Naxos lies in the heart of the sundrenched Aegean Sea, the largest and most fertile island in the Cyclades. Naxos is an island which is indisputably unique. It has never been fashionable or a famous tourist destination. It is the well-kept secret not of tourists but of travelers, people who know how to appreciate its charm.

Its landscape is varied, offering stunning vistas. Where else in the Cyclades could you find lofty mountains, fertile valleys, plateaus, springs, rivers, caves and – off course – endless beaches. In areas Naxos’ beaches are surrounded by sand dunes with cedar trees growing on them, an exceptional sight. Imagine all of the above existing harmoniously on a little piece of land, this is Naxos.

In mythology Naxos was linked with the wedding of Dionysus and Ariadne, a union that blessed the island with its fertility and its distinctive wine, which was highly prized in the ancient world. Naxos is one of the few Cycladic islands, which has been inhabited continuously since the dawn of civilization: archaeological evidence indicates the presence of permanent settlements already in the end of the 4th millennium BC. From the many archaeological remains in which all historical periods are richly represented – much has been learnt about the history of the Aegean.

Naxos has the cosmopolitan air of a modern tourist resort while it has managed to preserve its local culture and traditional color.

Chora (the main town) is the main harbor and the administrative centre of the island. It is a modern town provided with every health and recreational facility one would expect. The famous beaches on the south western side of the island, encompassed by kilometers of flaxen sand, are being developed rapidly.

The fertile land of the island produces a variety of pure products. The most important of these are cheeses and meat, potatoes, oil, wine and honey. Make sure you will taste the traditional liqueur Citron, Graviera and Naxos cheese (Arseniko).

If you really want to know Naxos you must visit the inland areas and the villages in the mountains. You will have to walk the ancient paths which criss-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.

Naxos is waiting for you…