A World To Experience 3 5 Index Naxos at a glance 4 -5 Naxos nature 6 - 13 Naxos in myth and legend 14 - 19 A place in history 20 - 23 Culture 24 - 31 The churches of Naxos 32 - 39 Art and people 40 - 43 Chora, Naxos 44 - 57 The villages of Naxos 58 - 99 Beaches 100 - 117 Walking trails of cultural interest 118 - 130 Cycling routes 131- 135 Activities 136 - 151 Naxos products 152 - 161 Gastronomy 162 - 169 Festivals and events 170 - 179 Celebrations and fetes 180 - 183 Nightlife 184 - 185 Business meetings 186 Weddings and Honeymoons 187 The Basics: Getting to Naxos - Useful phones 188 - 191 Credits 192 7 Naxos at a glance If you were asked how you imagined the place where Zeus, the father of the 12 ancient Greek gods, was raised, chances are your reply would include the following: fertile, imposing, exuding primeval Naxos is at the center of majesty. Aegean sea routes. With its long history, important If you were asked what you monuments and intense imagined to be the dominant tourist life, it occupies a features on the island where distinct place among the Dionysus, the god of merriment, Cycladic islands. No matter how many days you stay on was born and raised, you would Naxos, there will always surely probably include fun, song and be more hidden niches to dance. discover, beaches you haven’t If, finally, you were asked how seen, towers and forts you did not have time to visit, ancient you imagined the scene of the temples whose secrets remain wedding of Dionysus and princess a mystery. Ariadne, you would probably respond, “Enchanting, almost magical…”. This is Naxos. A big island in the heart of the Aegean Sea, with imposing mountain massifs and fertile valleys, inhabited by cheerful people with a tradition in music and dance, and full of beauty that enchants visitors. 9 Naxos Naxos flora The Cyclades in general and Naxos in particular have a rich flora, with mainly nature European features but also with elements from Western Asia and North Africa. Due to the large number of natural habitats and its significant water resources - at least by Cycladic standards - Naxos boasts a wide variety of species, with “If paradise was on Earth, it would be here,” wrote Nikos Ka- more than 963 recorded flowering plants zantzakis, Greece’s foremost 20th century writer, about the short (of which 51 are encountered only in the Aegean region) 12 only in the Cyclades spell he spent as a teenager in Naxos’s fertile valley of Eggares. and four are endemic of Naxos (Cerastium runemarkii, Buple urumaira, Erysimum The nature of Naxos talks to the heart of every artist with its naxense, Symphytum naxicola). authenticity, richness and simplicity. The island is marked by great In contrast to island plant communities, many characteristic trees - particularly variety: mountains with ravines, caves and gullies shade verdant Allium Ampeloprasum cultivated ones- are not indigenous but valleys with olive, fig, orange, lemon trees and vineyards, abundant have been imported from other parts of waters. The valleys end at smooth, sandy beaches adorned with the planet, as far back as antiquity: the tame olive tree (southern Turkey), the juniper and tamarisk trees; villages are surrounded by fields and carob tree (Middle East), the giant reed vegetable gardens; migratory birds find refuge on trees, while wild (SE Asia), the broad-leaved oak tree, the pigeons and swifts in the inaccessible coastal rocks. Protected chestnut and Aleppo pine trees (mainland biotopes with rare fauna and flora complete the mosaic of an Greece), the mulberry tree (Far East), the eucalyptus (Australia), as well as opuntia island that offers the visitor all the lavish gifts of nature. But the - or prickly pear- and agave plants seabed around Naxos also offers another, exciting world, with (Central America) etc. marine ecosystems of astounding beauty, huge variety, reefs and Some of the most important and characteristic plant communities of Naxos rocks full of life, meadows of Posidonia oceanica with colorful are found on the dwarf bush steppe, plates and reefs. Just pick your route, either on or off shore, and which - if not overgrazed- displays an abandon yourself to the magic of Naxos’s nature. The thrill is there impressive number of species. The dwarf throughout the year. bush ecosystems occupy a large part of the island, especially areas that suffered from wildfires in the past and without a deep soil. Geomorphology Relict Oak grove Naxos has an area of 430sq.km and coast is an endless string of long, sandy a coastline of 148km. It is a mostly beaches. Naxos’s geological structure mountainous island, with a widely mainly consists of stone transformed into alternating landscape (mountaintops, marble, emery, slate e.t.c.. The western torrents, gorges and caves, predominantly section is dominated by granite, to which encountered in the northwestern, the beaches owe their formation. The northeastern and southeastern sections significant alternations in geomorphology of the island). The flat areas (basins, and the climatic conditions of the plateaus, valleys) are found in the central hinterland make Naxos a unique island and southwestern parts. The greatest part which combines the rarity of the Cycladic of the island’s coastline is laced by pretty landscape with the beauty of mainland beaches, while almost the entire western Greece. 11 On flysch (slate) substrates, theOphrys Calypsus Naxos fauna dwarf bush is typically dominated by the broom (Genista acanthoclada) Naxos boasts a varied topography and a population or were - most likely - while on limestone substrates thyme broad range of different natural habitats. imported during the previous centuries - a (Coridothymus capitatus) predominates. From the coastline to the mountain frequent practice during Venetian rule. Perennial plants in dwarf bush peaks, the various ecosystems alternate Rodents, shrews and bats have not been ecosystems have certain common harmonically, offering habitats to the adequately studied to date, which also features: they are usually thorny or have richest community of fauna species in the goes for almost all invertebrates (insects, fragrant foliage and frequently shed their Cyclades. spiders, snails, worms etc.) leaves in summer - at least in part. Many The most common species of marine The amphibians and reptiles on Naxos of the aromatic plants that are used in mammals encountered in the waters have been investigated relatively well. The European cuisine, such as thyme, savory around Naxos are the striped dolphin Cyclades are known for their abundant and oregano, are found growing wild in (Stenella coeruleoalba), and to a lesser herpetofauna, and Naxos is no exception. this ecosystem. extent the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops The Green toad (Bufo viridis) and the Naxos used to be densely forested. truncatus), usually when they follow Balkan frog (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri), the Remnants of the old forests and schools of fish and squid during their only two amphibian species on Naxos, are Mediterranean shrubs (maquis) can seasonal movements through the eastern frequently found in the same wetlands still be found in remote areas of the Cyclades. The eastern side of the island as the Balkan pond turtle (Mauremys island, particularly where some water is Hypericum perforatum still harbors a few individuals of the rivulata), which lives in the larger present in the subsoil. However, even in critically endangered Mediterranean perennial sources of water. dry and calcareous soils, such as those monk seal (Monachus monachus), while Visitors ought to be aware that any other that dominate the southeastern part of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) – tortoise species encountered are not the island, Phoenician juniper (Juniperus another species of conservation concern- indigenous to Naxos, and have probably phoenicea) scrub or open woodland can are frequently sighted. been freed by well-meaning animal lovers be found. Laudakia stellio who did not realize that their survival The sandy region of Alyko harbors one would be very difficult. of the biggest stands of Large-fruited Naxos hosts several species of lizards, juniper (Juniperus macrocarpa) in Greece. such as the conspicuous Rough-tailed Also in mountainous Naxos, there are agama (Stellagama stellio), a large lizard small areas of regenerated Kermes oaks often seen basking on dry stone walls. (Quercus coccifera) and Cretan maple Even more common, especially on dry (Acer sempervirens). stone walls, is the smaller Aegean wall Lastly, below the peak of Mt. Zas, there lizard (Podarcis erhardii), the males of survives a relict stand of large Holm oaks which sport anterior green backs during (Quercus ilex), a leftover from the island’s the in spring mating season. wooded past. The best time of the year to Two species of small gecko, the grey- become acquainted with the Naxian flora Orchis Anatolica colored Kotschyi’s gecko (Mediodactylus is the period between late March and mid- kotschyi), and especially the pinkish June when most plants flower. Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus Many interesting species can be easily turcicus) can be observed commonly observed along the various hiking trails near house lights during warm nights. In of the island. In general, little-grazed Among terrestrial mammals, hares contrast, the large-bodied and shy Balkan areas in the mountains and in northern (Lepus europaeus), rabbits (Oryctolagus green lizard (Lacerta trilineata) prefers Naxos, but also in the Tragea region, cuniculus), hedgehogs (Erinaceus thickets and areas with dense vegetation. offer the best opportunities to enjoy the roumanicus) and stone marten (Martes Finally, two smooth-scaled species of local plants. More specialized habitats foina) are the best-known and most lizard, the Ocellated skink (Chalcides such as wet meadows and cliff faces in frequently-sighted wild species. The ocellatus) and the small European gorges harbor further interesting flowers relatively poor and dispersed bibliography, snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) and rare chasmophytes.