GR · South Aegean · 37.09°N 25.40°E

naxos

Long sandy beaches, mountain villages and a giant marble doorway beside the harbour.

Best time
May–June and September are warm, with beaches and buses running. July–August is busy and the meltemi wind blows hard; from November to March many hotels and restaurants close.
How long
4 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Athens, usually via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul, about 14–16 hours all in. From there it's a 45-minute flight to Naxos, or about 3.5–6 hours by ferry from Piraeus. Greece is 5 hours behind KL in summer and 6 in winter.
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GR · South Aegeannaxos37.09°N 25.40°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Long sandy beaches, mountain villages and a giant marble doorway beside the harbour.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingNaxosGR, South Aegean
KLnaxos
≈ 8,583 km from KL, as the crow flies
Chora of Naxos seen from peninsula Palátia; Grotta beach on the left, Vinci beach on the right (Naxos island, Naxos and Lesser Cyclades/Cyclades, Greece).

Photo: Manfred Werner (Tsui) · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

The biggest of the Cyclades is greener and more down-to-earth than its neighbours, with long sandy beaches on the west coast and marble villages in the mountains. It suits a slower stay, with a real harbour town and plenty to do beyond the sunbed.

Makan

  1. Naxos potatoesThe island's famous potatoes, fried or roasted alongside almost everything.Map ↗
  2. GravieraNaxos's nutty hard cheese, eaten in slices or fried as saganaki.Map ↗
  3. GemistaTomatoes and peppers stuffed with herby rice; some kitchens add mince.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. PortaraA giant marble doorway, all that's left of a temple of Apollo, on an islet joined to the harbour by a causeway. Locals gather here for sunset.Map ↗
  2. Chora and the KastroThe harbour town's white lanes climb to a Venetian castle quarter of old mansions.Map ↗
  3. Agios Prokopios and PlakaLong sandy beaches with clear, shallow water, a bus ride from Chora.Map ↗
  4. Halki and ApeiranthosMountain villages in the interior: Halki among olive groves and Byzantine chapels, Apeiranthos paved in marble.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Chora is the easiest base without a car, with buses to the beaches and main villages.
  • Hire a car for a day to see the mountain villages, as inland buses are few.
  • Halal food is very limited, but the island's potatoes, cheese and vegetable dishes make easy meals.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.