Naxos travel guide

There is so much to say about an island like Naxos Greece that we wouldn’t know where to begin from. Its attraction points are many and of all kinds, historical, gastronomical, architectural and touristic. As the years pass, its fame spreads and more and more people keep coming, trying to discover its magic.

Naxos is different that the other islands of the Cyclades in many ways. Its ample space provides enough privacy even during the high season. Its many beaches of great variety in type are a magnet to everyone. Its many and picturesque villages gather many tourists each year. Its uniquely tasty food is famous the world over.

Accessing the island is easy, by sea or air. By ferry, Naxos island is connected to both Piraeus and Rafina ports of Athens on a very regular basis, especially during the holiday season. There are the standard ferries such as the Blue Star, that take approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes to reach the island. There are also fast ferries that arrive there in less than 4 hours. Price, of course varies accordingly. Aegean Airlines as well as charter airlines from many European countries land at the airport of Naxos. The trip from Eleftherios Venizelos airport of Athens takes approximately 30 minutes.

Having decided to visit Naxos, you should be aware of the island’s important role in the development of the Cycladic Civilization and the shaping of the Ancient Greek Civilization. Traces of all these claims are easy to be spotted all over the island, just by seeing its impressive monuments, archaeological sites and statues.

Naxos beaches are the most important attraction for the majority of tourists. The cosmopolitan Saint George beach, the secluded Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna beaches, the quaint Plaka beach and the sport addicts’ Mikri Vigla beach are the ones visited most each year. The white sandy beaches are gathered in the island’s south-west area. Naxos hotels, apartments, studios and rooms can be found almost everywhere on the island. Most businesses are run by the owner’s family, to keep the cost and have a more personal relationship with their clients, so that they feel like being at home.

Being fertile enough, Naxos never runs out on good quality local produce of meat, cheese, wine and fresh vegetables. This is why food tastes so good here. 

On Naxos, there is a large number of taverns and restaurants with local and foreign cuisine of great variety. Service is excellent and you get to experience first hand what the naxian earth produces. The fertile valley of Tragea is a vivid proof of it. Aside the Naxos restaurants, you will find many cafe-bars to enjoy an afternoon beer or an evening drink. Nightclubbing is also an attraction point on Naxos; you will find them in Naxos Town, Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios and Plaka beach mostly. Many of them are literally on the sand.

When it comes to sightseeing, a visit to the most traditional villages of Naxos is a must. The view, the architecture, the museums, the food and the people will amaze you. And they are so many that you will find it hard to choose where to go first. Leaving some behind is not a bad idea, you will always have an excuse to come back to Naxos.