Naxos, the largest and most fertile of the Cycladic islands, lies almost at the centre of the Aegean.

Meadows running down to vast beaches, cliffs sinking suddenly into the sea, rocky mountains side-by side with fertile valleys, abundant springs and streams, these are just some of the features of a natural environment marked for its variety.

The coastline of Naxos is abrupt on the south side and more sheltered to the west, with numerous inlets and sandy beaches. The island is first heard of in the myths and then mentioned throughout every period of history, though it was at the peak of its glory during the period of the Cycladic civilisation.

Naxos city ("Hora" in Greek) stands on a naturally amphitheatrically site on a hillside on the north-west side of the island and is one of the most attractive towns in the Cyclades. As the visitor walks from the harbour high up to the Venetian castle, he will be struck by the beauty of the narrow winding lanes and the old stone houses lining them.

Interesting monuments from various periods are to be found all over the town, such as Byzantine churches, the castle itself (with its tower and battlements) and traces of Mycenaean buildings in the area known as Grota. The Archaeological Museum of Naxos has many notable exhibits. Given that traces of Greek antiquity are to be seen everywhere, each part of the island has something of interest. Near the pretty coastal village of Apollonas, for instance - on the north side of the island - is a half-finished outsize Kouros (statue of a youth), the most popular and notable of this period, dating from the 6th century BC, still lying in the marble quarry where it was abandoned. Another such statue can be seen at Melanes.

Another smaller, but very interesting archaeological museum is to be found at Apiranthos, a village where many of the old traditional customs and habits have survived.

The superb beaches of Naxos, its attractive villages and its wealth of monuments draw thousands of visitors to the island each year. The good tourist amenities all over the island make it easy to tour the charms of Naxos.

Scheduled ferries and local excursion boats make it easy to visit Mykonos/Delos, Paros, Ios and even Santorini without having to stay away overnight.

Activities

History and Mythology

Naxos was a centre of the cult of Dionysus, the god of wine, entertainment and theatre. Mythology tells us that it was here that Theseus abandoned Ariadne.

There is much archaeological evidence to show that the island was first settled by Carians and Cretans and developed a flourishing Cycladic culture in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. It is the ancient sculptors of Naxos, who are notable for such works as the colossal statue of Apollo on Delos.

After being held by Athens and later by Macedonia it passed under Egyptian rule, was briefly assigned to Rhodes by Mark Anthony and thereafter became part of the Byzantine Empire.

In 1207 Naxos was occupied by a Venetian nobleman named Marco Sanudo, who made it the centre of the Duchy of the Twelve Islands in the Aegean (Duchy of Naxos), which continued in existence until 1566 and achieved a considerable degree of prosperity. It was taken by the Turks in 1579, and was under Russian rule from 1770 to 1774, but, like the other Cyclades, retained a measure of independence. In 1830 it joined the newly established kingdom of Greece.

Naxos map

Main activities

Qi Gong (Chi Kung)

Yoga

Thai Massage

Tai Chi Chuan

Island Hopping