Giardini di Naxos
A group of daring travellers from Calcide landed at this port in 735 BC and decided to settle there, giving life to a city which was a happy, flourishing place if, as legend has it, it was the subject of envy for Siracusa that destroyed the city in 403 BC.

Naxos is one of the few Greek colonies where you can still see and admire the main outlines of the ancient town’s layout.

Giardini-Naxos, which is located close by Taormina, is a wonderful tourist resort with long, fine sandy beaches and lava rocks, a picturesque fishing port and an entertainment area which includes discos, shopping-centres, pubs and cafés.

It boasts facilities for doing all water sports and art and handicrafts have long been one of the town’s particular attractions, in particular items skilfully created in wrought iron.

From the town it is easy to get to the valley of the River Alcantara with its famous gorges set among lava rocks.