Naxos, Greece: 12 Beautiful Experiences with Your Family
Discover unforgettable family adventures in Naxos, Greece. From exploring ancient ruins like the Temples of Apollo and Demeter to beautiful beach days at Agios Prokopios Beach, there’s something for everyone. Dive into turquoise waters, hike Mount Zas for breathtaking views, and soak in stunning sunsets—all for a memorable family vacation.
Temple of Apollo-Portara
This massive marble gate sits atop the islet of Palatia and is the most prominent landmark on the island, built in 530 BC. Make the evening pilgrimage to watch the sunset, be sure to go early as it’s a popular spot.
Temple of Demeter
About 25 minutes by car from Chora (or Naxos Town), near the village of Sangri, sits the temple of Demeter. The temple is made of Naxos marble which you can see all over the island and was built in the 6th Century BC. The temple was built to honour Demeter, goddess of the harvest. We paid a small fee at the site to access the temple and small museum. Plan for about an hour at the site..
Cedar Forest at Alyko Beach
About 25 minutes by car from Chora, check out the abandoned hotel that sits atop a beautiful vista and white dune beach and backs onto a juniper cedar forest (shrubs rather than large trees). We enjoyed the views and sought this place out for our art lovers, who enjoyed exploring the abandoned structure to see the amazing graffiti art hidden throughout. As to be expected with an abandoned building, there are some large holes in the floor, so be mindful of your surroundings. There are no facilities at this beach so bring your towel, snacks, and water.
Boat Trip & Snorkelling
We took a catamaran trip around the Island, snorkelled and swam in the turquoise ocean. I highly recommend Santa Maria Catamaran’s day cruise, which lasts about eight hours. The captain and crew were amazing and kept us entertained and well-fed with breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks. Depending on the weather, the cruise will visit several spots near Naxos for swimming and snorkelling before heading back to the Naxos Marina with a stop to see the Portara from the water.
Mount Zas
About 35 minutes by car from Chora, if you are interested in hiking, be sure to check out the spectacular views from Mount Zas. This out-and-back trail takes people around 3-4 hours and can be challenging. Unfortunately, the weather was too hot for us to tackle this one on our trip, maybe next time.
Agios Prokopios Beach
About 15 minutes by car from Chora the beach is also easily accessible by bus. This was by far our favourite spot for a beach day to swim and enjoy the warm turquoise water and white sand. Our vacation rental host was a wealth of information and pointed us to the best place to rent chairs on our favourite beach, where the locals go -Nikos Umbrellas. Nikos had the best price for loungers and umbrellas, and you could buy a variety of cold drinks. Parking was relatively easy on both days we visited and backed onto some interesting salt flats, a short 5-minute walk to the beach.
Archeological Museum
The Naxos Archaeological Museum is worth a visit to see some of the artifacts from the Cyclades, they have a lot of beautiful marble statues and the building itself is incredibly interesting, located at the top of Kastro Castle. The museum is free to enter but closes in the early afternoon so check it out in the morning.
Naxos (Kastro) Castle
The old Venetian town of Naxos (Chora) is built around the Kastro Castle. As you make your way to the top of the castle up the winding narrow pedestrian streets you will find the Archeological Museum, an old monastery, and beautiful churches. You can take an elevator to Avaton Café and Wine Bar, on the roof of the castle to enjoy the spectacular views. We spent many afternoons wandering around the maze of streets and every time found something new to explore.
Kouros
There are two sites on the Island of Naxos to take in the Kouros, giant fallen marble statues depicting young men. We visited the less touristy statues near Melanes. About 20 minutes from Chora there is a small parking area and then a short walk to the two statues. The second site is about an hour from Chora located in Apollonas.
Sunsets
We found the best sunsets of our Greek holiday on Naxos. Many make their way down to the Portara for its spectacular view. We also found amazing sunsets from the nearby beaches and even from the rooftop patio of our accommodation. Another popular spot is watching the sunset from the top of Kastro Castle at Avaton Café and Wine Bar.
Village Trails
Several well-maintained trails take you on a circular route through many of the villages on Naxos and are easily accessible by car or bus. Combine one with something you are interested in seeing like the Cave of Zas or the Melanes Kouros.
Visit a Neighbouring Island
There are many options from Naxos to visit the nearby Islands of Paros, Mykonos, Donoussa, and Delos. You can hire a boat, take a boat tour, or book a ferry, ideally one with direct service in the morning and evening. There are so many islands to choose from and it will depend on what you hope to do with your day. We wanted to make the most of swimming and snorkelling so decided on a catamaran boat trip around Naxos rather than spending our time ferrying to another island. Our compromise was a half day in Santorini as we left Naxos and headed to Crete.
