THE ISLAND OF Naxos
Zeus (the father of Greek Gods), Semele, Dionysus, Ariadne, Demetra, Persephone, Iphimedeia, Pancratis, the giants Otus and Ephialtes are but a few of the names that figure in the action-packed legends surrounding the island.
According to legend, the father of the gods was born in Crete but grew up on the island of Naxos, from where he set out to gain his Olympian throne.
Zeus, according to the myth, fell in love with Semele, daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes, and from their illicit union sprang Dionysus, god of wine and revelry.
ALL EXISTING Harmoniously ON THIS SMALL PIECE OF EARTH
High mountains, fertile valleys, plateaus, springs, rivers, caves, huge beaches, sand dunes with cedar trees growing on them.
A ROMANTIC TRIP BACK IN TIME
Naxos is the biggest and most fertile island of the Cyclades. Its rich geographical relief has created dramatic changes of scenery.
Naxos is one of the few islands, which has been inhabited continuously since ancient times (end of the 4th millennium B.C.) till today. It has been possible to gather information about the history of the Aegean from traces left behind from each historical period, along with unique monuments which are scattered all over the island.
Naxos has the cosmopolitan atmosphere of a modern tourist resort, but at the same time has kept its traditional colour and its local culture. Hora (the main town) is a harbour and the administrative centre of the island. It is a modern town, which offers all kinds of facilities.
There are a Health Centre, banks, a very good market place and lots of restaurants, bars and cafes. Its has a lively nightlife, not only during the summer months, like most islands, but all the year round.
It’s famous beaches on the south western side of the island, which are made up of kilometers of white golden sand, are being developed rapidly, but at the same time still maintain some of the atmosphere of the seventies when they were discovered by the “flower people”.
However for someone to really get to know Naxos, he must visit the inland areas, the mountain villages, to walk the paths which cross the island, to listen to the violin and the lute at one of the local festivals and to get drunk on the island’s energy.
HOW TO GET TO THE ISLAND
Ferries
Informations