By Nicolas Bard

Naxos is not only the largest island of the Cyclades, but also has the largest country! Today’s settlement is built on the site of the ancient city of Naxos once on the west coast of the island. The good thing is that you can easily turn it on foot, and there you will find everything you need for a carefree and comfortable stay. Still, the country of Naxos remains alive and during the winter, so if you want to avoid the summer crowding, you can discover the beauties of the island another era. An equally beautiful season is spring, where the island becomes lush from side to side, and the farmers are filled with flowers.

As the ship is approaching the port, the imposing Portara is undoubtedly magnetizing, which has been welcoming visitors to the island for centuries and gaining the first photographic clicks. It is a large marble gate, part of the ancient temple of Apollo, on the islet of Palatia, now united with Chora and is one of the largest sights on the island, and a popular spot to enjoy the sunset. According to mythology, Theseus abandoned Ariadne on this islet, which Dionysus was then abducted by his sequence. The islet was not connected to Naxos until 1919, the year in which the stem connecting it to the rest of the island was built.

The onset of construction of the ancient temple is placed in 530 BC. From the tyrant Lygdami, whose building program included various public buildings and technical works on the island. The temple was Ionic, 59 m long and 28 m wide, and had an entrance to the west side. Work was finally stopped in 524 BC. So Lygdamis was destroyed by his power by the Lacedaemonians, so the temple remained unfinished. Another possible reason that was never completed the construction of the temple is the war that broke out between Samos and Naxos. Much later, in the 5th century AD, the Christians built a church on the ruins of the ancient temple. The first church built was dedicated to Our Lady of Palatian, and to form its door had to be intersected in the marble of the base of Portara, which is visible to this day.

Just opposite Portara, at the top of the settlement, is the well -preserved Venetian castle of Chora. The medieval settlement located in the walls, with its picturesque cobbled streets and architectural marriage of Catholic and Venetian elements with traditional Cycladic style, create a rare urban mosaic, which we find hard. Wander the straits, and see the interesting and tumultuous history of the island unfolding in front of your eyes. If you are there, it is worth visiting the island’s archaeological museum, housed in a historic, Venetian building of the 17th century. Inside, it hosts findings from the Early Cycladic period, including idols from Naxos itself, Kato Koufonissi and Keros, from the late Mycenaean period, with anabolors and other tombs of chamber tombs and other graves from the tomb. A smaller area has been granted for the findings of the geometric period and later findings, including sculptures from all periods of Naxos history.

And because the ride always opens the appetite, Naxos is a gastronomic paradise famous for both its good food and its excellent quality local products, such as the famous Naxos Gruyere, the potatoes, the rustic roosters, the eggs, the eggs, the eggs. And of course, in addition to the fresh seafood (Kolios, Salatouri, Marinatos anchovy, charcoal octopus and lobster) that you will enjoy wherever you are, the island is also famous for its meats. The pork roster, the pork fried with sheep, the rooster rooster, the goat with potatoes or spaghetti, the monk (beef with eggplants and cheeses) and the reddish beef are some of the dishes you should definitely try. Naxos is a rich island, full of cultural treasures, endless natural beauty, architectural ornaments and gastronomic surprises, which knows how to provide unique experiences and gain the impression of both Greek travelers and foreigners.