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| Naxos | ||
| region | South Aegean | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 17.930 (2011) | |
| height | 1,003 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Naxos, (Greek: Νάξος), is the largest island in the Cyclades in Greece, it has extensive beautiful sandy beaches and with the central highlands Trachea also about an excellent hiking area.
places
- 1 Naxos
(Χώρα Νάξου, Chora). 
As on many other islands, the capital is either referred to by the name of the island as Naxos or simply as a Chora. More than half of all islanders live in the city with its suburbs. As a ferry port, it is an important traffic junction in the Aegean Sea, more information in the article Chora.
- 2 Chalki (Χαλκί Νάξου).The place is located in the middle of the Tragea highlands. The houses of Chalki differ from those of the other places, they do not have the well-known Cycladic style with a cubic basic shape, white walls and blue windows and doors. Instead, you can find houses in pastel colors, balconies and other architectural style elements show that the place in the interior of the island was ruled by the Venetians.
- A specialty of Chalki is that Kitron, it is a liqueur that has been made from the leaves of the Citron Lemon is won. The leaves are placed in high-proof alcohol. Three types of liqueur are obtained during distillation:
- green kitron (30%), it is colored with chlorophyll.
- clear Kitron (33%)
- yellow kitron (36%), colored with saffron.
- The Vallindras distillery is open in the summer from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., admission is free.
- Fish & Olive Gallery, Platia Halki, 84302 Halki, Naxos. Tel.: 30(22850)32829. right opposite, high-quality ceramics as well as products made from olives and olive wood are on offer.
- The local shops offer regional products for sale, including weaving mills and traditional sweets.
- Under a tree at the Platia is the tavern O Giannis, it is quite originally furnished, but has adapted to tourism in terms of supply and prices.
- 3 Filoti (Φιλώτι Νάξου).
With almost 2,000 inhabitants it is Filoti the largest village in the Tragea plateau. It lies at the foot of the mountain range Zas, the highest mountain in the Cyclades at 1001 m is named after the god Zeus. Due to its height, clouds tend to hang here, so that the sky over Filoti is often hung with clouds. Filoti is about 18 km away from Naxos town and is therefore a popular excursion destination, it is the starting point for hikes on the Zeus. However, it is more leisurely to go to the towns of Chalki and Damalas, each about 4 km away.
- 4 Back then (Δαμαλάς Νάξου).The small town is off the main road from Chora to Chalki on the edge of the Tragea plain. Several hundred inhabitants once lived here, today there are only a few dozen. Here you can still find some pristine alleys. A visit to the place is worthwhile because of an old olive press. It is the core of the "Traditional Olive Press" museum, in which the extraction of olive oil is shown using the simplest equipment and clearly laid out panels. If you're lucky, a free tour will give you some more information.
- Extraction of olive oils
- In the past, the rule was that the grandfather planted the olive trees and the grandson then harvested. The trees bore fruit for the first time in around 50 years, but they were several hundred years old. Modern varieties already bear after 5 years, their fruits are larger. It's also a question of good taste. When harvesting, it depends on the degree of ripeness and storage of the fruits. Ideally, they should be processed immediately after harvest, otherwise the olives tend to form acid. Most Greek oils therefore state the acidity, good oils have less than 0.6%. Then there is the pressing. In the old oil mills, a millstone crushed the fruit and its kernels, and the mash was then placed in bags that were stacked on the press. So that the oil could drain better from the bags, which are interwoven with goat hair, water was poured over it. The following rule applies: the warmer the water, the higher the yield. For cold-pressed oils, the water temperature must be lower than body temperature. The water-oil mixture was then separated in an oil separator. The poor quality oils from hot pressing were also used, for example to make soap or as oils for lamps.
With modern hydraulic presses one achieves a much higher yield than with the old, muscle-powered mechanical presses, but the taste does not increase. More information about the quality of olive oil in Koch Wiki
- 5 Apeiranthos (Απέραθος).The mountain village of Apeiranthos (Greek: Απέραθος) with almost 1,000 inhabitants is located on the eastern edge of the Tragea at an altitude of around 550 m. Emery was once mined and exported here, but that has only been history since the end of the Second World War. The fact that marble is still being quarried in the area can be seen in every alley, they are probably all paved with this noble material. Since 1989 Apeiranthos has been known as the "cultural village of Greece".
- The bus stop is at the entrance to the village. There are also two privately operated museums in the immediate vicinity.
- Historical and natural history museum. Exhibits: bones and skulls of mammals and birds, marine animals, minerals.Open: in summer 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Geological Museum. Exhibits: minerals and fossils.Open: in summer 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Folklore Museum, located directly on the Platia. Replica of a traditional farmhouse with the associated furnishings.Open: in summer 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Archaeological Museum. State museum located in Hauptgasse. Exhibits: stone slabs, ceramics from the Stone and Bronze Ages.Open: Tue - Sun 8.30 a.m. - 3 p.m.Price: free entry.
- Museum of Painting and Art. Actually the showroom of the local artisans, accessible from the main street via a staircase.
- Showroom of the women's cooperative, some of the textile work can be bought.
More places
On the west coast and the lowlands Leivadia
- Engares, Galini and Melanes northeast of Chora
- Agios Arsenios and the beach settlements of Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki and Aliko follow further south
- Sangri Ano with the Demeter sanctuary is inland
On the north coast
- Appolonas - the small fishing village in the north of the island has developed into a popular holiday destination
In the Tragea plateau
- Damarionas, Moni
- Kinidaros, mining of high quality marble
In terms of tourism, the east coast is out of the way.
- Moutsouna was an important trading port at the time of the emery mining
Other goals
Naxos is the destination of sun-hungry tourists who want to spend a large part of their vacation on the beach.
Beaches on the Southwest coast
| Surname | Dist. | Describe |
|---|---|---|
| Ag. Georgios | Chora | Water store, bar, snack bar, mini market, camping |
| Ag. Prokopios | 4 km | Water basin, bar, snack bar, mini market |
| Ag. Anna | 5 km | Water store, bar, snack bar, mini market, camping |
| Plaka | 6 km | Water storage, bar, snack bar, mini market, camping |
| Mikri Vigla | 16 km | Water tank, snack bar, mini market |
| Kastraki | 16 km | Water tank, snack bar, mini market |
| Aliko | 17 km | Snack bar, mini market |
| Pyrgaki | 21 km | Snack, mini market, bar |
| Agiassos | 22 km | Snack, mini market, bar |
Beaches on the Northwest coast
| Surname | Dist. | Describe |
|---|---|---|
| Amitis Bay | 8 kilometers | |
| Abram | 25 km | |
| Apollonas | 54 km | Snack, mini market, bar |
Beaches on the East coast
| Surname | Dist. | Describe |
|---|---|---|
| Lionas Bay | 40 km | |
| Moutsouna Bay | 39 km | Snack bar, mini market |
Further southeast are the beaches of Psili Ammos Bay, Kleidos Bay, Panormos Bay, Rina Bay and Kalados Bay.
background
mythology
According to Greek mythology, Zeus the father of gods grew up on Naxos. His son Dionysus also lived here.
history
The island of Naxos belonged to the Byzantine Empire from 395. After its collapse, it was conquered by a Venetian in 1207, who made himself duke Marcos I. and extended the Duchy of Naxos over the entire Cyclades. In order to consolidate his power, he divided his territory into provinces, whose rulers were his vassals. Visible remains are the numerous residential towers that have been preserved from that time. In 1566, however, this was over when the Ottomans conquered the island. In 1827 the island finally became part of the newly formed state of Greece.
economy
Naxos is the largest and at the same time most fertile island in the Cyclades, agriculture plays a bigger role than on the neighboring islands. Sometimes up to 3 harvests per year are possible. Inland, called Tragea, there are thousands upon thousands of olive trees, and Naxos is also known for the quality of its potatoes.
Another economic factor is the mining of high quality marble. The dismantling of emery for grinding machines, however, was stopped due to a lack of profitability.
While tourism around Naxos town and plays an important role on the west coast, most of the island is still quite original.
language
Greek, but you can usually communicate well with English.
getting there
By plane
The 1 Naxos airport
(IATA: JNX) can only be approached with small planes, there are currently only scheduled flights from Olympic Airways from Athens. There are no direct flights to the island from Central Europe.
By boat
The best ferry connections are over Piraeus, the port of Athens, they run several times a day during the season. An alternative is a flight to Santorini or Mykonos and from there by ferry to Naxos.
mobility
Very good bus connections between Chora and the places on the west coast, less often in the other places. Two-wheelers (mopeds, scooters, motorbikes, mountain bikes) and rental cars are rented in Chora. Bike rental also in Agios Prokopius. The central bus station of the island is at the port in Chora, there is also a KTel information desk and a ticket machine.
Tourist Attractions
Sites of antiquity
- 1 Demeter temple (Αρχαιολογικός χώρος Γύρουλα - Ναός Δήμητρας), near the village of Sangri, approx. 13 km south of Chora.
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- 2 Kouros by Flerio.Antique marble statue of a young man, approx. 4.7 m tall, in a garden near Melanes, approx. 10 km east of Chora. The unfinished figure was already broken in ancient times. It is said that women touched the statue on part of the body to become fertile. Clear signs of contact confirm this. A second, somewhat larger figure lies nearby in a quarry.
- 3 Kouros from Apollonas.The more than 10 m tall statue is located near the village of Apollonas in the north of the island.
- 4 Portara (Πορτάρα).Part of a planned but never completed Temple of Apollo on the Palatia peninsula at the port of Chora.
Religious sites
- 1 Panagia Drossiani (Παναγία η Δροσιανή).The church is on the road between Chalki and Moni. The oldest parts go back to the 6th century. Several chapels branch off from the small nave. As in most Orthodox churches, a small donation is welcome and photography is prohibited inside.Open: in summer from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
miscellaneous
- Residential towers from the time of the Venetians, e.g. the Pirgos Bazeos at Epano Sangri
activities
- Swimming and water sports. Above all, the miles of sandy beaches on the west coast are ideal for swimming. The Meltemi (wind) intensifies through the strait between Naxos and the neighboring island of Paros, so surfers will find optimal conditions here.
- Hiking and mountaineering. Lots of leisurely hikes in the Tragea plateau, a little more strenuous is the ascent of the Zas, with 1001 m the highest mountain in the Cyclades.
shop
Souvenirs:
- In the pottery of Manolis Limpas in Back then In addition to simple utility ceramics, you will also find vessels based on ancient models or unusual pieces that are suitable as souvenirs. These include wine lifter based on the early Cycladic model, children's toys such as chirping birds or even those Cup of Pythagoras, also called Mug of Justice.
Local specialties such as cheese or spices
kitchen
In addition to the typical Greek cuisine (souflaki, gyros, farmer's salad), many dishes are prepared on Naxos with vegetables planted on the island, fish and seafood are a bit more expensive.
A lot of wine is grown on Naxos, a typical island specialty is the Kitron, see Chalki
nightlife
especially in the Chora, otherwise rather quiet
security
climate
The climate on Naxos, as in the rest of the Aegean, is warm and dry in summer, and mild and rainy in winter. Due to the 1000 m high mountain range of the Zas, there is more incline rain on Naxos than on the neighboring islands, so Naxos is greener and more fertile.
The prevailing wind in summer is from the north Meltemi, he makes sure that it doesn't get unbearably hot.
trips
With the ship to the island Delos as well as to the neighboring island Paros
