{"id":3864,"date":"2026-09-03T16:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/sights\/parco-archeologico-naxos-sicilys-first-greek-colony\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T16:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:00:42","slug":"parco-archeologico-naxos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/parco-archeologico-naxos\/","title":{"rendered":"Parco archeologico Naxos: Sicily&#8217;s First Greek Colony"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ts-wxbar\"><div class=\"ts-wx ts-wx--ph\" data-ts-ort=\"taormina\" data-ts-fc=\"\" data-ts-titel=\"\"><span class=\"ts-wx__loading\">Wetter wird geladen \u2026<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"ts-verdict\"><strong>In short:<\/strong> The <strong>Parco archeologico di Naxos<\/strong> on the lava peninsula of Capo Schis&ograve; preserves the remains of <strong>Naxos, Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony<\/strong> (founded 734 BC) &ndash; right on the sea below Taormina. Characteristic are the dark city walls of lava stone. Plan on <strong>1 to 1.5 hours<\/strong>; a quiet, level counterpoint to overcrowded Taormina. (We cover the museum on its own page.)<\/p>\n\n<h2>Quick Facts<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"ts-facts\">\n<li><strong>Type:<\/strong> archaeological park (Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony) with museum<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Capo Schis&ograve;, Giardini Naxos (Province of Messina), below Taormina<\/li>\n<li><strong>Duration:<\/strong> approx. 1&ndash;1.5 hours<\/li>\n<li><strong>Highlights:<\/strong> lava-stone city walls, temple foundations, street grid, views of the sea and Etna<\/li>\n<li><strong>Without a car:<\/strong> good &ndash; level, on foot\/bus from Giardini Naxos, Taormina-Giardini station<\/li>\n<li><strong>Opening\/Admission:<\/strong> approx. &euro;5 \/ &euro;2.50 (with museum), 9am to sunset &ndash; see below<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Who Is This Visit For?<\/h2>\n<table class=\"ts-decision-matrix\">\n<thead><tr><th>Target group<\/th><th>Well suited<\/th><th>Limitations<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>History enthusiasts<\/td><td>the roots of Greek Sicily<\/td><td>no standing temples, mostly walls<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Families &amp; strollers<\/td><td>flat seaside terrain, combinable with a beach day<\/td><td>little shade<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Without a car<\/td><td>level, reachable on foot\/bus\/train<\/td><td>&ndash;<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>As an alternative to busy Taormina<\/td><td>quieter, cool sea breeze<\/td><td>less spectacular than the Taormina theatre<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2>What You&#8217;ll See<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lava-stone city walls<\/strong> &ndash; the defining feature: dark walls of locally quarried volcanic rock, in places using an unusual building technique.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sanctuary and temple foundations<\/strong> in the area near the cape.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Remains of the regular street grid<\/strong> &ndash; important evidence of early Greek urban planning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Seaside setting<\/strong> with olive trees and views up to Taormina and Etna; the museum within the park rounds out the visit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>History &amp; Background<\/h2>\n<p>In 734 BC, Chalcidians from the island of Euboea, led by Theocles, landed at Capo Schis&ograve; and founded Naxos as Sicily&#8217;s first Greek settlement. At the landing site they built the altar of Apollo Archegetes, where festival delegations travelling to Greece would make offerings. In the early 5th century BC the city was rebuilt to a strictly regular plan.<\/p>\n<p>In 403 BC Dionysius I of Syracuse destroyed Naxos and enslaved its population &ndash; punishment for the city having sided against Syracuse. Naxos was never rebuilt as a city; part of the population founded the higher-lying Tauromenion (Taormina). Precisely because the site was never built over again, its archaic townscape remains unusually well legible.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Planning Your Visit &amp; Getting There<\/h2>\n<p>The park sits at sea level in Giardini Naxos &ndash; unlike hilltop Taormina, it&#8217;s straightforward to reach. From Taormina-Giardini station it&#8217;s a bus, taxi or walk; from the centre of Giardini Naxos the park is an easy walk along the promenade (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/nahverkehr-sizilien\/\">Buses &amp; trains in Sicily<\/a>). By car: exit A18 at Giardini Naxos, park near the town &ndash; unlike Taormina with its ZTL and scarce parking, this is simple.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Best Time to Visit<\/h2>\n<p>Spring and early autumn are ideal for the largely shadeless, flat terrain. High summer is manageable but hot &ndash; early morning or late afternoon is recommended (admission runs until shortly before sunset anyway).<\/p>\n\n<h2>Nearby Alternatives<\/h2>\n<p>Combines perfectly with the famous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/teatro-antico-di-taormina\/\">Teatro Antico of Taormina<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/isola-bella-taormina\/\">Isola Bella<\/a> and the hill town of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/places\/castelmola\/\">Castelmola<\/a>. To the north lie the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/alcantara-gorges\/\">Alcantara Gorges<\/a>, to the west <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/aetna-besuchen\/\">Etna<\/a>. The finds are displayed at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/museo-archeologico-naxos\/\">Archaeological Museum of Naxos<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ts-faq\">\n<details class=\"ts-faq__item\"><summary>What is the Parco archeologico di Naxos?<\/summary><div class=\"ts-faq__a\"><p>The archaeological park at Capo Schis&ograve; in Giardini Naxos, preserving the remains of Naxos &ndash; Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony, founded in 734 BC. Visible are mainly lava-stone city walls, temple foundations and the ancient street grid.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\n<details class=\"ts-faq__item\"><summary>Why is Naxos historically so significant?<\/summary><div class=\"ts-faq__a\"><p>Naxos was the very first Greek settlement in Sicily (734 BC). In 403 BC the city was destroyed by Dionysius I of Syracuse and never rebuilt as a city &ndash; as a result its archaic townscape survived unusually well.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\n<details class=\"ts-faq__item\"><summary>How does the park differ from the Museo Archeologico di Naxos?<\/summary><div class=\"ts-faq__a\"><p>The park is the open-air excavation (walls, foundations, street grid by the sea), while the museum displays the objects found there. Both sit within the same area at Capo Schis&ograve;.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\n<details class=\"ts-faq__item\"><summary>Is Naxos worth visiting in addition to Taormina?<\/summary><div class=\"ts-faq__a\"><p>Yes &ndash; Naxos complements Taormina perfectly: while Taormina shines with its ancient theatre, Naxos shows the older, original Greek city. The park sits at sea level, is easy to reach, and is usually much quieter.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ts-offer\">\n<h3>Taormina, Naxos &amp; Etna<\/h3>\n<p>We combine Giardini Naxos, Taormina and an Etna excursion into a coherent route and book the accommodation. Just send us a no-obligation travel request.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"ts-offer__cta\" href=\"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/reise-anfragen\/\">Request your trip now<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Opening Hours &amp; Admission<\/h2>\n<p>According to the official park website (Parco di Naxos e Taormina), it&#8217;s open daily from 9:00am until one hour before sunset. Admission is listed as a &#8220;Museo Archeologico di Naxos&#8221; ticket at &euro;5 (reduced &euro;2.50), covering both the park and the museum. No separate park-only rate is officially stated. As of: June 2026 &ndash; check prices\/hours before your visit.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Sources &amp; Updates<\/h2>\n<p>Core data: Open Data Portal of the Regione Siciliana. History, opening hours and prices according to the official park portal (parchiarcheologici.regione.sicilia.it, Parco di Naxos e Taormina) and established sources. As of June 2026; check time-sensitive details before your visit.<\/p>\n\n\n{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@graph&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;BreadcrumbList&#8221;,&#8221;itemListElement&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ListItem&#8221;,&#8221;position&#8221;:1,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Home&#8221;,&#8221;item&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/&#8221;},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ListItem&#8221;,&#8221;position&#8221;:2,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Sights in Sicily&#8221;,&#8221;item&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/&#8221;},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ListItem&#8221;,&#8221;position&#8221;:3,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Parco archeologico di Naxos&#8221;,&#8221;item&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/sights\/parco-archeologico-naxos\/&#8221;}]},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;LandmarksOrHistoricalBuildings&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Parco archeologico di Naxos&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;Remains of Naxos, Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony (734 BC), at Capo Schis\u00f2 in Giardini Naxos, with characteristic lava-stone city walls.&#8221;,&#8221;inLanguage&#8221;:&#8221;en&#8221;,&#8221;address&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;PostalAddress&#8221;,&#8221;addressLocality&#8221;:&#8221;Giardini Naxos&#8221;,&#8221;addressRegion&#8221;:&#8221;Sicily&#8221;,&#8221;addressCountry&#8221;:&#8221;IT&#8221;}},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;FAQPage&#8221;,&#8221;mainEntity&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Question&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;What is the Parco archeologico di Naxos?&#8221;,&#8221;acceptedAnswer&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Answer&#8221;,&#8221;text&#8221;:&#8221;The archaeological park at Capo Schis\u00f2 in Giardini Naxos with the remains of Naxos, Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony (734 BC): lava-stone city walls, temple foundations and street grid.&#8221;}},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Question&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Why is Naxos historically so significant?&#8221;,&#8221;acceptedAnswer&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Answer&#8221;,&#8221;text&#8221;:&#8221;Naxos was Sicily&#8217;s first Greek settlement (734 BC); destroyed by Dionysius I in 403 BC and never rebuilt as a city, its archaic townscape survived well.&#8221;}},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Question&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;How does the park differ from the Museo Archeologico di Naxos?&#8221;,&#8221;acceptedAnswer&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Answer&#8221;,&#8221;text&#8221;:&#8221;The park is the open-air excavation, the Museo Archeologico di Naxos shows the finds. Both sit within the same area at Capo Schis\u00f2.&#8221;}},{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Question&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Is Naxos worth visiting in addition to Taormina?&#8221;,&#8221;acceptedAnswer&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Answer&#8221;,&#8221;text&#8221;:&#8221;Yes, Naxos shows the older Greek city, sits at sea level, is easy to reach and is usually much quieter than overcrowded Taormina.&#8221;}}]}]}\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In short: The Parco archeologico di Naxos on the lava peninsula of Capo Schis&ograve; preserves the remains of Naxos, Sicily&#8217;s first Greek colony (founded 734 BC) &ndash; right on the sea below Taormina. Characteristic are the dark city walls of lava stone. Plan on 1 to 1.5 hours; a quiet, level counterpoint to overcrowded Taormina. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3675,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3864","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3865,"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3864\/revisions\/3865"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treffpunkt-sizilien.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}