Best Beaches in Naxos: Sandy Shores, Shallow Bays, and Wind Kite Spots

Naxos has the best beaches in the Cyclades by a considerable margin — long, wide stretches of fine sand backed by shallow turquoise water, without the development intensity of Mykonos or the volcanic drama (and smallness) of Santorini’s beaches. The west coast runs almost continuously from Agios Georgios in the north down to Pyrgaki in the south, a distance of roughly 30km. Prices listed here are approximate as of 2026.

Agios Prokopios

Agios Prokopios sits about 6km south of Naxos Town and is the most organised beach on the island — a wide curve of pale sand with calm, crystal-clear water, sunbed rental, several beach bars, and a good range of restaurants immediately behind the beach.

Sunbed sets cost approximately €10–15 as of 2026. The northern section near the beach entrance gets busiest; walking south a few minutes gives more space. Water sports including paddleboarding, canoes, and pedalos are available from operators on the beach.

The beach is served by KTEL bus from Naxos Town (approximately €1.80 each way, 15 minutes). In July and August arrive before 10am to secure a good position.

Agios Georgios

The closest beach to Naxos Town — a gentle curve of sand starting from the edge of Chora, walkable from the main square in about 15 minutes. Agios Georgios is family-friendly: the water is shallow for a long stretch, sheltered from the main Meltemi wind, and there are cafes and tavernas within easy reach.

It is not the most beautiful beach on the island and gets busy with town visitors, but the convenience is unmatched — a useful evening swim after a day of sightseeing rather than a destination beach. Sunbeds available; free sections exist at the north end near the causeway.

Plaka

Plaka is the longest beach on Naxos, stretching approximately 5km of fine, pale sand backed by sand dunes and tamarisk trees. The northern end merges with Agios Prokopios; the southern end becomes progressively quieter and less organised.

Facilities thin out as you move south — the main beach bars and sunbeds are concentrated at the northern half. The southern end of Plaka, where it meets Kastraki, is favoured by kite surfers when wind conditions are right. Water is shallow and clear throughout.

Plaka is accessible by bus (the same Agios Prokopios service continues here) or by hire car. The undeveloped stretch in the middle is the best compromise between facilities and space.

Kastraki

South of Plaka, Kastraki is a long wild beach backed by low dunes with limited facilities. The character shifts toward a more self-sufficient experience: fewer sunbeds, no beach bar infrastructure, but also fewer people and a more natural setting. A couple of small tavernas operate in summer near the car park.

Wind conditions at Kastraki are stronger than Agios Prokopios — reasonable swimmers rather than beginners are better suited here. Hire car is the practical transport option; the bus does not reliably serve this section.

Mikri Vigla

Mikri Vigla is Naxos’s dedicated wind sports beach — a promontory dividing a calmer bay on the north side from a more exposed windy bay on the south. The southern bay is where Naxos Surf Club (one of the most established water sports centres in Greece) operates. Windsurfing and kite surfing lessons from approximately €60–80 per session, equipment hire separately, as of 2026.

The northern bay is calmer and has sunbeds and a small beach bar. Non-sporty visitors can swim comfortably here while more energetic ones kite surf in view. Getting to Mikri Vigla requires a hire car — the road is unpaved for the last section but passable in a standard car.

Alyko

Alyko is on the south-west coast and is the most distinctive beach environment on Naxos — a series of small sandy coves in a bay backed by dense cedar forest, with the ruins of an unfinished Club Méditerranée complex from the 1980s visible in the trees (construction halted after a legal dispute and the ruins remain).

The beach itself has minimal facilities: no sunbeds, no beach bar in the main cove. Bring water, shade, and food. The water is clear and calm. The cedar forest provides natural shade and the atmosphere is genuinely different from the organised beaches further north.

Getting there requires a hire car. Visit in the morning before the day-trippers arrive from the organised beaches — it can get surprisingly busy by early afternoon in peak season despite the absence of facilities.

Pyrgaki

At the far southern end of the west coast, Pyrgaki is the most remote of the main Naxos beaches. It involves more driving but the reward is an uncrowded sandy beach with clear water and a small taverna operating in season.

Works best as a combination stop — drive south through Alyko and Pyrgaki in one direction then return via the interior mountain villages. Allow a full day.

Getting Between Beaches

The KTEL bus from Naxos Town serves Agios Georgios, Agios Prokopios, and Plaka at reasonable frequency in summer (approximately €1.80–2.50 per trip). For Kastraki, Mikri Vigla, Alyko, and Pyrgaki, a hire car or scooter is the only practical option. Car hire from operators in Naxos Town costs approximately €35–55 per day as of 2026; scooters from approximately €20–30.