Naxos — Ariadne Abandoned

Your journey begins at the Portara, the unfinished monumental gate of the Temple of Apollo, dating from the 6th century BC. Erected by the tyrant Lygdamis around 546 BC, this 9-meter-high structure, built with Naxian marble, is aligned with the sunrise at the solstices. It is here, on the 1.5 km long Paralia Naxos beach, that Athenian ships docked in the 5th century BC, near the remains of a submerged Minoan port dating from 2000 BC. You contemplate the place of Ariadne's abandonment, with the Aegean Sea as a silent witness to this mythical tragedy, rooted in the emblematic site of Portara.

Continue your Naxos visit through Chora, the historic capital. This fortified medieval center, listed as a Greek historical monument, features narrow cobblestone streets 1-2 m wide, typical of the Cyclades. In this labyrinth stand 18 Byzantine churches, the oldest dating back to 700 AD, testifying to the rich Cycladic heritage. Under Venetian rule (1204-1566), Chora had a historical population of 6,000 inhabitants, a significant number for the time. You will perceive the atmosphere of centuries past, when Marco Sanudo, Duke of Naxos, founded his Kastro here.

At the heart of Chora, discover the Fontana di Naxos, a Venetian fountain built in 1588 by Duke Giovanni IV Crispo. Its octagonal basin, 4 m in diameter, adorned with a lion and a cross, received water from an underground spring 2 km away, supplying Naxos until the 20th century. A partially erased Latin inscription, 'Fons vitae aeternae', suggests its importance. Not far, the Kastro of Naxos, a Venetian fortress founded in 1207 by Marco Sanudo, stands with its 8 m high wall. It protected 20 Roman Catholic churches and was the residence of the Dukes of Naxos until 1566, covering an area of 0.5 ha.

The Sanoudos Tower, 15 m high and dating from the 13th century, dominates the main entrance of the Kastro, offering a view of the Archaeological Museum of Naxos. This museum, housed in a 13th-century Venetian building and opened in 1905, displays a collection of Mycenaean ceramics from 1600 BC and archaic kouroi. Admire the 2.5 m high statue of Demeter, dating from the 6th century BC, a testament to Cycladic art. The museum also houses a library of 5,000 volumes on Cycladic history, offering insight into the knowledge accumulated over centuries on Naxos' heritage.

As you complete your journey through the historic center of Naxos, you will have explored layers of history, from Greek myths to Venetian and Ottoman dominations. You will have seen the Mitropolis Basilica, an early Christian church from the 5th century, rebuilt in the 7th century, hiding icons during the Ottoman occupation (1566-1912). This third largest basilica in Eastern Europe, with its 9th-century Byzantine mosaics covering 300 m² of floor, anchors your experience in the long history of Naxos. This thematic circuit in Naxos will have offered you a deep understanding of this Cycladic island, beyond classic guidebooks.