Today I’m sharing the our Naxos travel guide and the perfect 3 day Naxos itinerary. 

Last summer, we traveled to the UK and Greece. In the middle of the trip, we spent nine days in the Greek Islands. We split our time between a few islands: two nights in Santorini, four nights in Naxos, and three nights in Paros. 

This was our very first visit to Greece, a location I have been dreaming about since I was a kid (after all, what milleniel woman can forget the exact moment Lena Kaligaris stepped foot onto Santorini?!)

Overall, we had a fabulous experience and really loved all three islands, each one unique and magical in their own way. If you’re looking for a more detailed breakdown of our Greek islands itinerary and all of the travel logistics involved, visit this link. 

In today’s blog post, I’ll cover our time on the island of Naxos. I am going to share all of the details and FAQs about traveling to Naxos and all of my tips for planning a trip to this laidback, authentically Greek island. I’ll also walk through a straightforward 3 day Naxos interary and some tips for traveling to Naxos with kids. 

Naxos Travel Guide: The Perfect 3 Day Naxos Itinerary

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclade Islands and is known for its dream-worthy sandy beaches, ancient ruin sites, and mouth-watering Greek cuisine. 

Naxos island is effortlessly laidback and has a rugged, off-the-beaten path feel to it. In many ways, Naxos is the antithesis to glitzy and ultra-popular Santorini, whose narrow pathways are flooded with cruise passengers each day. Naxos is unpolished in the best way.

Is Naxos worth visiting? 

The “pros” of visiting Naxos are straightforward: it’s affordable, low-key, and known for its authentically Greek cuisine (don’t miss the famous Naxos gruyere cheese–so good!). The island is family-friendly and full of uncrowded, beautiful beaches. 

One of the biggest highlights and reasons we included Naxos in our Greek islands itinerary was the ancient ruin sites on the island. Since we decided to skip Athens this trip, we wanted to make sure to see as much of Greece’s ancient heritage as we could while on the islands. Between the Temple of Apollo of Apollo sparkling over the port in Naxos town and the Temple of Demeter up in the hills, Naxos gave us the chance to do just that. 

The only “con” to note is simply that Naxos, in contrast to Santorini and Paros, is decidedly unglamorous. 

Bottom line: if you’re planning a trip to the Greek islands and want a down-to-earth, authentic experience, Naxos is a wonderful choice. 

Naxos travel tips: 

When is the best time to visit Naxos? 

In a perfect world, the shoulder season is the best time to visit Naxos, meaning late May/early June or September, where you’ll enjoy nice weather without the summer crowds and blazing heat. We visited the Greek islands in June and had a great experience. 

Note: the Cyclades can get windy, especially in July and August. You’ll want to keep an eye on the forecast to plan accordingly. For example, the one really windy day we had on Naxos we decided to use to drive and explore the mountain villages rather than lay on the beach. 

Naxos vs. Paros 

In comparing it to the other islands we visited, Naxos is extremely low key. It didn’t get nearly as crowded as Santorini or even Paros, and the island felt calm everywhere we went.

Naxos is unpolished and unbothered and much more affordable than the other two islands as well. From lodging to beach chair rentals to restaurants, our money went way further in Naxos. 

How many days to spend in Naxos? 

My answer depends on what kind of trip you are planning. As discussed, Naxos is much more laid back than the other Greek Islands we visited, and it doesn’t have as much going on. You could definitely see the main sites in a day or two. That said, you could easily spend a week hopping around the small mountain towns and exploring all of the different gorgeous beaches. 

We spent four nights on Naxos which gave us three and a half days to relax and explore which was perfect for what we needed. 

How to get to Naxos

You can reach Naxos by plane or ferry. The flight from Athens takes 45 minutes and, if you book in advance, can be quite cheap. 

We took the ferry from Santorini on our trip. We spent a little more (around 60€ each) to book the direct ferry from Santorini to Naxos. The ride took an hour and ten minutes. We had a car with us for our entire trip, so we booked car ferries and drove right on and off–easy enough! 

Do you need a car in Naxos? 

On that note, I would definitely suggest renting a car in Naxos because everything is quite spread out. One of the biggest draws of visiting Naxos is the beaches, so you’ll want to be able to drive around to make the most of your time on the island. You could also consider an ATV. 

Where to stay in Naxos 

We stayed at the Kavos Hotel Naxos and absolutely LOVED it. This property is an easy ten minute drive from Naxos town and less than five minutes’ drive from the incredible Agios Prokopios Beach. 

Between the spacious apartments, gorgeous pool deck, and sweeping views of the Aegean Sea, the Kavos Hotel had everything we could wish for during our time in Naxos. This was such a beautiful property, and we found it well-priced too. The onsite restaurant was amazing, and we started every day in Naxos with breakfast by the pool. Dreamy and delicious! And the girls swam every morning too–they were in heaven. 

The only thing to note about the property is it is not exactly walkable. It’s around a 15 minute walk to the beach, but the road is narrow so not super safe with kids. That said, we had such a lovely stay and I definitely recommend it! 

Is Naxos kid friendly? 

We found Greece, like most places we’ve traveled to in Southern Europe, to be extremely kid friendly. Everyone we met was warm, welcoming, and so sweet to our kids (LOTS of comments about my belly too, lol).

The vibes are laid back in most restaurants, so we never felt like we were imposing on other guests. The beaches are calm and so fun for kids.

Lastly, it’s easy to find kid-friendly foods in Greece. Our girls ate lots of chicken, rice, and Greek salads. 

The only hard part about traveling in Greece with small kids is the travel logistics. It’s a big trek to get out to Greece–I was shocked that our flight from London to Santorini took 4 hours–and traveling between the islands can be tough too.

The ferries are a bit of a slog. They can feel a little claustrophobic at times, and it can be difficult to manage kiddos on those days. Our girls are a bit older now (4 and 6 on this trip), so they did fine, but it’s good to be aware. 

Naxos in particular, however, was super relaxing with our kids. It’s a great, easy-going family travel destination. We met a few other families at beaches, and our girls had a great time making friends. 

The Perfect 3 Day Naxos Itinerary 

We kept our Naxos itinerary pretty straightforward. At 27 weeks pregnant, I needed some rest time after a whirlwind week through London and Santorini, and my kids were craving long days at the beach. A win for everyone! 

In this 3 day Naxos itinerary, we’ll cover Naxos town and the Temple of Apollo, the mountain villages and the Temple of Demeter, and one of our favorite beaches we’ve been to in Europe. 

Day One: Explore Naxos town + Temple of Apollo 

In order to get a feel for the island, we are starting our 3 day Naxos itinerary in Naxos town, the island’s port and home to the Temple of Apollo ruin site. My husband put together a little walking agenda/tour for our day in Naxos town, so we were able to see all of the highlights and enjoy some yummy treats along the way. 

If you’re driving into Naxos town, there are a few parking lots in the town itself (we parked here).

First things first, make your way over to Naxos Bakery for some delicious pastries. 

Then, follow the waterfront over to the big stone walkway that leads to the Temple of Apollo (you can’t miss it). The walk out the Temple of Apollo is really beautiful (and windy!). Enjoy the pathway around the ruin and the sweeping views of Naxos island behind you. There is a beautiful calm cove on the way out to the Temple too if you have time for a quick swim.

We had a fabulous lunch at Taverna Naxos on the waterfront. This was such a fun meal and one of favorites in Greece.

We loved just wandering through Naxos town and the old castle area. When you’re ready for a drink, head to the rooftop bar at Aviation 1739. This charming cafe is perched on the roof of an old monastery building and provides gorgeous views of Naxos and the Aegean.

And if you need a sweet treat, make sure to leave room for an ice cream at Chou-Chouro.

Day Two: Relax at Agios Prokopios

All of our grand plans to hit every beach on the island came screeching to a halt the second we stepped foot onto Agios Prokopios Beach. This was one of our favorite beaches we’ve been to in all of Europe. 

With calm waves, crystal clear water, soft sand, and easy, cheap beach clubs, we were in heaven. I think we rented water-front chairs at the Macao beach club three different times during our time in Naxos and ordered lunch, dinner, and drinks. The food was amazing, and our kids had the time of their lives here. 

The chairs cost more the closer you get to the water. We thought it was worth it to pay 40 € for comfy chairs right on the water.

That’s one of my favorite things about Naxos: we had no issue getting chairs right on the water here, and even though the beach was busy, it never felt overcrowded. 

If you’re in the mood to drive and beach hunt, we also had Mikri Vigla Beach, Plaka Beach, and Hawaii Beach on our list. You might also consider renting a boat. 

For dinner on your second day, I recommend Giannoulis. This cozy, boisterous spot is a 10 minute drive from Naxos town and not far from Agios Prokopios. 

Day three: Drive to Chalkio and the Temple of Demeter

Today’s agenda will take us up into the mountain villages of Naxos and beyond for the most beautiful views on the island. 

Perched in the mountains of Naxos and nestled in beautiful olives groves, Chalkio is the quintessential Greek mountain village. Wander charming streets and explore quaint alleyways. There are tons of adorable shops and cafes–make sure to swing by this cafe for a slice of traditional cake. SO good.

If you have time, don’t miss the olive mill and tasting room.

After a morning in Chalkio, it’s time to head to Rotonda for lunch. This restaurant is incredible and has the COOLEST views of Naxos and the Aegean. Definitely make a reservation, and go hungry. This was such a memorable experience that we definitely recommend on any Naxos itinerary.

You can choose to visit the ancient Temple of Demeter or Zeus’s cave either before or after on your drive.

Thanks for checking out my Naxos itinerary and travel guide. I hope you have the best time, and please feel free to reach out directly to let me know how your trip to Greece goes! 

On that note…

My easy one day guide to Santorini 

Our Greek islands itinerary 

You can also check out all of my guides to Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and Croatia. Happy travels!

Greek islands packing list: