. Maggie was very accommodating, kind, knowledgeable, pleasant, helpful, and had great patience. Her carving garden is a paradise within itself. My husband and I really enjoyed every minute of it.

Marble experience

It was an exceptional experience! We felt true artists, carving our own ideas on the marble stone. I strongly recommend it.

Definitely worth while

Was very fun, and definitely worth it. It was personal and not a huge seminar type of deal. Honestly wouldn’t mind coming back every year to carve up some marble.

Beautiful experience !!!

Beautitful experience !!!! Great carving instructor !!! She was very patient and very passionate . 😊 Thank you

Wonderful experience!

Wonderful experience with Maggie and Christos! A beautiful setting, skilled teachers, a gorgeous sunny afternoon, delicious fresh lemonade and cherries and fascinating history!

Such a great and unique experience! 

Such a great and unique experience!  Where else in the world can you partake in such an activity!  None other than Naxos of course!  Carvings are easy to do and the tools and work area provided are excellent.

Great place, genuine owner, and fantastic wine

Emmanuel was fantastic and welcoming  during the tour of his winery. He is very knowledgeable in his processes and was genuinely excited to talk about his winery and wines. He also basically gave us a wine tasting class as we were tasting his wines. The snack tray he provided was all either local or home grown products and went well with the wine. And of course, his sweet wines are INCREDIBLE. We would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone, even if you are not a huge wine drinker.

Kids loved it!

We had a wonderful time learning how to sculpt marble. The kids were amazed at the technique required to carve out something beautiful. We each walked away with our own little creation. What a fun way to spend the afternoon and we finished with delicious Greek snacks! Thank you for a great time.

A unique artistic Greek experience 

Maggie was a wonderful, relaxed, helpful, and knowledgeable teacher! We learned the history of marble, methods of carving, how to use the tools, and she did not rush us and was very patient. Such a quiet and enjoyable setting, even with time to build some new relationships!

An excellent and unique experience!

This was a fantastic and unique experience. We brought our 9 and 11 year old kids and they had a great time as well.   The event is at a shaded outdoor artist’s studio. You pick your carving stones, are shown how to use the tools, and then get started on the design of your choice. The host helps you along the process to ensure a good outcome.   Maggie was an excellent host and was flexible with our start time due to a delayed flight. She even provided some refreshing food and wine at the end.   Highly recommended!!

Fun, Interesting, and Relaxing

Maggie’s marble carving class was extremely informative and fun! My wife and I went as part of our honeymoon and we learned about the different techniques and tools used to carve marble. As part of the experience we got the opportunity to carve our own pieces of marble which we could take back with us to serve as mementos of the class. The location was easy to find and the directions to the class were just as described. It was a ton of fun and we appreciate Maggie’s hospitality!

Unique and enjoyable

I am glad I decided to sign up for this last minute. Maggie was very helpful and a great teacher. I had zero experience and was able to carve a beautiful piece with her guidance. Such fun!

Lovely Unique Experience in Greece

Where in the world can you do a marble carving class? Absolutely lovely teacher who was patient and attentive. Unique experience that will 100% be one of the highlights of your Greece - Naxos trip!

Wonderful time

Maggie was amazing. We learned so much from the experience and left with a high appreciation of what it takes to do this on a professional level.

It was marble-ous! 

Such a memorable experience creating our own souvenirs! We all loved it and left with beautiful pieces we created.

A Must do!

This is a must do while visiting Naxos!! We had so much fun marble carving. What a unique thing to experience! Instructor was great and has so much knowledge to share!

Such a wonderful...

Such a wonderful experience! Top notch hospitality and teaching. Definitely the highlight to my trip to Naxos and now I have a one of a kind souvenir to remember :)

Marble carving for the layman? Who knew?!? Highly recommend!!

Such a memorable experience!  While a bit hard to find, it was worth the effort. Our instructor helped us every step of the way, and stepped in as necessary--the perfect balance of allowing us to create our own thing, but helping when we got stuck.  She also provided watermelon, cheese, and homemade lemonade, which was wonderful!  Highly recommend!

So much fun!

My wife and I had a great time at the marble carving! We had no prior experience and the class took us through the process step by step. The instructor was very nice and helped us refine the pieces. We ended up with a couple amazing and unique souvenirs. We highly  recommend this one!

Fun memory and mementos from our mother/daughter trip

This was something different but a ton of fun. Maggie was very helpful and made this a memorable experience for me and my daughter.

Unique Experience

This is a unique experience that allows you to create a personal souvenir to take home. I love trying new classes that teach me a new skill and had booked a time for 2 people. The class was initially promoted as a private class but Maggie contacted me the day prior to the class and asked to move the time. Fortunately we could accomodate the request but it did mean the class was with 4 other individuals.   Maggie is knowledgeable about Naxos marble and clearly a talented sculptor however was very hands off in the class and often left us to fend for ourselves for large periods of time. My friend and I are quite confident and were self-sufficient  however overall on the balance it felt like too much time was spent “practicing” and not enough time carving your piece. Maggie welcomed you to stay to continue carving, however if you have planned activities around this class it makes it difficult. I would suggest being strategic with the piece you choose to carve and realistic about what can be achieved in the time.   Overall I enjoyed this class and a few small tweaks can take it from good to great.

Great experience

This was the perfect way to spend our last evening in Naxos! My husband and I had a great time and learned so much from Maggie. She is so knowledgeable about her craft and is willing to give as much or as little help as you need. Such a fun experience and you end up with a one-of-a-kind souvenir!

This is one you don't want to miss! 

We booked this and were very excited as this is the island of marble. We started with picking out the piece we wanted to carve. Then you get to practice and you realized very quick how this takes strength. After our practice you get to work on your piece. It was very satisfying seeing your final result. This was a great one in a life time experience!

Exercise your creativity in marble

Four of us, all women, went to learn how to carve beautiful Naxos marble with Maggie Ross. We each came away with a marble carving worthy of display at home. Maggie taught us how to use various tools and gave us time to practice before she helped us draw a design to curve and gave us instructions on how to proceed. In my case she also helped me straighten out a few mistakes along the way so I ended up with a wonderful carving. It was hard work but we all enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to others.

What a great family experience this was! Maggie was our sculptor guide and was very patient and helpful in explaining the techniques. There was plenty of time to practice some techniques, then start our chosen piece of marble design. Maggie found time to visit and revisit throughout the carving time to be sure we understood the stages of our carving. She had freshly squeezed lemonade, tiny plums from tree in studio space and breadsticks to snack on while we carved. After we finished our masterpieces, Maggie served some local blush wine, local cheeses, olives and fresh squash salad as a thank you! The Greeks are such generous people! My whole family found this day one of the best ever on a vacation!

It was lovely and relaxed. I loved being shown what to do and then left to work on my own. So generous and we were there far longer than the booking! Very knowledgeable and we both loved it and loved what we made!

A wonderful and very interesting experience! Maggie explains everything in a way that is easy to understand and you have enough time to immerse yourself completely in your own work! With the knowledge gained from this day, it is much easier to understand how much work and craftsmanship goes into each temple and each statue! There was also homemade lemonade and snacks. We could have stayed there for hours! Thank you so much, Maggie!

Once in a lifetime experience, was brilliant fun carving our own designs. Maggie was great at helping us get our finished products. Her daughter helped us out too which was great to see! Very lovely family, Maggie is awesome at what she does, definitely recommend especially if you are looking for that different experience/souvenir!

Wonderful experience and would highly recommend

It was a unique and intetesting experience, learning about the Naxian marble, the tools and the means to carve it and then make your own little "masterpiece" to be proud of. We enjoyed it very much. Maggie was an excellent host and tracher. We also tried very good Naxian cheese and rakia, but when the job was done and the tools were put away. If you want to spent 3h doing something new and exciting with your hands, you should definitelly try this!

What a fun and unique experience! Not many people can say they’ve Carved Marble. You get Instruction, Practice, Assistance and Completed work to take home! Plus amazing Scenery and local Snacks. Be prepared to get a little dirty and know it’s a little bit of a workout for the hands and arms.

learning about marble and how to use the carving tools. Making my own piece

Such a unique and memorable experience! Loved the authentic location and actually carving marble. Maggie was so hospitable and inspiring. Be prepared for a heavier suitcase with your souvenir!

Neither of us had tried carving stone before this workshop. Maggie provided excellent step-by-step guidance on how to assess the marble, the use of each tool, and design. she was patient with questions and really supported each of us to do our own work. tremendous fun!