Naxos: the generous giant of the Cyclades

About Naxos: the generous giant of the Cyclades

By the ULTIMATE Greek Islands Editorial Team

Naxos is the island for people who want everything: long sandy beaches, mountain villages, a Venetian old town, ancient marble and some of the best food in Greece.

Myth and marble

Naxos is where Theseus left Ariadne and Dionysus found her, and the Portara, the great marble door of an unfinished temple of Apollo, still frames the sunset at the harbour. Giant kouroi, unfinished archaic statues, lie where they were abandoned in the ancient quarries at Melanes and Apollonas.

The Venetian duchy

In the 13th century Naxos became the seat of the Venetian Duchy of the Archipelago. The Kastro above the harbour is still lived in, and Venetian towers dot the countryside.

On Naxos, the mountains feed the island, and the island feeds everyone else.

A farming island

Unlike most Cycladic islands, Naxos has water and fertile valleys. Its potatoes, cheeses such as graviera and arseniko, meat and kitron liqueur are prized across Greece. Mountain villages like Apiranthos, Halki and Filoti feel a world away from the beaches.

Our advice: base yourself in Naxos Town or Agios Prokopios, hire a car for at least two days to explore the mountains, climb Zas if you are fit, and order local cheese and meat wherever you eat.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Naxos: the generous giant of the Cyclades before you go.