Naxos Attractions
Chief town: Náxos
Náxos, the largest and most beautiful of the Cyclades, is traversed from north to south by a range of hills which fall away steeply on the east but slope down gradually on the west into fertile rolling country and well-watered plains. The hills rise to a height of 1,003m/3291ft in Mt Zas (ancient Drios) and are cut by two passes. The economy of the island has depended since ancient times on agriculture, marble-quarrying, emery-mining and the recovery of salt from the sea, which have brought it a considerable degree of prosperity. With its limited hotel resources, the island is not yet equipped to cope with mass tourism, but it has much to offer visitors - an equable climate, a wide variety of scenery and monuments of antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Náxos was a center of the cult of Dionysos. It was here, according to the legend, that Theseus abandoned Ariadne.
There is much archeological evidence to show that the island was first settled by Carians and Cretans and developed a flourishing Cycladic culture in the third and second millennia B.C. In the first millennium these first settlers were followed by Ionian Greeks, who in the sixth century B.C. extended their rule over Páros, Ándros and other neighboring islands. During this period there was a celebrated school of sculptors on Náxos, notable for such works as the colossal statue of Apollo on Delos. A member of the first Attic maritime league, Náxos became subject to Athens after an unsuccessful rising and was compelled to accept the redistribution of land on the island to Athenian citizens. In spite of this it became a member of the second Attic maritime league. After being held by Macedon it passed under Egyptian rule, was briefly assigned to Rhodes by Mark Antony and thereafter became part of the Byzantine Empire.
In 1207 Náxos was occupied by a Venetian nobleman, Marco Sanudo, who made it capital of the duchy of the Twelve Islands (duchy of Náxos), which flourished until 1566. 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.
Náxos, the largest and most beautiful of the Cyclades, is traversed from north to south by a range of hills which fall away steeply on the east but slope down gradually on the west into fertile rolling country and well-watered plains. The hills rise to a height of 1,003m/3291ft in Mt Zas (ancient Drios) and are cut by two passes. The economy of the island has depended since ancient times on agriculture, marble-quarrying, emery-mining and the recovery of salt from the sea, which have brought it a considerable degree of prosperity. With its limited hotel resources, the island is not yet equipped to cope with mass tourism, but it has much to offer visitors - an equable climate, a wide variety of scenery and monuments of antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Náxos was a center of the cult of Dionysos. It was here, according to the legend, that Theseus abandoned Ariadne.
There is much archeological evidence to show that the island was first settled by Carians and Cretans and developed a flourishing Cycladic culture in the third and second millennia B.C. In the first millennium these first settlers were followed by Ionian Greeks, who in the sixth century B.C. extended their rule over Páros, Ándros and other neighboring islands. During this period there was a celebrated school of sculptors on Náxos, notable for such works as the colossal statue of Apollo on Delos. A member of the first Attic maritime league, Náxos became subject to Athens after an unsuccessful rising and was compelled to accept the redistribution of land on the island to Athenian citizens. In spite of this it became a member of the second Attic maritime league. After being held by Macedon it passed under Egyptian rule, was briefly assigned to Rhodes by Mark Antony and thereafter became part of the Byzantine Empire.
In 1207 Náxos was occupied by a Venetian nobleman, Marco Sanudo, who made it capital of the duchy of the Twelve Islands (duchy of Náxos), which flourished until 1566. 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.
Apiranthos - Town & Museum, Greece
An interesting archeological museum is to be found at Apiranthos, a village where a number of rare customs and habits have survived. This little town rests on a mountain side with beautiful old alley ways, whitewashed buildings and arched passageways.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 |
| Close | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 |
Apollonas, Greece
Apollonas is a picturesque coastal village on the north shore of the island of Naxos. Of note is the unfinished statue of "kouros" (youth) which still rests in the quarry and dates to the 6th Century B.C.
Churches
Many churches on the island of Naxos have Byzantine wall paintings, notably Áyios Kyriakos at Apíranthos (where there is a small museum with Cycladic material of the third millennium B.C.) and Áyios Artemios at Sangrí (ninth c. frescoes).
Donoússa
Donoussa has incomparable beaches and traces of prehistoric habitation. The island is located east of Naxos.
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Faneromeni Monastery
Ten km/6 mi northeast of Náxos is the white Faneroméni monastery, with a church of 1603.
Iráklia
At the small isle of Iraklia there is a cave (Ai-Yiannis) with superb stalactites. Traces of the Cycladic civilization have been found here. The island is located north of Naxos. The island is very small and visitors should not expect to find all of the regular amenities.
Kimaro Tower
Below the southeast side of Mt Zas on Naxox is the marble tower of Kimáro (Hellenistic). On the west side of the hill is the Cave of Zeus, an ancient cult site.
St John Chrysostom Monastery
Northeast of Naxos is the old fortified monastery of St John Chrysostom.
Tower Houses
Characteristic of the Venetian and Turkish periods on Náxos are the fortified tower houses (pyryi) to be seen, for example, at Khalkí (15 km/9 mi east of Náxos town) and in the Drimália valley.
Venetian Castles
Worth visiting while on the island of Náxos are the Venetian castles of Ápano Kástro (2km/1.25mi from Khalkí; 13th C.), Áno Potamiá (southeast of Náxos town; guide needed), Apaliros (in the southwest of the island) and Cape Panerimos (southeast of the island).
Guides
Private guides for hire on-site.
