Naxos Island
A typical Greek taverna in the village of Filoti, Naxos Island.
Naxos is the largest of Greece's Cyclades islands. It is also relatively new to tourism, its thriving agricultural harvest rendering the tourist industry unnecessary.
This wealthy agricultural island exports an abundant harvest of olives, grapes, and potatoes throughout the Aegean, and only recently has begun to import tourists. A new airport and speedier inter-island travel now make it easier for visitors to get here. There are also new hotels in the port and clusters of hotels on island beaches.
The architecture of Naxos is distinct from that of any other Cycladic island, thanks to the Venetians who ruled this island from 1207 until the island fell to the Turks in 1566. The influence of Venetian architecture is obvious in the Kastro in Hora and the fortified Venetian towers, or piryi, that dot the hillsides. Another notable feature of Naxos is the remarkable abundance of small Byzantine chapels, even by Greek island standards. Many of them contain exceptional frescoes dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries.
Naxos is very well connected to other islands by ferry, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting here at most times of year. It's possible to catch a bus to a village that interests you, then explore it leisurely on foot; keep in mind that island buses are reliable but infrequent. A bike may be all the transport you need to the island's beaches, which happen to be among the best in the Cyclades.
| Map of Naxos Island A useful map of Naxos. |
Naxos Hotel Reviews Candid reviews of hotels by travelers. |
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Byzantine Churches of Naxos There is a remarkable number of small Byzantine chapels on Naxos, most dating from the 9th to the 15th centuries. |
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Temple of Demeter Demeter was a grain goddess, and it's not hard to see what she is doing in this beautiful spot. The temple dates from the 6th-century BC. |
| Greek Orthodox Cathedral Built in 1789 on the site of an older church, the cathedral incorporates materials of ancient temples: the solid granite pillars are said to be from the ruins of Delos. |
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The Portara This famous door that leads nowhere is an entrance to an unfinished Temple of Apollo that faces exactly toward Delos, Apollo's birthplace. It was begun about 530 BC. |
