191km (103 nautical miles) SE of Piraeus
Unlike many of its neighbors, green, fertile, largely self-sufficient Naxos has not needed to attract tourists. This does not mean that there is not a great deal here to charm visitors. The Venetians ruled this island from 1207 until the island fell to the Turks in 1566. The influence of Venetian architecture is obvious in the Hora's Kastro, some handsome mansions in town, and in the piryi (fortified Venetian towers) that punctuate the hillsides. The presence on the island of descendants of the Venetians means that Naxos has both Catholic and Orthodox churches. That said, the glory of Naxos's church architecture is the remarkable abundance of small Byzantine chapels, many of which contain exceptional frescoes dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries. These chapels escaped destruction by Naxos's various overlords and remain to charm visitors today.
The island's mountain villages, on the lower slopes of Mount Zas, the highest mountain in the Cyclades, preserve the rhythms of agrarian life. The area known as the Tragea has plains of olive trees, upland valleys, and a cluster of villages, Venetian towers, and Hellenistic watchtowers. Just about everybody's favorite village is Apiranthos, with some marble-paved streets, a particularly handsome Venetian tower, and small shaded plateias.
The airport, good inter-island ferry service, and speedy high-speed ferries make Naxos easy to visit. New hotels have appeared in the port, and more hotels cluster on island beaches -- which are among the best in the Cyclades. In short, tourism has arrived -- but, as yet, in a way that makes visiting here easy and pleasurable. As always, it is handy to have a car, although the local bus service is good, if leisurely. If you just want to see Naxos town, a day will do you; but, remember, Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades, with lots to see out on the island.
