Naxos Island
Naxos, the largest and most fertile of the Cycladic islands, lies almost at the centre of the Aegean and it is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece.
It's a beautiful island with a great variety of sceneries.
It combines meadows leading to vast beaches, cliffs sinking suddenly into the sea,
rocky and green mountains, fertile valleys, abundant springs and streams.
The coastline of Naxos is abrupt on the south side and more sheltered to the west,
with numerous sandy beaches.
The island is first heard of in the myths and then mentioned throughout every period
of history, though it was at the peak of its glory during the period of the
Cycladic civilisation.
The huge gate of an ancient temple (top picture), which can be noticed on the hill
on the left as we approach in the harbor, is the trade mark of Naxos,
the largest island of the Cyclades. The locals call the gate 'Portara'.
Actually this gate is the entrance to the temple of Apollo.
Many byzantine churches, the oldest in Greece, picturesque towers and the two Kouros remain to show us the glory that the island once had.
It has a lively capital (Naxos Town or Hora - second picture) built around the Venetian Castle.
