A few words on Naxos Island - Naxos Island Beaches

NAXOS BEACHES

Plaka beach - Naxos

The small tourist resort of Plaka is the effect of the rapid tourist development of the area during the last few years. The settlement is situated around the homonymous beach, within an open cove at the middle of the western coast of the island, some 10 kilometers far away from the town of Naxos (Chora) at the South.

At the outset of your way from the beach to the inland, you will see some impressive rock formations of high geological interest. Going on, towards the small village of Byblos, you will see the church of Aghios Matthaios (St. Matthew), built on the place of an earlier one, as it is indicated by the architectural parts of ancient buildings scattered around. Very close to the church you may see the ruins of an ancient defensive tower, the Palaeopyrgos (“old tower” in Greek). A local, quite romantic tradition states that the tower belonged to a princess who, after the loss of her beloved man settled here and became a witch.

Agia Anna

The scenic tourist coastal settlement of Aghia Anna surrounds the homonymous beautiful and exotic beach with the cedar wood. It is situated at a distance of 6,5 kilometers southern to the town of Naxos, just after Aghios Procopios. At the end of the beach there is a small jetty for mooring of small tourist and fishing boats.

Agiassos

The tiny summer resort of Aghiassos is situated at a distance of 21, 5 kilometers southeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora) and surrounds the homonymous sandy beach. It counts less than 150 permanent residents, who use tο say that it is here that Sanoudos, the duke of Naxos in the 13th century, disembarked when he came to take possession of Naxos, after the Francs of the 4th Crusade had conquered Constantinople, in 1204.


Access to the beach is possible only by private means and it is not very comfortable, as you may reach the place only via two dirt roads, one from Pyrgaki (some 3 kilometers to the Northwest) and the other from Sangri (some 12 kilometers to the South). If you don’t mind the dust and the few difficulties of the dirt road, where you will drive for less than half an hour, you will certainly be rewarded for your idea to come to this place.

Aghios Georgios
The tourist settlement of Aghios Georgios has been developed in the last few years around the homonymous popular beach, situated very close to the town of Naxos (Chora) at the South.

Agios Prokopios
The coastal tourist resort of Aghios Procopios is situated only some 5,5 kilometers far from the town of Naxos (Chora), at the center of the western coast of the island, within a nice natural environment and excellent view both of the inland and of the sea. The village counts some 250 permanent residents.

Apart from the nice view, the beach of Aghios Procopios, one of the best organized beaches of the island, with thick coarse sand and crystal clear turquoise sea, is excellent for swimming, sunbathing and sea sports. All these pros make this beach one of the favorite choices of the visitors of Naxos, mainly of young people.

Once in the settlement, you may visit the tiny church of Aghios Procopios, after which the settlement has been named. Close enough to the church it is situated the well known tourist resort of Stelida. You may also go to “Kokkini Limni” (“the red lake”), an area on the beach that used to be a salt pan; there, if you are lucky enough, you may watch the herons which stop here for a while, before continuing their long journey to Africa.

If you are around during the first days of July, don’t miss to attend the local religious feast, taking place on the 8th of July, in honor of Aghios Procopios.

Abraam

The tiny coastal tourist resort of Abrami has been recently established around the homonymous beach, within a small cove at the northwestern coast of the island. The settlement is found some 20 kilometers northeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora).

Apollonas
Apollonas is a beautiful fishing village in the northeastern part of the island. It has a long beach which combines pebbles with sand. Apollonas, the seaport of Koronida, used to be the summer holidays resort of Naxos; today, it continues to live on tourism maintaining though its traditional character and picturesque beauty.

The well known scenic coastal village of Apollonas is situated at a distance of 35,5 kilometers northeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora), within a lovely small cove with a nice beach, at the northeastern coast of the island. It counts some 100 permanent residents. The small port of the settlement is available for mooring of small tourist and fishing boats.

Kastraki

The small tourist resort of Kastraki (“small castle” in Greek) is situated at a distance of some 15,5 kilometers southern to the town of Naxos (Chora), at the southern part of the western coast of the island. The settlement counts more than 165 permanent residents.


You will swim at the long (more than 3 kilometers) beach in front of the settlement with the fine white sand and the crystal clear turquoise sea. There are nice rocks in parts, which form secluded small coves, where you may enjoy the sea almost alone; a place suitable also for naturists. The beach of Kastraki is successive to that of Mikri Vigla and it is equally affected by the strong winds in summer. You may also swim at the next beach, that of Glyfada.

At a distance of less than 2 kilometers eastern to the settlement you may visit the Venetian castle “Pyrgos Oskelou”. Traces of a Mycenaean acropolis are still visible on a site close to the village.

Lionas
Lionas is a small coastal village, very scenic, situated at the impressive northeastern coast of the island, at a distance of 38 kilometers northeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora) and 6 kilometers from Koronas, also at the northeast. It is from the small port of this village that the emery mined on the island was exported to the industrial centers of Europe. Today the settlement counts some more than 100 permanent residents.

Once at Lionas, don’t miss to visit the church of Aghios Georgios (St. George); at the Center for the coastal environment, housed at the “tarsanas”, the medieval shipyard, recently renovated, you will get information about the coastal and marine environment and the activities carried out to protect it. At the site “Avdeli”, close enough to the Early Cycladic tombs, you may see the secluded small church of Panaghia Avdeliotissa, dedicated to Virgin Mary. On your way back, before arriving to Koronas, you may visit the Museum of Emery found at the Industrial Park of the Emery mines, see the galleries and learn how mining was carried out during the 19th century.

Mikri Vigla
The coastal tourist resort of Mikri Vigla is situated some 16,5 kilometers southern to the town of Naxos (Chora), at the western coast of the island. The settlement counts less than 100 permanent residents.

Moutsouna
The scenic fishermen’s village of Moutsouna is situated some 37 kilometers eastern to Chora, at the eastern coast of the island; its natural port serves as the port of Apeiranthos. Numerous people visit the village in summer. The few visitors who decide to stay here are rewarded with a nice and calm environment to live in. The village counts less than 100 permanent residents.

At a distance of 8 kilometers southern to Moutsouna it is worth visiting Psili Ammos (“fine sand” in Greek), a very nice summer resort with an excellent sandy beach with fine sand, after which the area has been named. Another 4,5 kilometers to the South you will find the coastal settlement of Kleido, within a small cove, with a nice sandy beach facing the island of Pano Koufonissi. Farer away to the South there is the scenic secluded cove of Panormos, with the nice sandy beach, ideal for those wishing to avoid the popular, crowded and noisy beaches. Once there, you may also see the traces of a prehistoric acropolis situated on a low hill close to the beach.

Orkos

The sandy beach of Orkos is situated at a distance of 12 kilometers southern to the town of Naxos (Chora), just after the well known beach of Plaka. The beach is in fact a series of tiny, cute creeks, offering calmness and a wonderful sea to those who choose to come here. The area around is also lovely and scenic, with low colorful hills contrasting to the blue sea and the sand and with the locals to pass by leading their donkeys and mules.


Sahara
The nice and quiet sandy beach of Sahara is situated at the western coast of the island, very close to the noisy and cosmopolitan beach of Mikri Vigla, some 16 kilometers far from the town of Naxos (Chora), at the South.


The beach is rather organized with facilities for swimming, sunbathing and sea sports, mainly windsurfing; the weather conditions usually are ideal for this sport. The beach is also a favorite choice for the fans of snorkeling, who consider this place one of the best for this sport.

Parthenos

The excellent sandy beach of Parthenos (meaning “virgin” in Greek) is situated beside the tourist resort of Mikri Vigla; a lovely rock with nice view separates this beach from that of Mikri Vigla. The beach is situated at the western coast of the island, some 16,5 kilometers far from the town of Naxos (Chora).

The beach is well organized and offers facilities for swimming, sunbathing and sea sports, mainly windsurfing, for which the place is ideal, thanks to the weather conditions. The beach is wonderful and scenic, with fine white sand and crystal clear and clean sea.

Alyko
The beach of Alyko is situated within a small cove, protected from the northern winds, at the southwestern coast of the island, some 14 kilometers southern to the town of Naxos (Chora).
This nice beach is not organized, but is found very close to resorts with accommodation and other facilities. It is one of the best choices of those who prefer a quiet beach, but also wish to be in close distance from the tourist facilities offered in Chora and the cosmopolitan tourist resorts of the island.

Pyrgaki

The scenic beach of Pyrgaki is situated within a small cove, well protected from the northern winds, at the southwestern coast of the island, some 18 kilometers far from the town of Naxos (Chora) at the South.

This huge sandy beach is not organized, but it is found very close to tourist resorts with accommodation and other facilities. It is a lovely beach, one of the best choices for those wishing to enjoy swimming at an excellent, quiet enough beach, without being too far from the facilities offered in the tourist resorts and in Chora. The beach gives to the visitor a somehow exotic impression, thanks to the dunes and the perennial cedar trees which form a small wood by the sea. It is certainly an unusual environment, which recalls the Mediterranean coasts of Africa, rather than a typical beach of the Aegean Sea.

Amites

The beach of Amites is found at the northwestern coast of the island, some 10 kilometers far from the town of Naxos (Chora) at the Northeast, after the villages Galene and Engares.

This nice beach is not fully organized, but being close enough to Chora, all facilities are available. It is the choice of those wishing to avoid big crowds and the noisy beaches of the popular tourist resorts of the area.

Psili Ammos
The tiny sandy beach of Psili Ammos (“fine sand” in Greek) is situated within a creek at the eastern coast of the island, at a distance of 45 kilometers southeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora).
It is a lovely beach, not organized at all, with fine sand and crystal clear sea.

Kalados

The sandy beach of Kalandos is situated within a small cove, well protected from the northern winds, at the very southern end of the island, 42 kilometers southeastern to the town of Naxos (Chora).

It is an excellent beach, not organized at all, with nice sand and crystal clear sea, an ideal choice for those looking for a more secluded environment for their swimming. If you decide to come here, don’t forget to bring the necessary provisions along, as the closest store where you can buy something is found 24 kilometers far away.