Naxos (Greek: Νάξος) is a picturesque island located in southeastern Greece, almost in the center of the Aegean Sea. It is part of the Cyclades archipelago, which includes more than two hundred islands, and is the largest in it. The island is famous for marble and sandpaper mining, as well as an abundance of magnificent beaches to suit all tastes. The capital of the island Chora (or Naxos) like an amphitheater descends to the azure coast and is a real open-air museum.
Indeed, nature has spared no beauty for Naxos. With its fertile soil and varied landscapes, it stands out among its Cycladic neighbors. Mountains rise on one side of the island, while on the other side there are green meadows and white beaches with crystal clear water. Here grow olive and citrus trees, and cozy houses literally buried in vineyards and flowering gardens. Mysterious ancient ruins and ancient Venetian castles harmoniously complete the picture and give Naxos a unique flavor.
According to ancient Greek myths and legends, it was on this island that Zeus, born on Crete, spent his childhood and grew up. The highest point of Naxos and the Cyclades – Mount Zeus, or Zas (as the locals call it) – is named in his honor. Its height exceeds 1000 meters above sea level, and from the top it offers a stunning view of the entire island.
Naxos has been around since ancient times, with people inhabiting it as early as the Neolithic era. The island prospered and was a major trading center. It was part of the Byzantine Empire, was the capital of the Duchy of Venice and survived the Ottoman period. It is noteworthy that Naxos briefly belonged to the Russian Empire: from 1770 to 1774 it was the residence of Count Orlov. Only in 1829 the island finally became part of Greece.
The history of Naxos is so inextricably linked to ancient Greek legends that it seems that you can encounter their characters while walking along the island’s winding paths. According to legend, Naxos is where Zeus, the lord of the Olympian gods, grew up and Dionysus, the god of winemaking, merriment and fertility, was born. Maybe that is why the wine on the island is so delicious.
Naxos is often called the island of Ariadne because it is the site of a sad love story sung by myths. Ariadne was the daughter of the Cretan king Minos, who fell in love with the Athenian prince Theseus and helped him escape from the Minotaur’s labyrinth. In exchange for his promise to marry her, she gave Theseus a magic ball of thread that showed him the way out. Ariadne fled Crete with Theseus, but was abandoned by him on the shores of Naxos. The deceived girl was discovered by the god Dionysus, who fell in love with Ariadne and married her. According to another version, Dionysus himself appeared to Theseus in a dream, ordered to give him Ariadne and leave the island. Theseus obeyed and went home grief-stricken, forgetting to raise the white sails on his ship. Seeing a black sail on the horizon, Theseus’ father, King Aegeus, threw himself into the sea from a cliff, and from that time it became known as the Aegean Sea.