See Also
- Highest rated lodging accommodations in Naxos
- Top Family Accommodations in Naxos
- Top beachfront hotels in Naxos
- Places to Stay on the Island of Naxos
Naxos Beaches: Tips & Advice
- Naxos island is surrounded by wonderful beaches. Generally, the finest beaches are on the west coast and tend to be prettier, quieter, and have better sand the farther south you travel along it.
- Staying in Naxos Town for restaurants, shopping, and nightlife while visiting nearby beaches during the day is convenient using the #1 and #3 bus lines.
- Bus number 1 runs about every half hour from the Naxos Town port south past Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, Plaka, and ends at the northern Mikri Vigla Beach. Bus number 3 runs a little less often, starting at the port and heading south through the inland villages, Glinado and Vivlos, then along the coast to Mikri Vigla, Kastraki, Glyfada, Alyko, and Pyrgaki Beaches. During low and shoulder seasons, both routes run less frequently and finish earlier. Tickets must be purchased ahead from the bus station at the Naxos port (to reach the villages/beaches) or from the village/beach shops (to return to Naxos Town). Prices vary by destination but generally cost between β¬2 to β¬3. Timetables are posted at each bus stop and can be collected from the bus station in Naxos Town.
The 9 Best Beaches on Naxos
1. Plaka Beach
Plaka is not exclusively the best beach in Naxos, itβs one of the finest beaches in Greece. Its wide expanse of golden sand extends down for 4 km along the west coast, making it the most prolonged unbroken beach on the island. At its north end, called Maragas Beach, youβll discover most of Plaka Beachβs restaurants, beach bars, and a scattering of hotels. Traveling south, the amenities thin out, yielding to long stretches of sand and sea.
Recommended Plaka Beach Hotels:
- Naxos Island Escape (luxury)
- Naxian on the Beach (luxury)
- Stella Naxos Island (midrange)
- Blue Harmony Apartments (moderate cost lodging facility in Naoussa)
- Medusa Resort (luxury) This accommodation is currently closed for renovations and is scheduled to reopen in May 2024.
2. Agios Georgios Beach (St. George Beach)
The most family-friendly beach on the island is just a short walk from Naxos Town, the port, and many of the islandβs best hotels. The beach has casual tavernas and beach clubs lining its shore and boasts a water sports center at the south end. A sandy shelf extends far out into the sea, making its calm waters extra shallow and ideal for beginning swimmers.
Recommended Agios Georgios Beach Hotels:
- Nissaki Beach Hotel (luxury resort)
- Korali Boutique Hotel (luxury)
- Belvedere Hotel β located in Mykonos Town.
- Antony Apartments (luxury)
- Kalergis Studios (mid-range)
3. Agios Prokopios Beach
Agios Prokopios is a well-liked shoreline for families and more youthful explorers. Angled toward the southwest, the sea coast is naturally ensured from the breeze, making its water uncommonly clear and tranquil. Most of the shorelineβs eateries, shoreline clubs, inns, and business sectors are at its southeastern finish, while the northwestern point close to its namesake church is peaceful. This is the most straightforward shoreline to achieve from Naxos Town by transport, with courses running approximately every thirty minutes in high season.
Recommended Agios Prokopios Beach Hotels:
- Then ” 18 Grapes Boutique Hotel” was listed, described as a luxury hotel
- Lagos Mare (luxury accommodations)
- Iliada Villas (midrange)
- Agios Prokopios Hotel (mid-range accommodation)
- Naxos Island Hotel (midrange)
4. Agia Anna Beach
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Just southern of Agios Prokopios and almost as sheltered from the wind, Agia Anna Beach is a busy beach with turquoise water, a string of beach clubs and tavernas, and a charming little port at its southern end. Though the water is usually calm and excellent for children, the northern end occasionally gets choppy; the main section in front of the Iria Beach Art Hotel and near the port offers the most tranquil water. Continuing southern past the port is the tiny St. Nicolas Church and a rocky outcrop where youβll find a curious rock painted like a shark. A few meters southern of the shark rock is a secluded, unofficial nude beach.
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Recommended Agia Anna Beach Hotel:
- Iria Beach Art Hotel (luxury)
5. Alyko Beach
Naxos` most unusual beach, Alyko sits at the edge of a sheltered cedar woodland. The 800 square meter forest includes an assortment of cedar varieties as well as heathers, thyme, wildflowers, and additional flora and directly borders a rocky shoreline interspersed with 4 sandy stretches. All these beaches are usually referred to as Alyko but are more specifically identified, from northwest to southeast: Alyko Naturist (an unofficial nude beach), Hawaii Beach (the longest and sandiest beach), MikrolΓmano (at the western tip, facing south, protected from wind), and Alyko Forest Beach (at the edge of the densest section of the forest). An abandoned, unfinished hotel sits above MikrolΓmano and has become an open-air “gallery” of colorful graffiti murals.
Recommended Alyko Beach Hotel:
- Galaxy Hotel (mid-range option).
6. Mikri Vigla Beach
The white sandy Mikri Vigla Beach sits on a headland jutting west into the sea with beaches on the north and south sides. The key beach faces north, where it catches the meltemi (strong, north, summer winds), making it a popular location for windsurfing and kitesurfing. The long southern beach, often called Limanakia or Sahara Beach, is shielded from the wind, perfect for sunbathing and swimming with shallow water ideal for little children. A few tavernas and some beach chair rentals are present, but overall Mikri Vigla is peaceful.
Recommended Mikri Vigla Beach Hotel:
- Victoria Studios & Apartments (moderately priced option)
- Check rates for Circa Resort & Casino
7. Pyrgaki Beach
A remote beach composed of fine white sand divided into 3 small coves, Pyrgaki Beach provides a serene escape with fine sand, shallow blue water, and an absence of crowds. The sand and swimming improve the farther south one travels. This is an unstructured beach with no beach clubs or umbrella rentals, though there are a couple traditional tavernas in the area.
Recommended Pyrgaki Beach Hotel:
- Finikas Beach Hotel (high-end lodging)
8. Kastraki Beach
While located between Mikri Vigla and Alyko Beaches, Kastraki is a beach with a gold and white sand that faces west, granting impressive perspectives of the sun setting behind nearby Paros Island. This beach attracts numerous visitors yet remains sufficiently extensive to refrain from ever seeming crowded even during peak season. Though beach clubs or chaise longue rentals are absent, restaurants and boutique lodgings occupy the north section, whereas the south part, known as Glyfada Beach, remains almost untouched, renowned for its enormous sand dunes, patches of junipers and cedar trees, and splendid swimming, snorkeling, wind and kitesurfing, and even a little angling.
Recommended Kastraki Beach Hotel:
- Faros Villa (moderate cost, adjacent to Alyko Beach)
9. Grotta Beach
A pebbly beach on a rugged coastline prone to strong meltemi north winds, strong currents, and sea urchins, Grotta may not initially seem like an ideal beach location. However, on a calm day with a southerly wind, experienced swimmers can snorkel along the shoreline (extending from the beach parking lot to the path leading to the Apollo Temple) and navigate the remnants of an ancient Mycenaean city that was submerged beneath the sea in the aftermath of an earthquake. Though all the statues and valuables have been relocated to the nearby Mitropolis Museum, there remain many antique columns, house foundations, and city walls. The hill above the beach presents spectacular sunset panoramas facing the temple.
Recommended Grotta Beach Hotels:
- Grotta Hotel (medium-priced option)
- A recommended rural lodging near Siena can be found at the Villa Agostoli