3-hour Marble Workshop Create Your Own Souvenir Out Naxos Marble

This was one of the excursions we were most excited about doing on our honeymoon and Jean-Baptiste did not disappoint! We lucked out with the weather and had a great time learning about marble, the power tools, and Cyclades artwork. Jean-Baptiste is an amazing French artist and we are thankful he opened up his outdoor studio and tools to us. He had safety equipment for us to use and did a good job teaching us how to safely use the tools. He was flexible when we went a little longer than expected and gave us sandpaper to continue working on making our marble sculptures as smooth as possible after the class. From what we saw, this is a unique experience of actually making sculptures compared to other places that may have focused on just carvings. Merci beaucoup!

This was one of the most fun things I've ever done. JB takes the time to explain the properties of marble, discuss options for what you'd like to carve and guides you to bring your vision to reality. We took on a project that was maybe a bit too advanced for the time allotted but were happy with the result.

Basically quite an enjoyable experience but spoilt by the fact that health & safety was poor. As a complete beginner without any experience of using a high speed angle grinder, the safety induction was minimal, and the guard and handle had been removed from the tool. This workshop is definitely for people with previous experience of using such tools. And be aware that you have to sign a waiver stating that you accept all responsibility for any accidents.

This was one of the most fun experiences I ever had! A must-do in Naxos! My husband and I had the best time and we enjoyed Jb teaching us every step of the way! He is a funny person and really made this experience for us! He is very knowledgeable about marble! Highly recommend! He is encouraging and really helps you out whenever you need it and his lovely dog and kitty were a bonus!

A fascinating and informative hands-on exploration of marble sculpture and art. Come with a plan in mind for what you would like to create. You leave with your artistic ambitions fulfilled and wanting more. JB provides the right amount of support needed while creating your product. It was so cool watching your sculpture come to "life" out of the marble slab. Highly recommend this unique experience!

I truly didn’t know what to expect…. I have been to a few other Cycladic islands but never saw the opportunity to carve my own marble item. I took it. JB is every bit the artist… intent and passionate. be ready to be pushed out of your comfort zone if you have never used .a carving tool… I never have but really enjoyed the process. Thanks to JB … highly recommed the experience.

Great fun when we got started with the tools, carving the marble, shaping it and polishing it to bring home, we made a tea cup!

What a cool experience! We carved Naxian marble in Naxos! JB was a great instructor & guide, and it was fun to see all the various carvings being developed from a plain block of marble. If you go with an idea he’ll help you develop it. If you have no idea he can help you come up with one.

Very unique experience…carving Naxian marble in Naxos! JB was a great instructor & guide, and it was fun to see all the various carvings being developed from a plain block of marble.

We had 6 in our group ages from 17-55. We all had an amazing time learning about the different t types of marble and making our own unique pieces. Kids commented that they halve a much greater appreciation of carving in general after making their pieces. We found 3 hours to not be quite enough time and could have stayed to finish but we had a scheduled taxi and had to leave. We were given info on how to finish up the polishing at home though

We enjoyed our marble craft experience with JB. It requires a bit of a drive to get there from Naxos Town, and it’s hard to see the signs and house, but he explains the process well and we were happy with our marble souvenirs!

What a cool souvenir! We had so much fun carving our designs. He had lots of inspiration ideas which we chose from but I would suggest coming with an idea. He was so knowledgeable and helpful through the process. His art was incredibly beautiful to see, too. I have never loved an excursion more and I’ve never made a more beautiful piece of art. You can’t come to Naxos and NOT do this. Best souvenir ever!

This was a wonderful experience! Amazing instructor - very patient, helpful and knowledgeable! Beautiful setting to create in!

This was a great experience learning about marble carving! JB was great at sharing the history and art of the work & helped with every step of the process. Would for sure recommend this experience!

You will get marble dust all over you but it was worth it . Very rewarding for both of us. JP was an excellent teacher. He paid close attention to us and was extremely patient.

Very fun, he was knowledgeable and gave us a history of marble on the island and explained everything in good detail

We really enjoyed our marble carving experience. JB has a vey cool workshop and has a great passion for marble carving. He gave us a brief tour and then helped us decide on what we wanted to carve by showing us some examples he's made and providing books on Cycladic art. JB was very helpful to direct us towards manageable projects we could complete in the 3-hour workshop. We took to the evening time slot and really enjoyed working while the sun set over Antiparos. Safety equipment was provided, and JB did a demonstration of the power tools we would be using before making sure each person was comfortable. He gave great feedback during the workshop and helped us bring our ideas to reality!

If you are not familiar with the types of power tools used to carve marble (handsaws, etc) or don’t have previous experience with a similar medium, I would not recommend this experience. It is very much a choose your own adventure in terms of what you make, which means everyone is being instructed differently out of necessity. It’s a big space and 6 people are a lot for one person to keep track of - which is a safety concern when you are working with power tools. I ended up getting cut on a handsaw while unsupervised and having to get stitches, which significantly affected how much I was able to enjoy the rest of my vacation (kinda tough to swim when only one hand can get wet). I am so grateful that there happened to be a pediatric nurse in my class who was able to help wrap me up - I’m not at all confident that this instructor would have known what to do, and I was naturally terrified. I’m told I was very lucky I didn’t suffer worse injury. If you are experienced in this area, I imagine you would have a much more enjoyable time than I did (just be careful). I think that clearer leveling of the potential projects (i.e. have 3-5 options clearly marked as being for beginners, a few intermediate, etc) and an additional staff member in the workspace to help guide participants would make this a safer and more accessible experience for all.

This was so fun and unique. A must do if you are visiting Paros. JB provided an overview of the different types of Greek marble, how to work with each and helped the whole family make their project come to life

JB is a thorough and patient teacher. There's a great balance of instruction and hands-on work time. You have the opportunity to really learn a new skill, create something unique to you, and surprise yourself!

Very good class. We got to make a cool sculpture of our choosing and had some hands on guidance to achieve it. Tools were all up to date.

JB was a wonderful instructor, sharing both history and how to use equipment. They provided all necessary safety equipment and were welcoming to all creative ideas, providing 1-on-1 instruction if necessary for your piece. Due to time restrictions, we will be sanding and polishing our pieces at home, which JB provided very good instructions for. HIGHLY recommend as a unique experience. We’ve been to many Greek islands and this was the most exciting and different experience.

So much fun! JB is so lovely and helpful, and you get to take home such a unique souvenir. We were overwhelmed at first but the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

We had an amazing time creating wonderful pieces at the workshop. JB was a great teacher and we learnt a lot about marble and had fun shaping it. This workshop was certainly a highlight of our trip and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try something fun.

Really enjoyed this class with JeanBaptiste. Neither of us had any idea what we doing and JB was a great guide. very patient and encouraging. really enjoyed it and will always remember!

We had a great time making a marble sculptures - great instruction and a bit of history, and attentive guidance on using the machinery safely and effectively. We're very happy with the results.

This was the most memorable part of our trip! JB was so chill and welcoming and we loved the space he created on his workshop / summer spot. I loved seeing all the marble examples and meeting his dog Phillips. JB gave us a good history lesson on the marble and what we were working with along with the safety instructions and tools. After showing us how to use the tools and what we needed to do we were off and running. he was there for support if needed for the tools and instructions, but it was also really cool that he worked with us as well on his own projects while with us. He was there taking photos and videos of us and it was a very authentic experience. I made a soap dish and my husband made a traditional face sculpture that is popular in Greece. JB also gave us some sandpaper to take home with us so we could finish polishing our pieces on our own time. If we ever come back, I would love to do this again and see JB and his workshop! 10/10 would recommend but I would suggest it for adults and not kids under the age of 12.

This was an amazing experience! JB was kind, informative and helpful! We hadn’t had any experience with stone making before, JB walked us through everything and helped us feel confident! A one of a kind experience with a one of a kind souvenir!

Really great experience. My 11yo had a great time as well. Everything was explained well and he gave us great guidance when planning our projects.

Very fun activity! It was informative, and a unique experience. Only recommendation is for people who have back problems, ask for a chair, its a long process and bring a ton of water.

Wonderful learning experience! Great teach walked us thru history, process and helped all of us try to create our masterpieces (some better than others). Would defined recommend!

We had the best time with JB! He was a great teacher and getting to use all the tools was awesome! We each got to take a piece home and he even gave directions on how to finish it. Highly recommend

Real highlight of our trip to Paros - can’t recommend enough. Don’t miss! All members of our group agree that was the best activity on our week- long vacation. And we have awesome souvenirs to take home and cherish forever now - handmade and personal! Contact JB on his website or WhatsApp for best deals.

We loved this workshop!! We had no idea what to expect but we walked away really happy with what we were able to create in such a short amount of time. The instructor was great, he walked us through each step and helped us bring our vision to life. We recommend this workshop! Just make sure you wear closed shoes and clothes that you don'tind getting a little dirty.

This workshop gives a real overview and hands-on experience of the marble carving process. It was challenging and rewarding and you get to keep a souvenir of the island. Be prepared to get right into it and get your hands dirty, so to speak! We thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend.

This was such a unique and fun experience, I highly recommend this marble sculpting lesson. Jean-Baptist is a phenomenal teacher, he encourages everyone to draw inspiration from anywhere to create their marble sculpture. He helps you to grasp the basics and allows you to work on your project once you feel comfortable with the tools (but he’s always around to help!) Our sculptures are my favorite souvenirs from our honeymoon! If you’re even debating booking this experience, DO IT, you will not be disappointed!

This was a fantastic way to spend the evening in paros. We all left with a cool experience and an even cooler souvenir from paros. JB was a fantastic guide, coach and muse for some awesome art making. Loved all the history lessons and guidance. Also his dog was super sweet. P. S. You will get VERY dusty. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. But it's all great fun and I highly recommend this excursion.

Fun and unique experience. We saw a review that said just made a lame paperweight. I disagree. It was exciting to see the marble we chose turn into a fun and special souvenir. But you do get very dusty so wear clothes you dont care about getting too dirty.

So great to create an individual piece of art&happiness out of a marble block - JB is a relaxed instructor and encourages you to be creative

We greatly enjoyed our experience with marble working! It was an open-ended experience that gave us a lot of creativity to make our pieces. We appreciated learning and trying both modern and ancient techniques for chiseling and marble-working, and are proud of the pieces we created!

Absolutely superb experience. I was a little unsure having never used power tools before. I was patiently guided and encouraged throughout, in the end so delighted with our souvenirs. Left with knowledge about the different marbles and the unique properties of the individual stones from the various places. Definitely recommend. Thank you JB.

We had an absolute great time. We were prepared to get dirty. JB was patient and work with each of us.

Fantastic experience carving local marble! And learning about local history. I’d recommend this for anyone. Plus I learned to use an angle grinder.

Super knowledgeable host. Really easy to work with. Taught us a lot and we made excellent creations under his tutelage! Highly recommend!

This was the highlight of our Greece trip. Jb was so kind and helpful, very knowledgeable and the whole experience was fantastic. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle the tools or make anything recognisable but we both came away ecstatic with our creations!

Jb was an amazing host, he explained the history of marble and the Cyclades which is very interesting. The session in itself was amazing, it’s very fun and quite easy to handle the tools. I would recommande this to anyone coming to Paros.

My first time marble carving and it was a really fun experience. JB is a patient and informative teacher with experience and knowledge. Lots of advice on how to use the power tools safely and autonomously. Diolch yn fawr JB 😊

Favorite experience in Greece! I’ve been traveling for over a month from Thessaloniki to Meteora, Crete, Santorini… and this was such an incredible experience! Maggie is a great teacher and sculptor! I learned how to work with marble with the real tools from Pyrgos where she learned from the experts! We just traveled to Tinos and visited the marble museum and I had a unique understanding because of Maggie’s class. I highly recommend this to everyone. Today they loaded a huge piece of marble onto the ferry, and again, I thought of my amazing experience of carving the marble on a beautiful hill in Naxos! Thank you Maggie for making my trip so memorable!!! I’m going home with a real treasure! A marble sculpture that I made myself with an experience that changes my view when I look at anything made of marble from flowering, to a column, a bust and a church!!! Don’t miss this once in a lifetime experience!

My wife and I decided to sign up for this class on our honeymoon. JB was very patient with us and gave us instructed and independent class time. You get VERY dusty, so be sure to wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. We weren't really sure what to expect but we're so happy with the pieces we created. Would definitely recommend.