Naxos is the largest island of the Cycaldes. Its visitors are impressed with its natural repousse and its great historical monuments.
The dowtown of Naxos (Chora), offers to the visitors images of pisturesque alleys, arches and old mansions.
Agia Anna, is picturesque tourist settlement, with beatuifil sandy beaches.
Visit also, Agios Prokopios the area for those who love surfing.

There are not many islands where their most famous archaeological site is the first thing you see when you arrive by ferry. This is the Portara, the doorway to the ancient Temple to Apollo which was built in 522 BC by the Tyrant Lygdamis and never finished, which sits on a small island in the harbor and is connected by a long causeway. They say if you stand in the doorway and make a wish you can feel the force as the energy of Apollo begins working to make your wish come true. Actually the only reason they believe that this was a Temple to Apollo is because it happens to face Delos, which is the island of Apollo and since they don’t have much to go by it is a possibility though it would not be the first temple that was attributed to the wrong God if it turns out that it was actually a Temple to Dionysious who was the most popular God on Naxos at that time. At the time it was being build Lygdamis intended to make it the largest and most glorious temple in Greece. Unfortunately he was overthrown before it was completed. Had it been finished, Naxos would probably be one of the most important archaeological destinations in Greece with a temple that might have been one of the wonders of the ancient world. After the rise of Christianity the building was used as a church but it was dismantled during the Venetian period and its blocks used for other building projects most notably the Kastro above the port of Naxos. They might have used the doorway too but it was too heavy so rather than deal with it they just left it for the later inhabitants, visitors, historians and archaeologists to wonder about. I guess we can be thankful for that at least.

Above the whitewashed houses of the town is the Kastro (castle) that was built by Venetian Emperor, Markos Sanoudos II in 1207 and was the seat of power in the Cyclades for 300 years. Within the castles inner walls are a number of Venetian residences, a 13th Century Catholic Cathedral, and the French School where Nikos Kazantzakis, Greece’s greatest modern writer who wrote among other things, Zorba the Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ, studied. The building is now the Archaeological Museum which contains some fine examples of white marble figurines and ceramics. The castle has been continually inhabited since it was built and during the summer hosts concerts and exhibitions which are advertised around the town by posters and brochures. The Kastro originally had several towers of which one remains, called the Glezos Tower which was restored in 1968 after being donated to the National Archaeology Ministry by its owner Petros Glezos.

The area called The Bourgos is where the Greeks lived when the Venetians controlled the town and its winding streets are full of restaurants and shops. The northern part of Naxos is called Grotta and has a pebble beach which is not used much since the northern winds make it pretty rough and difficult for anyone but the best swimmers, body surfers and wind surfers. However when there is no wind and it is calm it can be very pleasant. There is an archaeological site here that is open to the public. The southern part of Naxos town is Agios Georgios Beach which is very popular and has a number of hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars. The harbor itself is a lively area of cafes, restaurants, travel agencies and shops. There are banks where you can change travelers checks and when they are closed the travel agencies also have exchange services. Generally speaking the town is busy and upon arriving may seem confusing. But if you find somewhere to sit, relax and get your bearings, the chaos within that seems to mirror your surroundings will dissipate and you can begin to enjoy yourself.

Naxos town is the kind of place that does not close down in the winter. It is a commercial center of an island that does not depend only on tourism. It has a year-round population of Greeks and foreigners. Naxos has a good bus system and taxis so if you enjoy nightlife, restaurants, cafes and shopping but like to spend your days on the beach staying here is an option. Naxos is one of the most enjoyable port towns in the Cyclades, in my opinion second only to Hermoupolis, Syros, which is the capital.

Be sure you check out the Venetian Museum of Naxos in the Kastro, where year round, especially during the summer, they host important cultural activities, such as classical music concerts, local and traditional violin concerts, art exhibitions or folkloric events, in the tower’s cellar, and also in the yard on the side of the tower, which has a spectacular view, overlooking the harbour and the sea. The museum is open from 10am to 11pm and contains furniture and household articles from the past centuries.

Naxos is big. You may want to rent a car, motorbike or bicycle if you plan on exploring the island. But if you are staying at a hotel on, or within walking distance of one of Naxos’ extraordinary beaches you may not care if you see any more of the island. Naxos is truly blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece. Long stretches of golden sand and the most amazing color of blue sea you will ever see, many of them are not what you would call ‘undiscovered’. But this does not detract from them, and in fact adds the enjoyment of ‘people watching’ to the list of water activities available. Some of these beaches are so long that you can find a degree of solitude, and if you have a car and an adventurous nature you can find something more complete. When you book your hotel be sure to ask which beach it is closest to and whether there is public transportation nearby. Most of the beaches are on the bus route and in the case of Agios Prokopis, buses are frequent and taxis are available and cheap.

The beach of Agios Georgios or what the tourists call Saint George, is the main tourist area of the island and despite the number of hotels, restaurants, bars and tourist shops it is a very enjoyable place to be, if you like windsurfing, water-sports, people watching and if you have children because the sea is very shallow. For wind-surfers the far end of Saint George Bay is a center for the sport with several rental shops. Because of the northeastern and northern winds Naxos is known as one of the best places in Greece for windsurfing. The beach is a five minute walk to the center of Naxos town so if you want the best of both worlds stay in one of the hotels located here. On the other side of town is Grotta Beach. However when the north wind blows the waves are big and you should not swim here unless you are a good swimmer.

The beaches of Agios Prokopis and Agia Anna are a little quieter but also very popular and there are rows of umbrellas and beach chairs that you can rent. Many hotels provide them for free so ask if you are staying nearby. These beaches though crowded in places are long enough so you can always find somewhere semi-private. These two beaches are considered by many to be the most beautiful in Greece with clear turquoise water that makes every picture you take look like a postcard or an advertisement for a Caribbean holiday. There are plenty of seafood tavernas, cafes, bars, pizza and fast-food restaurants and a couple nightclubs on the beach so people staying in this area can have their share of nightlife without going to Naxos town. However should they want to, Naxos and the port are a five minute drive and there are frequent buses and taxis.

On Naxos you will find some of the most interesting places to snorkel and scuba dive in all of Greece. Just off of Agios Prokopios, is The “Lost Beaufighter”, a British bomber aircraft which sank during World Word II. It is in pristine condition – to a divers delight it landed perfectly on its belly. It sunk to about 30m. Blue Fin Divers does a great tour of the boat – which takes only about 1.5 hours from getting to the shop to leaving. They also offer a lot of other great (from what I am told) dives around the island to sunken ships, undersea canyons and more. They also offer scuba diving courses for all ages as well as PADI certification courses and rescue courses.

Further on, the beach at Plaka is considered by others to be the best beach on the island with about five kilometers of golden sand. Plaka is an unofficial nudist beach which means bathing suits are optional. However nudity is not required. In case you are wondering what is or is not accepted, generally women can go topless even at the most family beach. If you are in doubt, just look around and see how your neighbors are behaving. Further down the coast is the beach of Kastraki, rated the cleanest in the Aegean and over six kilometers long. Beyond that are Pyrgaki a long sandy beach and Agiassos. The town of Apollonos (photo), on the far northern tip of the island has a large sandy cove and some restaurants and hotels and the feel of being on another island altogether. There are several beaches on the east coast, some of which should be visited by 4-wheel drive vehicles. If you come down the northeast coast from Apollonos there are beaches at the end of many of the dirt roads that lead off the main road. Look for signs. Keep in mind that beaches facing north get a lot of wind and often have waves.

Many of Naxos beaches have been given the Blue Flag award by the EU.

You can buy inexpensive masks, snorkels and flippers at many of the mini-marts on the beaches. The snorkeling is best around the rocks and particularly away from popular sandy beaches.