NAXOS & GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Many greek myths involve Naxos as some point. Greek god "ZEUS", the highest god grew up on Naxos. The people of Naxos used to worship him, and a temple was made to his honour at the mountain Za.
When greek god "ZEUS" mistress Semele died before giving birth to their child, Zeus took the embryo and put it in his thigh. When the baby, greek god Dionysus, was born out of Zeus thigh on Naxos, the nymphs Philia, Coronida and Clidi brought him up on the island, which was to be Dionysus favourite island. The god made the island fertile and full of grapevines, forever blessing it.
Another greek myth is about Ariadne, the daughter of king Minos of Crete. She had helped Theseus kill the Minotaur, and out of fear for her father, she fled with the hero. On Naxos she fell asleep, Theseus left her and when greek god "Dionysus" saw her, he made her his wife. According to another version she committed suicide by jumping off a cliff in Chora.
NAXOS HISTORICAL
Naxos was inhabited from ancient times and had a leading and appreciable course during the centuries. It is said that the first residents were the Thraces.
Then Naxos was developed, and knew its highest point in arts (mostly sculptural) in trade and shipping, between 8th and 6th century B.C. Although pirates restrained Naxos, the residents faced the situation, developing their residences, in order to comes new period of acne afterwards in 1200 when Naxos constituted an self-sufficient and powerful Duchy. From there and later Naxos followed the same course as the rest of Cyclades, having however always eminent role in the historical developments of region.
NAXOS SPORTS
At Agios Georgios beach, you can windsurf on a water so shallow that you feel you could wade to Paros visible in the distance. You can windsurf at Agia Anna beach also.
NAXOS & GREEK RECIPIES
The visitor should not leave the island of Naxos without tastes local meats, hunting, local cheeses wine , traditional "kefalopodia", and without it has bought textiles, types of popular art, sweet “kitro”, raki and honey.
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Naxos Island Information
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