 Founded by Thucles the Chalcidian in 734 BC, Naxos was never a powerful city, but its temple of Apollo Archegetes, protecting deity of all the Greek colonies, gave it prominence in religious affairs. Leontini and Catania were both colonized from here. Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela, captured it in 494 BC. Its opposition to Syracuse ultimately led to its capture and destruction in 403 BC at the hands of Dionysius the tyrant, after it had supported Athens during that city's disastrous Sicilian Expedition. Though the site continued to be inhabited, most activity shifted to neighbouring Tauromenium. Prior to the early 1970s, Giardini Naxos was a quiet fishing village. Now it is a popular tourist destination, famous for its beaches , the Ionian Sea, and its small, but bustling fishing port. It attracts foreign visitors and Italians alike, many of whom own summer residences in the comune. The seafront, Via Tysandros, is lined with hotels, smaller pensions, pubs, restaurants and pizzerias. In the summer months, Giardini Naxos has many tourists. Boating is a popular activity The public beaches and lidos are quite crowded in the months of July and August, especially around Ferragosto which occurs on 15 August and people celebrate this event by camping on the beach in tents and running into the sea at midnight for a swim with an accompaning display of fireworks. Lifeguards are provided by the Comune and are posted at regular intervals along the beaches. Besides swimming and boating, there is plenty to do and see in Giardini. There are shops, discoteques, Karaoke bars, strolling musicians wearing traditional Sicilian costumes, live bands, theatrical productions, and impromptu dancing on the beaches at night. The beautiful town of Taormina is situated in the hills above Giardini and can be easily accessed by car and bus. Giardini also has many churches and an archeological park. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article: "Giardini Naxos". |
Thursday, 09 September 2010
