Where to Stay in Naxos in 2023 | Best Areas & Hotels

You’ve already visited Paros, Corfu, Mykonos, or Crete, but you’re still craving more? Don’t forget about Naxos, the largest island in the so-called Cyclades, which offers a great combination of historical landmarks and beautiful sandy beaches.

If you’ve already made your decision, this guide is here to help you decide where to stay in Naxos.

But if you’re still hesitating and wondering about whether the trip is worth your time, we hope that our insight will have you buying tickets to this picturesque island the next morning — it’s worth it!

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The Best Parts of the Island

Having said that, it’s likely that you’ll spend most of the time on the west coast of the island since most of the popular villages, cities, and accommodations are located there. All three places covered in our guide are close to each other — from north to south.

Whatever location you choose as your permanent residence, you can visit the other two in no time without breaking a sweat, as public transport is quite developed in Naxos.

1. Naxos Town (Chora): The capital of Naxos is probably the best choice for first-time travelers to the islands since it offers plenty of historical landmarks, a great beach, and some decent shopping options.
2. Agios Prokopios and Stelida: The two small villages located around three miles from the capital offer a contrasting pair — Agios Prokopios is crowded and popular, and Stelida is calm and relaxing.
3. Plaka: Boasting the largest and longest beach on Naxos, it also offers some interesting and important historical landmarks nearby and plenty of accommodation of all types and price ranges.

Where to Stay in Naxos: Best Areas & Hotels

Naxos may not be as popular and sought-after as the other larger and more advertised Greek islands, but it’s still an island on the Aegean Sea, and we know what that means — plenty of tourists from around the world.

That’s why the island is packed with hotels and apartments. We can’t say which place on the island is luxurious, which is mid-range, or which is cheap — all of them are quite versatile in what they offer.

The best and most expensive hotels, obviously, are located on some of the most popular beaches and generally near the sea.

Concerning the budget and the mid-range options, you can find cheap apartments and hotels in every area covered in our guide. However, as we mentioned, it’s the western side of the island that’s the focal point in terms of tourism.

You won’t find much elsewhere, as the inland is also practically “barren,” at least from the aspect of urbanization and tourist infrastructure. Natural beauty does abound, though.  

1. Naxos Town (Chora)

If you want to stay in the very tourist hub of the island with the largest port, a charming Old Town, plenty of historical landmarks, and some of the best beaches on the island, Naxos Town, also known as Chora, is the right place for you.

It’s quite an easy choice to say that it’s the most suitable place for the start of your Naxos adventure and the perfect choice for first-time visitors to the island.

Why is that so? The answer to that question is quite extensive since Chora basically has it all.

The first thing you should do is stroll the interconnected maze of streets, visit the beautiful (and large) historic harbor, and take a look at the Venetian and Greek architecture of the city. A stroll through the Old Town is also a must-do.

Concerning the things you simply have to see, here’s a list of priorities:

• The Temple of Apollo – Portara
• Glezos Tower (or Castle)
• Roman Catholic Cathedral
• Archeological Museum
• Venetian Museum
• Della Rocca-Barozzi Venetian Museum

Next come the beaches, and there are plenty of them in Naxos Town. Saint George Beach is definitely one of the best ones on the island, located a little to the south of the Old Town.

But there’s one other less popular beach, albeit just as scenic, located on the other side of the city — Grotta Beach. Finally, if you want to do some shopping, Protodikiou Square (Plateia Petroi Evipaioi) is the most suitable place for that since it’s the real commercial center of the city.

In terms of accommodation options and restaurants, Naxos Town can’t get any better. There are plenty of hotels and apartments of every size, quality, and price range.

The same holds for the restaurants, with numerous traditional and fast food Greek and seafood eateries. All in all, there’s hardly a more complete, all-around place in the wider Greek islands.

Things to Do

• It’s no secret that most of the tourists come to Naxos (and Naxos Town) because of the beautiful sandy beaches on the Aegean Sea. Saint George Beach is so good and popular that you can find many guides which present it as a separate area. The best beach in this area is just 10 minutes from the center of the city. If you prefer something more quiet and private, there’s only one other in the area around the city: namely, the less famous Grotta Beach.
• If you’re a fan of museums and you just want to find out everything you can about Naxos, make sure you visit the great institutions that the city has to offer. Here they are, listed in no particular order:
  • The Archeological Museum holds the oldest sculptures in Greece.
  • The Venetian Museum, located in a typical Kastro house.
  • Naxos Folk Museum is about the traditions on the island.
  • Mitropolis On-site Museum is about Cycladian culture.
  • Iakovos Campanellis Theater Museum is dedicated to the famous writer born in Naxos.
• If, on the other hand, you find the atmosphere in the museums claustrophobic and strangling to both you and the history, don’t worry — Naxos Town is perfect for strolling. First, make sure you visit the Old Town and check every nook and corner in its old streets. Second, take a walk to The Temple of Apollo – Portara, the door of the unfinished temple of Apollo from 530 BC. Finally, go to Glezos Tower, the medieval Venetian Castle, which is a constant witness to the multicultural roots of the Greek islands.
• Finally, forget about history and enjoy all the pleasures that only the Greek Mediterranean has to offer. Wait for the sun to set and take a stroll to the Port of Naxos, the largest port on the island. This part of the city comes alive at night and is an experience unto itself. If you get tired, grab a refreshment or a hearty meal at one of the numerous cafes and restaurants in the area.

Where to Eat

• Sarris Tavern is a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant that specializes in seafood and other healthy food. A 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection located near the beachfront, it’s mostly famous for the fish soup and the sea bass, as well as other recognizable seafood specialties. The prices are also reasonable.
• Nostimon Hellas is a traditional and healthy Greek and Mediterranean restaurant and yet another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. Located in the center of the city, it offers all the traditional recipes that Greek cuisine is mostly known for, like the lamb meatballs, many types of fish, and plenty of salads.
• To Souvlaki tou Maki is the perfect place if you want to grab a quick meaty bite but don’t particularly want to go to a traditional restaurant. A souvlaki and gyro fast food and yet another 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, the place offers one of the best prepared traditional meat in all of Naxos at a fairly low price.

Naxos Town (Chora) Budget Hotels

• Alenor City Hotel is a cheap two-star hotel located around 300 meters from the famous Agios Georgios Beach, a little further off from the center of Naxos Town. The hotel boasts a nice garden, free parking and free Wi-Fi, and rooms with air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and private bathrooms. There’s a free airport shuttle available, too.
• Hotel Sagterra is another relatively cheap two-star accommodation located 400 meters from both Agios Georgios Beach and the city center of Naxos. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi but no parking. There are non-smoking family rooms furnished with all the amenities, a gorgeous outdoor swimming pool, and a continental breakfast in the morning.

Naxos Town (Chora) Mid-Range Hotels

• Lygdamis Hotel is a beautiful and all-clad-in-white three-star hotel located within walking distance from the beach of St. George. It’s also very near to Naxos Old Town. The hotel has free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, a nice rooftop with a great view of the Aegean Sea, and 10 rooms furnished in a traditional Cycladic style. It also provides an airport shuttle.
• Princess Of Naxos is another very nice three-star hotel with a perfect location between the beachfront and the historic center of Naxos Town. Apart from the free airport shuttle on request, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool with sunbeds, free parking and free Wi-Fi, and room service throughout the day.

Naxos Town (Chora) Luxury Hotels

• Alkyoni Beach Hotel is a very nice and luxurious four-star hotel located on St. George’s Beach, just ten minutes from Naxos Old Town. Its decorations and design are inspired by traditional Cycladic architecture, and it offers an outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. As you’d expect, there’s also free Wi-Fi, free parking, and a very tasty breakfast in the morning.
• Argo Boutique Hotel is a great family-owned four-star hotel located in a more quiet part of Naxos Town, merely 50 meters from the beach and no more than 400 meters from the center of the city. It has all the amenities you’d expect from a hotel of this stature, namely an outdoor swimming pool, a spa and wellness center, and a bar and restaurant.

See All Hotels in Naxos

2. Agios Prokopios and Stelida

Agios Prokopios and Stelida are two small villages located around three kilometers from Naxos Town.

If the capital of Naxos offered an interesting mix of culture and nature and a vacation full of both learning and relaxing, these two small island villages are all about the sea, the beaches, and the restaurants.

With the exception of the archeological richness of Stelida, they are perfectly suitable for those visitors who want to have a relaxing Greek vacation with a lot of swimming, burning on the beach, and savoring the traditional Naxos cuisine.

There isn’t much to say about Agios Prokopios aside from the obvious. The beaches are golden, sandy, and very comfortable; the sea is unbelievably blue and clear but also very shallow, making it a perfect location for a kid-friendly family holiday.

Agios Prokopios — together with Saint George Beach — is definitely one of the most popular places for tourists that come to visit Naxos. It’s always full of people, the beaches and the restaurants are crowded, and the energy level is very high.

There are plenty of accommodation options, too, with some of the best and most expensive five-star hotels on the island. Stelida, on the other hand, is a different story.

The small village is usually bypassed in favor of more attractive places like Agios Prokopios or Agios Georgios.

An up-and-coming place still waiting for its star to shine, it’s the complete opposite of Agios Prokopios: calm, relaxed, and even quiet — with as beautiful sand and water as any place in Naxos.

It’s also quite rich in archaeological finds, many of them stashed at the Archeological Museum in Naxos town.

In terms of accommodation options, both places are equal and even better to some extent than Naxos Town. Both villages are packed with hotels of all types, sizes, and price ranges, perfectly suitable for any kind of traveler.

Things to Do

• The best thing you could do — no matter if you’re staying in Agios Prokopios or in Stelida — is spend plenty of time on the beaches. Obviously, the best one in the area is Agios Prokopios Beach, a sandy beach with crystal-clear shallow water and plenty of sunbeds, umbrellas, and beach bars. Maragas Beach is a little bit to the south, with a lot of trees, white rock formations, and a beautiful church nearby. Finally, the third one is Paralia Kleftonisia, the least popular of all but also rather charming.
• Agios Prokopios and Stelida are typical Greek villages, and that definitely means at least one thing — a lot of great seafood restaurants. The Aegean Sea is famous for its clean water full of fish and different kinds of seafood. To cut to the chase, here are the best seafood restaurant in these two villages:
  • Avli
  • Apanemi Town
  • Spiros Restaurant
  • Spiros Anesis Restaurant
  • Deoudas
  • Ostria Cafe Restaurant
• The beaches are not the only place for water-related activities in Agios Prokopios and Stelida. Aqua Fun, for example, is a conventional yet beautiful family-friendly water park with plenty of water slides and pools. There’s also a restaurant and bar. In a few words, it’s a great place to bring your family and your kids. If you prefer something more adrenaline-fueled made for adults, check out Laguna Beach Park, the premier windsurfing location in this part of the island.
• As we mentioned a few times, Agios Prokopios and Stelida are very close to each other, but they’re also close to many other similar small villages in the area. One of those places is Agia Anna. You can reach it in a few minutes by car, and it offers the beautiful sandy Agia Anna Beach, a small harbor that offers great cruises by boat (Jason Daily Cruises), and a small Orthodox Greek chapel — Chapel of Agios Nikolaos, overlooking the sea.

Where to Eat

• Traditional Greek Tavern Giannoulis is a traditional family-owned Greek restaurant that bases its menu on local and fresh ingredients prepared according to the recipes of Naxos. The seafood is fresh and very tasty, and so is the meat. The place is especially suitable for a glass (or two) of wine, ouzo, or raki.
• Del Mar Cafe is proof that not everything in Naxos is about seafood and traditional Greek food. We are talking about a relaxing and down-to-earth cafe with a beautiful view of the Aegean Sea, plenty of coffee and dessert options, a lot of fruit, and one of the best places to have breakfast before you hit the beaches.
• Stelida Restaurant is a beautiful, romantic poolside, European, Mediterranean, and seafood restaurant located in the small village of Stelida. Offering high quality and fresh seafood, as well as many other options, the place likely has the best service in this part of Naxos. The prices are sensible, too.

Agios Prokopios and Stelida Budget Hotels

• Hotel Francesca is a very cheap two-star hotel with a great location: only 100 meters from Agios Prokopios Beach, two miles from Naxos Airport, and three and a half miles from Naxos Town. The hotel has a swimming pool, the rooms boast a small kitchenette, and there’s a nice balcony with a great view of the garden.
• Hotel Semeli is a perfect choice if you want to save some money but also want to stay in a hotel that’s furnished in the Cycladic traditional style. This two-star hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, all the usual amenities, and a sweet location close to many shops, taverns, and the beach.

Agios Prokopios and Stelida Mid-Range Hotels

• Proteas Hotel & Suites is a three-star hotel and another accommodation built and furnished according to the architectural and decorative principle of the Cycladic style. Again, like many of the hotels in the area, it boasts a swimming pool, and it’s located near the beach and the sea. The breakfast served in the morning is simply superb.
• Naxos Nature Suites is a three-star hotel that’s a perfect option for visitors who are visiting Agios Prokopios or Stelida with their family and kids. The hotel covers a large area with a swimming pool, garden, and children’s playground. It’s in close proximity to the airport, and the rooms are spacious and have air conditioning, private bathrooms, and TVs.

Agios Prokopios and Stelida Luxury Hotels

• Naxos Island Hotel is a very luxurious and generally expensive five-star hotel located very close to the Agios Prokopios Beach, offering a breathtaking view of the Aegean Sea. The hotel offers practically everything: from an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant and bar on the premises to a spa and wellness center, free Wi-Fi, free parking, and an airport shuttle.
• 18 Grapes Hotel is another gorgeous and elite five-star hotel located in Agios Prokopios. The hotel has a true arsenal of amenities: an outdoor swimming pool with sun beds, room service, babysitting service, an airport shuttle service, free Wi-Fi, and free parking. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also a spa and wellness center, an on-site bar, and great breakfast in the morning. Oh, and let’s not forget the luxuriously furnished rooms.

See All Hotels in Naxos

3. Plaka

The final place in our guide to Naxos is the area around the famous Plaka Beach — the longest and most beautiful beach on the island, one of the most popular in the whole of Greece.

Other than that, though, just four miles to the south of Agios Prokopios and Stelida and six miles from Naxos, Plaka is another typical small island village full of hotels, restaurants, and idyllic relaxation.

The best thing you can do here is, again, chill at the beach and swim in the crystal clear water of the Aegean Sea. Plaka Beach seamlessly stretches from north to south, seemingly without end.

The most important thing to remember is that the northern part is full of clubs and restaurants, and the southern part is generally quieter and less crowded. There are also other great beaches in close proximity to Plaka.

Maragkas Beach stretches to the north, and Orkos Beach and Paralia Mikri Vigla to the south. As we said earlier, most of them are packed with taverns, cafes, and restaurants and boast many different water-related, usually family-friendly, activities.

If you direct your gaze to the island’s interior, there are a couple of important landmarks that you just have to visit, but they’re a bit further away from the coastal villages.

Nevertheless, Plaka is the best base for exploration of the island, and around seven miles away lies the famous Temple of Demeter from the 6th century BC.

If you drive another mile further inland (maybe after you’ve visited the temple of Demeter), you’ll reach Bazeos Tower, an imposing historical structure that’s definitely worth the visit.

Plaka — like the rest of the east coast of Naxos — is really prepared for tourists of all kinds, regardless of preferences or financial stature.

The area around the longest beach on the island is practically packed with different kinds of accommodation, especially with numerous great budget and mid-range options. The restaurants, especially the seafood places and the traditional taverns, are also great.

Things to Do

• If you’re a fan of history and Greek mythology or classical culture in particular, make sure you visit the attractive Temple of Demeter, located very close to Plaka. Demeter, the mother of Persephone, was one of the main goddesses of the Greek Pantheon, and the domain of her rule was nature and fertility. Her temple was probably built around the 6th century BC, and some of its doric columns are very well preserved. Right next to it is the Rachi Polichnitou, which is basically a huge park and a most welcome green space to relax in after marveling at the white temple.
• If you want to learn even more about this insufficiently known and popular Greek island, we have another historical jewel. Just two and a half miles from the Temple of Demeter lies the interesting building called Bazeos Tower. Built as a monastery in the 17th century, it was later transformed into a defensive building where people hid from the pirates. Practically located in the village of Sangri, you can reach the building in many ways: by car, bus, taxi, minibus, etc.
• History aside, we know that most people visit Plaka and the whole east coast of Naxos mostly for the beautiful beaches. Plaka offers an even bigger incentive because it’s home to the largest and longest beach on the island, simply called Plaka Beach. It’s without a doubt one of the most (if not the most) visited and popular beaches in Naxos. We already mentioned some other great beaches in the wider area, but here are more of them:
  • Paralia Kastraki
  • Paralia Glyfada
  • Alyko Beach
  • Hawaii Beach
• One thing that people usually don’t know about the Greek islands is that sometimes they have unbelievably beautiful and lush forests. Naxos is not an exception to that rule, and luckily for you, there’s one particularly nice near Plaka. Located around five and a half miles from the small village lies the Cedar Forest of Alyko. It’s one of the largest and thickest cedar forests in Greece, which, in combination with rocky and sandy surroundings, gives an especially unforgettable experience.

Where to Eat

• Yazoo Summer Bliss is a traditional Greek restaurant with a grill and a place where you can eat delicious fresh seafood. Located on the fabulous sandy Plaka Beach, it offers a wide variety of seafood specialties and fish, great wine, and plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
• Picasso is a rare Mexican restaurant on an island full of traditional Greek restaurants and taverns. Suitable for lunch, dinner, late dinner, or drinks, it offers all the traditional Mexican dishes at decent prices.
• Summer Breeze is a Mediterranean and Greek restaurant located very close to Plaka Agia Anna. It’s a really versatile restaurant that’s great for all meals of the day, especially brunch. A family-owned place, it’s also famous for homemade wine and dishes like moussaka.

Plaka Budget Hotels

• Plaka Hotel I is a curious accommodation. A hotel with two stars that comes at an amazingly low price, it has no less than two swimming pools. The rub is that they are located around 100 meters from the rooms. Speaking of the rooms, they’re rather large, spacious, and sunny, and there’s a decent Greek restaurant on the premises, too. Plaka Hotel I is a steal in this price range.
• Plaza Beach Hotel doesn’t disappoint, either, as it’s another very cheap three-star hotel with a swimming pool located on the beachfront. It boasts a restaurant and a bar on the premises, as well as a decent fitness center. The most distinctive part, however, is the dark wood furnishing that makes it homey and comfortable.

Plaka Mid-Range Hotels

• Plaka Hotel II is another relatively cheap accommodation that borders between the budget and the mid-range categories. The location of the apartments is simply great: around 80 meters from the main beach in the city. The hotel also boasts a snack bar and a beautiful outdoor swimming pool.
• Amodari studios on the beach is a three-star accommodation located in what’s considered the best location in Plaka, really close to Plaka Beach, Orkos Beach, and Mikri Vigla Beach. The Naxos Island National Airport, on the other hand, is around three miles away. The hotel has a swimming pool, bar, and tasty breakfast in the morning.

Plaka Luxury Hotels

• Aegean Palace is a beautiful and very large four-star hotel. Its biggest strength is that it offers no less than two outdoor swimming pools, one of them specially adapted for small children. The rooms are opulent, with balconies overlooking the sea. In terms of services, the hotel offers room service, free airport shuttle service, and tasty breakfast.
• Mirabelle Luxury Villas is one of the most charming hotels in the area, boasting great views of the sea, the mountains, and some important landmarks. A four-star accommodation with hot tubs, a swimming pool, and a kitchenette in every room, it also offers an airport shuttle and very tasty continental breakfast in the morning.

See All Hotels in Naxos

So, Where Should You Stay in Naxos?

We reached the end of this short but very interesting narrative trip to the island of Naxos. But what if you couldn’t make a decision on where to stay? Let’s summarize.

We saw that the place is small, but it has practically everything that the larger and more popular Greek islands have to offer: fantastic sandy beaches, numerous seafood restaurants and tavernas, plenty of historical landmarks, and the Aegean Sea.

🍽️ Best for Shopping & Dining	Naxos Town (Chora)
⛱️ Best for Relaxing on the Beach	Agios Prokopios & Stelida
🏰 Most Historic Area	Plaka

The capital of the island is Naxos town, which is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the island. Without a doubt, this small city of around 7,000 people offers the most versatile and all-around experience on the island.

It has plenty of historical landmarks, both from ancient and modern history, one of the best beaches on Naxos, plenty of accommodation options, restaurants, cafes, and shopping squares. It’s the most suitable option for first-time travelers.

Agios Prokopios and Stelida are two very small villages close to each other and also very close to Naxos town. Agios Prokopios is popular, crowded, and always brimming with tourists, mostly because of the beautiful beaches in the area and the great hotels.

Stelida is less popular and and much calmer — the perfect choice for those who prefer some peace and quiet on their vacation.

Finally, a little bit to the south of Agios Prokopios and Stelida is another small village called Plaka. The place is mostly famous for being the home of the largest, longest, and most beautiful beach in Naxos.

Aside from that, it’s also close to a famous ancient Greek temple further inland, an attractive 17th-century castle, and one of the rare cedar tree forests in non-mainland Greece. Generally speaking, it’s a fine all-around option for every visitor to Naxos.

So, with so much to see and do, and no bad area in which to stay, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that this legendary tropical paradise has to offer!