The summit of Mount Zas, which rises southeast of the village of Filoti, is the highest peak in the entire Cyclades region, with an elevation of 1,003m.
According to mythology, god Zeus spent his childhood years here and an eagle was said to have offered him the thunderbolt at the top of this mountain which subsequently helped him reign supreme on Mountain Olympus.
Besides its mythological interest, Mount Zas is endowed with wonderful natural beauty-a great place for trekking through old and very scenic routes.
The cave of Zas, one of Naxos’s most impressive natural sights, is located southeast of Filoti, at an altitude of 630m.
The cave was first explored in 1962 and the excavations carried out in 1985-1986 and 1994 brought to light artifacts dating from the Neolithic to the Classical and Roman eras. Many of these are on display at the Naxos Archaeological Museum.
It features large chambers that stretch up to 11m in length, an impressive interior decor with large stalactites and stalagmites, as well as rare stone formations.
