NAXOS GREECE Naxos is one of the most attractive and beautiful of the Greek Islands. It harmoniously combines a majestic mountain beauty with the intensively cultivated agricultural plains, lush valleys of citrus and olive groves, pastel coloured coastal plains, kilometres of sweeping golden sands and unspoilt villages. Over 40 kilometres of beaches (Naxos Beaches are among the best in Greece), over 40 traditional villages, 500 churches, monuments, archaeological sites, beautiful drive on the mountains, fertile valleys make Naxos Island one of the best holiday destinations in Greece. In contrast to most of the Cyclades is Naxos really green and variegated. Rambling olive groves, densely Macchia and knee-high Phruganga plants define the view. In gorges and dales also cypresses are growing, near the sea Tamarisks and reed. In former times wide forests of oak trees preexisted. But they had been nearly totally deforested - mainly by the Venetians - for the armada or as firewood. Naxos is mentioned by Homer (Zeus Island). Its mythological fame is due to the Athenian Hero Thesseus and Ariadne, the Cretan Princess who loved him, stopped to rest at Naxos on their way to Athens. The next morning while Ariadne slept, Thesseus set sail and abandoned her on the island. Ariadne had aided Thesseus by arming him with a ball of string that helped him to find the way in the labyrinth and defeat the Minotaur in Crete. Dionysos, the god of wine, fell in love with her and both lived happily. The story of Thesseus and Ariadne inspired many artists, most notably Richard Strauss' opera "Ariadne auf Naxos". Naxos went under Venetian Occupation when Marco Sanudo came to Naxos in 1207. He built a powerful castle in Naxos Town (todays the Venetian Castle in Hora) which was consisting from 7 towers. This remarkable castle today includes a housing complex with the structure of a medieval city, it is one of the very few preserved in Greece and it is a "must be seen" monument. Venetians Catholic descendants still live in the old mansions which encircle the site.
