You may be wondering, should I go to Naxos on my Greek Island trip? And maybe also, how many days in Naxos is enough? In this post, I’ll tell you about our 3 day Naxos Itinerary and why it is worth your time to visit. This underrated Greek Island has all the beauty without the crowds!
Full disclosure: We stopped in Naxos as part of our honeymoon, so we splurged more on this trip than others. Even still, I’ll give thrifty tips throughout.
Important Info to Know Before You Go!
How to get to Naxos:
Naxos is a lesser-visited island, but it does still have an airport! You can take a direct flight from Athens to Naxos. If you are exploring one of the other greek islands first, as we were in Santorini, you will have to fly back through Athens to get to Naxos.
Instead, if you are already exploring the Greek Islands, we recommend taking a ferry! We took a SeaJets ferry from Santorini to Naxos for about 60 euros per person, and the trip was only about 1.5 hours.
Can you do a day trip from Naxos to Paros?
Or vice versa. The answer is yes! Paros is the closest neighboring island to Naxos and is more widely known. Ferries leave a few times a day from Naxos to Paros and back. The trip is just 30 minutes. If you want to do a day trip from Naxos to Paros or Paros to Naxos, take the earliest ferry! Below, I summarize our 3 days in Naxos, but even one day to explore Naxos or Paros is worthwhile.
Best time of year to visit Naxos?
The best time to visit Naxos is between April – October. Sticking to this time frame will make sure you experience warm enough weather to hike, sail, and go to the beach. The shoulder seasons are also much less busy, though Naxos isn’t overrun with tourists like Santorini or Mykonos any time of year.
Note: We went in mid-May and the water was still COLD. That didn’t stop me from swimming, but it definitely deterred others. If you’re keen on warm water, July/August is your best bet. BUT you’ll have to deal with a bit more crowding.
Do you need a car to get around Naxos?
The short answer is no. If you’re in Naxos for a day trip, you certainly do not need a car. Right when you hop off the ferry, there will be many shops marketing tour groups you can join in with to see the sites of Naxos. However, if you have a few days in Naxos, want to build your own schedule, and not be in a group, renting a car is very easy.
Note: BE CAREFUL on the roads if you rent a car. Google maps will suggest taking roads that are extremely narrow, and you will get stuck. Ask for a map from the rental car agency and follow it. The regional map will keep you on the main roads.
Our Itinerary
Thrifty tip: There are many apartments for rent on airbnb if you’re staying overnight. The best place to stay for a good rate and great accessibility is in Chora, the main old town of Naxos where the ferry port is.
Naxos Itinerary Day 1: Explore Chora Town
We arrived in Naxos around 2:30 in the afternoon after taking the SeaJets ferry over from Santorini. Then, we checked into this amazingly affordable airbnb right in Chora overlooking the marina.
We were starving and heard amazing things about the souvlaki at Souvlaki of Makis, so we walked over there and had a FANTASTIC and filling plate.
Once we were fueled, we began our self-guided walking tour of Chora. Right down the street from Souvlaki of Makis, we found the cutest little cheese shop called Naxos Cheese Koufopoulos. They were offering a 20 euro, 1 hour cheese and wine tasting activity that we scheduled for later in our trip.
After that, we walked along the marina until we arrived at the Temple of Apollo (or the Portara). This beautiful piece of Greek history was thought to be the big door (Portara) to an ancient temple honoring the God Apollo.
Finally, we wandered around the maze-like streets near the Venetian Castle, popped into cute shops selling all sorts of handmade items, grabbed some ice cream right in town, and settled in for the night.
Naxos Itinerary Day 2: Sailing Trip + To Elliniko
The morning of our second day, we popped into a local grocery store for some yogurt, granola, and fruit for breakfast. Then, we headed to the marina to meet our tour guides for our Naxos: Sailing Cruise with Lunch and Drinks from Naxos. We booked this tour through getyourguide.com with the activity provided by Actionseaze Yachting. This tour was $175 per person.
In addition to my husband and myself, there were 5 other guests on board and two guides/sailors. Though the water was still QUITE cold, we still embraced the opportunity to swim in the Aegean Sea. We also sailed around part of neighboring Paros and enjoyed a fantastic lunch of Moussaka, Greek salad, fresh bread, and wine.
Upon arriving back on shore and cleaning ourselves up, we picked up our rental car in Chora from Autotour Rent a Car who provided such excellent service. Then, we took off in the car to explore the island, landing ourselves at the Temple of Demeter. Visiting the grounds is free, but the museum is about 4 euros per person.
Note: The grounds to the Temple of Demeter are always open, EXCEPT on Tuesdays from 8:30 AM- 3:00 PM.
Once we arrived back in Chora, we went to the highly recommended To Elliniko restaurant for dinner. And let me tell you. GO TWICE. GO THREE TIMES. RUN. This has to be on your Naxos Itinerary. I ordered the Kalogeros (Naxos traditional pot-cooked veal in tomato sauce with eggplant and cheese). Trust me, this was one of the BEST dishes I’ve had in my life.
Naxos Itinerary Day 3: Beach + Massages + Island Exploring
Our attempt at Mount Zeus
On our final day in Naxos, we set out to hike Mount Zas (Mount Zeus). BUT, we didn’t make it. We followed instructions we found online to start the hike from “Aghia Marina”, but we ended up getting massively stuck on tiny narrow roads and damaging our rental car, only to find out we weren’t at the correct Aghia Marina.
Note: If you decide to hike Mount Zeus, which we wish we had been able, make sure to put in Saint Marina Holy Chapel into your google map. It should be located near the town of Filoti, NOT closer to the eastern side of the island. For more guidance on hiking Mount Zeus, I recommend this earth trekkers article.
After damaging our rental car (minor but still), we drove back to Chora to update the rental car company on what happened, and they were massively gracious and kind. We decided to take a break from the car the rest of the morning and head to Agios Georgios Beach by foot.
Note: Other highly recommended beaches in Naxos are: Plaka Beach, Agios Prokopios Beach, Aliko Beach, and Mikri Vigla Beach.
Salvaging the Day
After the beach, we did our wine and cheese tasting from Naxos Cheese Koufopoulos that we booked two days before. We had 10 different cheeses, and they were fantastic! Then, we headed to the central part of the island for a surprise couples massage at ELaiolithos Luxury Retreat that my husband surprised me with. We were given delicious chocolate, fruits, and champagne to enjoy afterward with an amazing view of the rolling hills.
We explored the beautiful story-book Greek towns of Halki (Chalkio) and Filoti before ending our night with a sunset dinner at Rotunda. Rotunda is another MUST on your Naxos Itinerary. Eat a fantastic dinner high up on the mountaintop with a panoramic view of the island.
The next day we flew to the island of Milos to continue our honeymoon. Before flying out to Milos (by connecting in Athens first), we stopped at a great breakfast place called Melimilon (meaning honey apple or honey fruit). This breakfast place is set in an adorable alleyway. They have fantastic breakfast and are known for all their homemade marmalades of all flavors. We bought multiple marmalades to bring home for ourselves and our friends and family.
That concluded our wonderful time in Naxos!
After Naxos, we headed on to Milos! Milos is another amazing Cycladic island nearby that is highly worth a visit. If interested, check out our blog about Milos!
Our Naxos Itinerary Budget
| Lodging | $115 per person |
| Rental Car + Gas | $70 per person |
| Food/Drink | $100 per person |
| Activities | $350 per person |
| TOTAL: | $635 per person |
Note: I did not include the price of our flights from North Carolina to Greece because it isn’t specific to Naxos; however, our round trip flights were ~$900 in Mid-May 2023.
Ways to Save on your Naxos Itinerary
As I previously mentioned, my husband and I went to Naxos as part of our honeymoon to Greece. Therefore, we spent more than we normally do on trips.
Here are multiple ways to save on your Naxos Itinerary, if you want to go to Greece and have a stricter budget!
- First, you’re making a budget conscious decision already choosing Naxos over more expensive islands like Santorini and Mykonos.
- There are beautiful villas and romantic suites along the coast of Naxos. If you’re looking to save, we recommend a comfortable apartment in Chora. We did this to save a little money too and the view was beautiful!
- Opt for the free activities! We went sailing and got massages, but all the free activities in Naxos are incredible including: beaches, hiking Mount Zeus, the Temple of Apollo, exploring the romantic little towns, and more.
- We didn’t always eat breakfast or lunch out. Stop at a grocery store and grab some basic breakfast items and lunch dips/meats/cheeses/fruit.
I hope this has given you some ideas of the best things to do in Naxos! Let us know if you go!
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