Naxos: a guide to its best, most famous and most beautiful beaches

Naxos is one of the Greek islands that is part of the Cyclades island group. It is the largest island of the Cyclades and located in the Aegean Sea. Amongst other things, it is famous for its long, sandy beaches with stunning blue waters. It is perfect for a relaxing (family) holiday, but also for watersports such as (kite)surfing. The major tourist resorts have amazing beaches, with lots of beachfront accommodations. Also, they are close and well-connected to (by vehicle and public transport) Naxos town.

The island of Naxos has many beaches and it is unfortunately not possible to discuss all of them here. So I will discuss the (in my opinion) 17 best beaches in Naxos in this blog. And, to make it easy for you to find them, I have included their Google Maps locations!

Now, let’s dive into the list of the 17 best beaches in Naxos island:

1. Agios Georgios beach

Naxos is one of the where the capital offers excellent options for swimming. The beach of Agios Georgios is attached to Naxos Chora and therefore also the closest beach to the main town. It is within walking distance from the heart of the city center, with a short walk of about 10 minutes. For this reason, Agios Georgios is also one of the busiest tourist resorts on the island, especially during the summer months. The beach is filled with beach bars and sunbeds. When not windy it has very shallow waters and then is the perfect place for children to play and take a dip.

Agios Prokopios is one of the most popular beaches of Naxos. It is a long bay with almost white sand and crystal clear waters of a heavenly blue color. It is popular both by tourists and locals, for its looks and its proximity (5 km) to Naxos town. Because it is a bay (large but still a bay) it also doesn’t get as much wind as some other beaches on Naxos. Outside of Naxos town, Agios Prokopios probably offers the most options for accommodation, food and drinks, and vehicle rental. Most seaside Naxos hotels are located here. The northern side is less developed and offers space for you to sit with your own towels, umbrella, and drinks. The southern part of the beach is heavily developed with beach clubs with lots of basic and more comfortable sun beds and umbrellas. The most popular beach bar is probably Macao. This beach is very busy during peak season. Parking is available in the public parking lot. The public bus to Agios Prokopios leaves every 20 to 30 minutes from Naxos town and the price is less than € 2.

3. Agia Anna beach

Agia Anna is a smaller bay between Agios Prokopios and Plaka. It is closed off, so not too windy and therefore has calm waters. Also it has the same color of golden sand and crystal clear blue water as the other beaches in the area. As it is a bay, the water is more shallow and thus perfect for children. It has all the amenities such as beach bars, restaurants, vehicle rental, and accommodation. There’s even a little dock for boats from which numerous day trips (see the section on boat trips in my Naxos Travel Guide) leave daily. However, a part of the small bay is quite packed, with a beach full of sunbeds and the beach bars, some of which playing quite loud music. From Agia Anna is it only a short walk to the closest by beaches of Marargas/Plaka or Agios Prokopios if you are looking for a very long, sandy beach instead of a smaller bay. When walking to Plaka, don’t miss out on the little church of Agios Nikolaos on the coastal walk. Parking is available at the public parking lot. And the public bus to Plaka passes by every 20 to 30 minutes. Right where Agia Anna ends, starts a dirt road alongside Maragas and Plaka beach.

4. Plaka / Maragas beach

Plaka beach, of which the first part is called Maragas beach, is a 5-kilometer-long beach with soft golden sand that starts right where Agia Anna ends. Just like Agios Prokopios this is one of the most famous beaches of Naxos.

The first part of the beach, closed off by the sandy dunes, is unorganized and functions as a nudist beach. Since the beach is 5 kilometers long, there are too many beach bars to choose from. Some of which even have a pool. And enough space to sit with your own umbrella as well. But I will highlight a few. Plaka Watersports offers water sports facilities, such as riding a banana. It simply is a great beach for every audience. The beach bars at Plaka and Maragas are also great restaurants and cocktail bars. To learn all about them, read the chapter on food and drinks in my Naxos Travel Guide. From the end of Plaka, you can go up to the main road and turn back to the coastal dirt road a couple of hundred meters later and follow it further south to more wonderful beaches.

5. Mikri Vigla beach (Orkos, Limanaki & Kastraki)

Orkos beach

Mikri Vigla consists of 2 bays, separated by large rock formations that are almost like a little peninsula in the sea. The Northern bay, also called Parthena and Orkos, takes on strong winds and is therefore the perfect spot for (kite)surfing. You will also find (kite)surfing schools here, in case you want to take lessons or rent equipment.

Limanaki beach

The Southern Bay (which is also called Limanaki and Kastraki, although Kastraki in fact is the next beach) is more protected from the wind and therefore an excellent choice to go to for a day. It is easily one of the very best beaches of Naxos and probably my favorite, as the crystalline water seems extra blue here, and climbing the rocky outcrops and swimming around them is an extra fun activity. You can discover some tiny beaches between the rocks and if you have a GoPro or waterproof phone (case), take some amazing pictures. It is one of the best places on Naxos spot for snorkeling as well. There are comfortable sun beds on the beach. But kilometers of free beach to sit on as well. The food at Mikri Vigla restaurant is also very good. You can reach it by public bus.

Kastraki beach

The sandy shores of the southern bay of Mikri Vigla (it is 3km long) turn into Kastraki beach after a huge area without any development. This means the same qualities that apply to Mikri Vigla, apply to this beach, although it tends to be more windy on the Kastraki side. The only ‘problem’ is that this beach is connected by bus to Naxos town just a few times per day, instead of every 30 minutes.

6. Alyko beach / Aliko beach

Alyko is a very special place, actually more of an area than a beach alone. First and foremost, the area is full of sand dunes and cedar trees. Which in itself makes it a stunning place and also a protected area by the EU program Natura 2000. The main beach is Alyko beach, which has a picturesque little white church on the side of it.  Last but not least, Alyko is home to the ruins of a never-finished hotel complex. These ruins are the decor of many amazing graffiti paintings by WD (Wild Drawing) street art.

7. Hawaii beach & Kedros beach

lyko has multiple beaches that are the equivalent of natural beauty, with sandy dunes and rock formations behind them. There’s golden, fine sand everywhere. You can only reach these beaches on foot after a couple of minutes of walking through the dunes and the cedar forest: Mikrolimano beach, but also the incredibly stunning Hawaii beach and the naturist (nudist) beach of Kedros. All of these beaches are more of a remote location and thus unorganized with no facilities whatsoever. This means: no toilets either. Although there is one food truck on the road to the area where you can park your vehicle. A great spot to escape the possible crowds in peak season.

8. Pyrgaki beach

Pyrgaki is another stunning long beach with white sand and crystal-clear waters. There is a very limited amount of sunbeds that are rented out, and it even has water sports facilities, as well as some tavernas. There are also some fabulous hotels to stay at, which makes Pyrgaki the perfect place to stay if you want to lay on a gorgeous, quiet beach for a week, and go nowhere else.

9. Glyfada beach

Glyfada beach is another one of the long, sandy beaches of Naxos island. What makes this one special is that it partly has a salt lake behind it. It can take on quite strong winds and therefore is a spot for kite- and windsurfing as well. There is 1 taverna (Glyfada beach restaurant) that rents out some sun beds in peak season. Other than that, the beach is unorganized.

10. Apollonas beach

Apollonas is a charming fishing village with an unorganized sandy beach in the far north of Naxos. It Is a one-hour drive from Naxos town via the large main road and great place for families who are touring the island. There are multiple tavernas to choose from for food and drinks, as well as some other shops. There are no sunbeds for rent though. This makes it a good choice for an afternoon dip on a day trip through Naxos by car. I would recommend Nikos Tavern for a fish dish.

11. Abram beach

The west coast of Naxos officially is the coastline between Naxos town and Abram.  Abram is a small settlement on the far North-East Coast. It is a 35-minute drive from Naxos town. It has a wild beauty to it, with some palm trees and a little white church that overlooks the sandy-pebbly bay. There are no sunbeds available. But there is a fantastic taverna, O Efthimis, where you can enjoy a delicious fish lunch right in front of the beach.

12. Amitis beach

Amitis is the first beach you’ll pass by on the western side of the island if you drive up north 20 minutes from Naxos town along the coast. It is mainly unorganized and doesn’t get busy, even in high season. Therefore it is the place to be for those who want to go to a quiet, off-the-beaten-track place while still staying close to Naxos town. The beach is sandy and has clear waters (when not windy). You can reach the beach from the left or the right side, via the villages of Galini and Eggares. If you take the road from Galini you will end up on the side of the beach where you can find the cafeteria Amitis Bay, which offers great food & refreshments and a few sunbeds.

13. Agiassos beach

Agiassos is the last in the row of sandy beaches on the South-West Coast, starting at Agios Prokopios. A stunning beach you can overview from the road while passing by. On this road (if you look down) you will also find a tiny beach that is closed off from the rest of Agiassos. Agiassos is an unorganized beach. There are no sunbeds for rent. There are however several local tavernas to get lunch from. There is little to no shade on the beach, so take an umbrella with you. The water is crystal clear!

14. Kalantos beach

his beach is unorganized as well, so take an umbrella with you to protect yourself from the sun. It doesn’t ever get busy, as it is quite a drive from the major tourist resorts. So it is perfect for those searching for a quiet getaway. There is a taverna on either side of the beach to get food and drinks at, but they open very late in the season, in early June. So be aware that earlier in the season it is a long windy drive and the last part is a dirt road, for a beach without any facilities or tavernas.

15. Panormos beach

Panormos is a true, still quiet, gem. This sandy beach looks really exotic because it has a row of palm trees right on the edge of the shore. This is where the road ends after a 1.5h drive from Naxos town. Although it is an unorganized beach without sunbeds, there is a small beach bar (Mitatos) that offers food and drinks during the high season. The last part of the road is a dirt road. From here you can also take a boat trip with the locals of Gialitissa Boat Trips to the Rhina cave. The boat leaves every day between the 15th of May and the 15th of October at 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM. The cost in 2023 was € 20 for adults and € 10 for a child.

16. Psili Ammos beach

It is safe to say that Psili Ammos is one of the hidden gems of Naxos. A quiet and unorganized family beach on a short walk from the main road between Moutsouna and Panormos. Crystalline waters that are very shallow, soft sand and some dunes and trees that can provide shade. Yes, it is (counted in minutes) a further drive than the organized or semi-organized beaches of the southeast coast of Naxos. But Psili Ammos is that hidden gem where the locals go on Sunday!

17. Rhina beach

Rhina beach is said to have the most beautiful, crystal-clear turquoise waters of Naxos island. It also has the famous ‘Rhina Cave’ at the edge of the cliff of the bay, which you can swim to and snorkel in. Unfortunately, you can only visit by boat. A half-day boat trip to Rhina beach is one of the best things to do on Naxos. You can take it from Panormos beach with Gialitissa Boat Trips (see Panormos beach).

Thank you for reading this blog ”The 17 best beaches in Naxos island, Greece”. If you want to know more about Naxos, read my other blogs or get my Naxos Travel Guide. Enjoy my personal favorites and enjoy your stay on Naxos! Happy Travels! 🌊🌞🇬🇷.