Naxos Island


The biggest and most fertile island of the Cyclades

Naxos an eternity with that phrase a French traveler of the 19th century gave the impression of the biggest and most fertile island of the Cyclades.

In the central position of the island cluster, she lies at the heart of history an culture, with five thousand years of continuous habitation.

Myths and legends connect Naxos with the Athenian king Theseus, when he abandoned Ariadne to find refuge in the arms of Dionysus of the islet of Palatia to become a couple whose love is witnessed on ancient inscriptions and coins.

The two archaeological museums on the island at Chora and Aperanthou are adorned with objects of art such us exquisite Cycladic figurines, samples of a civilization that flourished on the island during 4th and 3rd millennium BC.

Lying for centuries are the places of manufacture, ancient quarries giant Kouros Melanon and Apollo to remind us, with the temples of Demeter Sagri, the temple of Dionysus at Iria and the temple of Apollo in the port of Chora, of the island during the Archaic and Classical periods.

The religious sentiment of the residents is refaced by the hundreds of Byzantine churches, monasteries and frescoes dating from the 6th century A.D. scattered throughout the island, particularly in the basin of Tragea which is also full of trees.

However, it is the Venetian period which is the Venetian period which is indelibly stamped on the island.

The visitor to the castle of Chora is led to another time, waking through narrow streets past the houses of dukes, consulates of European kingdoms, a catholic church and monastery and French school.

Getting to Naxos

By Plane
From International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos with Olympic Airways in 30 minutes.
Also, when you come from Europe, you can fly into airports of Santorini or Mykonos, and then by boat to Naxos in 2 hours.

For information:
Olympic Airlines Athens, tel: 210 9666666
Olympic Airlines Naxos, tel: 22850 23043
Naxos Airport, tel: 22850 23292

By Boat
From Piraeus to Naxos (distance 103 miles)
Blue Star Ferries Tel: Piraeus, 210 8919800, Naxos 22850 24330
Hellenic Seaways, High-speed phone: Piraeus, 210 4199000, Naxos 22850 24000
From Rafina to Naxos
Golden Star Ferries Rafina tel, 212 222 4000, Naxos 22850 22095

Also the Small Cyclades, Amorgos, Schinousa, Koufonisia, Donousa, Iraklia with Express Skopelitis. Information phone: 2285024330

Naxos has daily connections to Syros, Paros, Ios, Santorini,Mykonos etc.