Where to Stay in Naxos: 2026 Neighborhood Guide

If you are researching where to stay in Naxos, then you are already in a very good place, as Naxos is a very unique Greek island that never gets too touristic or crowded, with so many good areas to stay.

Hopefully, my guide will help you decide the best place to stay on Naxos Island in Greece, but you should understand that the island is pretty big, and my advice would be to rent a car to move around.

Naxos is the 10th largest Greek island (in area) and the largest in the Cyclades group of islands, and it’s one of my favourite islands since I first visited it. So, this is where to stay in Naxos (Jump quickly with the links below or keep reading):

• Best Place To Stay In Naxos (Overall)
• For the First Time
• With Family
• For Couples
• For Seniors
• For Nightlife
• For Beaches
• For Winter
• For Budget Hotels
• Without a Car

Because Naxos is so big, the place and the area you will stay in on the island can make or break your holidays on this very beautiful Greek island.

Where to go in Naxos

Naxos is a relatively big Greek island, but it’s not that developed or spoiled in my opinion, which makes it ideal. Santorini, Mykonos, or even Paros have all seen much more tourism development in recent years, but Naxos has remained relatively as it used to be 10 or 20 years ago.

The great thing about Naxos is that it doesn’t have a super expensive area (like Santorini has Oia, for example) and then less expensive areas, so most hotels are located either in or around Naxos Chora (the capital of the island) and in the beautiful long and wide beaches south of Chora (Kastraki, Agios Prodromos, Plaka, Agia Anna etc)

So, to put it simply, this is my advice on where to stay in Naxos:

• If you want the vibes, the nightlife, the restaurants, and the main transport hub, stay in or around Naxos Town.

• If you want the beach life and some more family-friendly options, stay in Stelida, Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, Plaka, Agios Georgios, or Kastraki

• If, on the other hand, you want a quieter area up in the mountains, stay in the super cuteApeiranthos village.

I strongly suggest you rent a car in Naxos because it’s a big island, and you’d better be flexible if you want to explore it in the most efficient way and be as flexible as possible. However, the local buses are pretty reliable and can take you to most areas on the island.

Keep reading…

VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOWABOUT NAXOS:

Best Place To Stay In Naxos (overall)

The best place to stay in Naxos is Naxos Town (or Chora) because it has the best vibes overall, the best restaurants, and the best nightlife on the island. On top of that, it is also a 10-minute drive from the best beaches in Naxos, such as Agia Anna, Plaka, and Kastraki.

The best restaurants in Naxos are also located in Naxos Town, but there are a few more scattered all over the island, to be honest. However, Naxos Town is not as cute as other Cyclades islands’ capital towns, such as Fira, Mykonos Town, or even Parikia, but it is very well connected to the rest of the island, and it has the best vibes overall and the most available options when it comes to accommodation.

BEST HOTEL IN NAXOS TOWN (CHORA):Arco Naxos

Naxos Town or beach?

Naxos Town is the capital of Naxos and the main transportation hub for the island. This is also the main port of Naxos, with all ferries departing and arriving on an hourly basis in the summer months (Highspeed, BlueStar, Seajet Ferries).

All the beachside areas, such as Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Plaka, Kastraki, Agios Georgios, and Mikri Vigla, on the other hand, are ideal for beach life and being close to beach restaurants and beach bars if that’s what you are looking for.

Stay in Naxos Town (Chora) if:

• You are visiting any month between November and April, as most other places on the island will be deserted and closed (all beachside businesses are open only between May and October)

• You generally want more budget-friendly options in accommodation

• You don’t have a car, and you will be taking the Naxos local bus to move around

On the other hand, if you want to stay close to a beautiful sandy beach with lovely tavernas and beach bars on your doorstep, you should stay in Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Kastraki, Plaka, or Mikri Vigla

Stay in Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Kastraki, Agios Georgios, or Mikri Vigla if:

• You want to be as close as possible to long and sandy beaches

• You are a family with kids

• You want to experience the best sunsets on the island

BEST HOTEL IN NAXOS TOWN:Arco Naxos
BEST BEACH HOTEL IN NAXOS: Iria Beach Art

Best Place for First Time in Naxos

In my opinion, Naxos Town, which is the capital of the island, is ideal for people visiting Naxos for the first time, as it will give you the opportunity to be where all the vibes are and also allow you to visit the western beaches of the island much quicker.

Naxos Town is not the most picturesque Cyclades capital as I have previously said, but it ticks many boxes when it comes to first timers, and it has everything, from good restaurants, budget-friendly hotels, and the best nightlife of the island.

Where to Stay in Naxos With Family and Kids

Being a father to two lovely (but very cheeky) girls has taught me one thing: the best playground in the world is a beach! The closer you are to a beach in Greece, the better time your kids will have on holiday.

If you are anything like me and you are visiting Naxos with your young kids, then staying close to a beach is the best thing you can do. I recommend the southwest beaches, such as Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Plaka, Agios Georgios, Kastraki, and Mikri Vigla.

BEST FAMILY HOTEL IN NAXOS:Nissaki Beach

Best Place for Couples in Naxos

The great thing about Naxos island is that it is ideal for many occasions, and visiting the island with your other half is one of them, as it never gets too crowded.

If you are looking to get away from the crowds of Santorini and Mykonos, then Naxos can be the perfect island, as it ticks every single box for a couple, in my opinion. There are quite a lot of things for a couple to do on the island, and because it’s a fairly big island, it’s very diverse.

You may only know the Santorini wineries, but you’d be surprised to know that Naxos is home to two incredible wineries (Terra Grazia and Saint Anna) that are ideal for a couple’s visit while on the island. But apart from the wineries, the sunsets and the restaurants of Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios are super romantic and relaxing without being overly touristic.

Finally, my favourite spot on the island is Apeiranthos village, which has been voted one of the cutest villages in Greece many times throughout the years.

BEST HOTEL FOR COUPLES IN NAXOS:Milestones

Best Place for Seniors in Naxos

I strongly believe that Naxos is ideal for seniors and old couples’ holidays because its towns are flat overall, it has great amenities and restaurants (mostly in or around Naxos Town) without being extremely busy and crowded, such as Santorini or Mykonos.

It is also ideal for middle-aged couples looking to get away from the tourist crowds of the other Greek islands as it can be driven easily, it has great food, it has its own domestic flights airport and it has excellent amenities overall with super cute villages and some of teh best beaches on any Greek island.

BEST HOTEL FOR OLD COUPLES IN NAXOS:Nissaki Beach

Best Place for Nightlife

The best place for nightlife in Naxos is Naxos Town (or Chora) as it’s the place with pretty much 99% of the nightlife of the island.

There are a few beach clubs and beach bars in the seaside areas of Agia Anna or Agios Prokopios, but if you are looking to be close to all the night action, you have to stay in Naxos Town. To be honest, Naxos is not an island famous for its parties and clubs, but some really cute bars and cocktail bars in the capital town of the island will make a good night out.

BEST HOTEL IN NAXOS TOWN:Arco Naxos

Best Place for Beaches in Naxos

Hands down, the best area in Naxos to enjoy the amazing crystal clear waters and the lovely golden sand is either the southwest side of the island or the areas such as Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Plaka, Agios Georgios, Kastraki, and Mikri Vigla.

Overall, the island is home to some of the best beaches in the Cyclades, and if you have a car, you could even visit the more remote ones, such as Apollonas or Azala.

BEST BEACH HOTEL IN NAXOS:Iria Beach Art

Best Place for the Winter in Naxos

The best place to stay in Naxos during the winter or low season months of November, December, January, February, March, and April is without a doubt Naxos Town (or Chora).

The main reason for that is that this is pretty much the only place that stays busy during the winter months.

Winter in Naxos is considered the following months: November, December, January, February, March, and April

You won’t be able to swim in the sea if you are visiting Naxos in any of these months. The seawater will be too cold for most people’s standards.

So, the best thing you can do is stay in the liveliest town, which is, by far, Naxos Town (Chora). There will still be open restaurants and hotels all year round in Naxos Town.

The great thing about winter in Naxos (and in every Greek island, to be honest) is that you can expect to pay far less for your accommodation as prices are considerably lower.

The other benefit is also the fact that most areas will be really quiet with not that many people around.

But the weather can be windy and cold (5 degrees Celsius, for example), though it might be sunny!

BEST HOTEL IN NAXOS TOWN:Arco Naxos

Best Place for Budget Hotels in Naxos

If you are looking for more affordable (but decent and clean) hotels in Naxos Island, then you should stay in Naxos Town anyway.

Overall, Naxos Town has the most hotel options, but you may find some cheaper hotels anywhere on the island or even up in the mountains in Apeiranthos or Filoti, as these are villages that are less touristic but also very remote.

BEST BUDGET HOTEL IN NAXOS:Spiros Hotel

Best Place in Naxos Without A Car

Driving on any Greek island can be challenging with lots of unexpected obstacles (donkeys, horses, ATV’s or even other drivers) and increased difficulty as you may have to drive on very narrow roads with old asphalt and minimum side protection.

So, if you don’t want to drive at all in Naxos, then you should stay in Naxos Town because it is generally close to the beaches on the west side and also the main transportation hub of the island, with all local buses and available taxis ready to take you pretty much anywhere on the island.

If you stay in Naxos Town, you can even walk 20 minutes and visit the nearest (and very good) beach of Agios Georgios, or if you dare, walk for about 1 hour to get to Agios Prokopios (I do not recommend that during the summer heat though but it’s still doable).

Naxos is one of my favourite islands because it ticks many boxes and it is never as busy as some other Greek islands with overtourism nowadays (I am looking at you, Santorini and Mykonos). There is a general relaxing, family-friendly, and slow vibe all over the island that also has some of the best food in Cyclades (forget seafood in Naxos and go straight to lamb and beef plates…you can thank me later).

Frequently Asked Questions