Naxos is an exceptional island to explore while vacationing in Greece! We travelled to Naxos in October 2025, making it the offseason. It was our first time here, and it left quite an impression! It is the largest of the Cyclades Islands, offering stunning beaches, mountain terrain, and quaint villages.
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Weather & Best Time to Visit Naxos
Travelling to Naxos can certainly be incredible anytime that you can go; however, after being there in October during the off-season, it did offer a unique perspective. The weather here in October is a bit of a mix. You’ll experience nice sunny weather, overcast, and rain all in the same day. It is key to dress in layers as you never quite know what the weather will be. The temperature here in mid-October ranged from 17-24 degrees, and it rained a little bit most days that we were there.
Despite the unpredictable weather, it wasn’t too cold in October. Although we did have a short beach trip one day, the weather was too cold to truly enjoy more beach days. Naxos Town wasn’t busy at all, and the restaurants were fairly empty except along the main pier.
Overall, I’d recommend going to Naxos between May and September. If you want to go during a quieter period, then the months of May, June, and September would be ideal. If you want to be in Naxos during the busiest months with the hottest weather, then July and August would be when you’ll want to go.
Essential Packing List: What to Bring to Naxos in October
You’ll want to be prepared for cooler weather when travelling to Naxos in October. Wearing layers will be helpful, as in a single day we wore t-shirts in the morning and by midday were in sweaters or jackets. An umbrella would be a good idea too! The streets in Naxos are a bit rocky, so wearing secure footwear is definitely a great idea.
Of course, and especially in sunny weather, having a hat, sunscreen, bathing suit and beach wear would be what you want to add to your packing list!
How to Get Around Naxos: Car Rental & Transportation
We opted to rent a car for our stay on the island. This was incredibly helpful as the sites are a bit farther apart, and it was convenient to move around at our own pace. We rented from Discovercars.com, and the cost of our car rental was approximately 188.00 CAD for 5 days.
You can also get around Naxos by bus or taxi as well. The bus rides are quite affordable, ranging approximately between €2.00 – €7.00 depending on the length of your ride. You can buy the bus tickets at bus stations or potentially at kiosks or mini markets near the bus stops (I haven’t tried this, so let me know!).
If you can, I’d highly recommend renting a car. It gave us the ultimate flexibility, and we drove to different parts of the island each day. Our holiday home was also located on a mountain inland, so having a car was essential. With that said, we were a group of 7, so cost-wise, it definitely made more sense for us to book two cars for our island stay!
Getting from Athens to Naxos (Ferries & Flights)
I travelled from Athens to Naxos by ferry. It was super easy and very affordable. Since I took an early morning ferry, I did have a good snooze. The ferry ride was approximately 5 hours, and it went by fairly quickly. I arrived on Naxos Island on the Blue Star Ferry and departed Naxos Island on the Seajets Ferry. I wrote a breakdown of my experience on each ferry below! Check it out!
Blue Star Ferry (Athens to Naxos) Review
Seajets Ferry (Naxos to Athens) Review
My family arrived in Naxos on a flight, as they were coming from a different Greek island. I took a ferry as it simply made more sense for me, as I was based in Athens already. Flights are quick and affordable and can certainly be an easy option to get between islands.
We always use Rome2Rio to figure out our transportation options. Seriously, it’s our go-to for every trip. I love that it shows you the best ways to get to and from different destinations. It even shows you the length of time and the financial costs you can anticipate before booking!
Top Best Things to Do in Naxos
Explore the Local Villages
One of the highlights for us was travelling to some of the villages in Naxos. Although there are many villages to get to, we travelled to three that were located in the middle of the island. We went to Vivlos, Filoti, and Apeiranthos. These villages were also closer to our holiday home and made the most sense for us to travel to.
Go Beach Hopping!
A trip to Naxos Island would certainly mean a visit to one (or many) of its stunning beaches! Our holiday home was located in the SouthWestern part of the island, and so visiting Plaka beach was quite easy for us.
Some beach chairs and beach umbrellas could be rented a bit farther down on the beach area, and could be a relaxing choice if you are looking for more of a comfortable and relaxing environment to soak up the beach scene.
The beach is a sandy beach with beautiful, clear blue water. My family enjoyed spending time in the water, even in October! We lucked out on the day, as it was one of the days that was quite sunny out! Just a reminder that the weather in October is pretty unpredictable, so make the most of the beach days when the sun is out!
Naxos has some amazing sandy beaches! We only ended up going to Plaka Beach; however, some more notable ones that might be worth going to are Agios Prokopios Beach, Agia Anna Beach, and Mikri Vigla Beach.
Go Scuba Diving or Snorkelling!
Join a discovery dive or a snorkelling tour on Naxos Island! With multiple dive centers to choose from, it could be a really fun adventure to enjoy watching sea life around Naxos Island!
Take a Day Trip to Paros Island!
Paros Island is another fun island to explore, and it’s less than an hour ferry ride away. This could certainly be a good option for anyone looking for a fun day trip that is close by!
Where to Stay in Naxos: Best Areas Around the Island
My top recommendations on where to stay in Naxos would be Naxos Town (Chora), near Plaka Beach, and getting a holiday home or villa more inland.
Chora is ideal if you are not renting a car and are relying on public transportation or tours to get around the island. You’ll have easy walking access to plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops and be a part of a more social atmosphere.
Plaka Beach is a beautiful spot to be with a number of hotels nearby. I would recommend this location if you are looking for a quieter atmosphere and a luxurious stay, with easy access to a stunning sandy beach!
We chose to stay in a beautiful holiday home more inland and were amazed at the spectacular view! Having a car rental is definitely a must because it was a bit of a trek to get there. This home had everything we needed, including 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a pool, and 2 outdoor dining areas! We were a large group of 7 people, so booking a house certainly made the most sense for us. Although it was a bit cold to enjoy the pool, we had a great time and loved waking up to this stunning view!
The Perfect Fall 2-Day Naxos Itinerary
Day 1 – Explore the Naxos Town area & Go for a Horseback Ride!
There are plenty of bars, cafes, and restaurants in this area, making it a great place to explore, especially if you arrive by ferry. You’ll see many souvenir shops, and even a couple of beaches nearby. You can easily spend a few hours here exploring the quaint streets! We especially enjoyed a nice coffee and tea at Gemma Naxian Bistro! Being that we were in Naxos in October, it was not busy at all, but I can imagine the old town area being much busier in the summer months!
Head up to the Temple of Apollo, just a few minutes’ walk from the old town area, and a bonus if you can get there at either sunrise or sunset! It’s a quick climb up and only takes about 5 minutes to reach the top. It is right next to the water and offers a neat view of the old town as well.
In the afternoon, head to Naxos Horse Center to enjoy a nice horseback ride! You’ll enjoy a relaxing horseback ride for about an hour through a nice trail and towards the beach and back again to the center. Our group that went was full of beginner horseback riders, ages ranging from 5 to 70 years old. The horses that our group was paired with were gentle and very friendly, and a smaller horse was paired with the youngest in our group. Our group was led through the trail, and they travelled at a nice and slow pace.
For a small group horseback riding experience, it costs €50.00 per person. Even though we opted to join a small group, our group was actually the only one there. You can also decide to do a private tour. Although I personally did not join this trip, I heard lots about it, and everyone who went had an incredible time, so I added it to this list!
Day 2 – Explore Beautiful Villages and then Head to the Beach
We mapped out a quick ride from our holiday home to head to 3 different villages. Each one was about a 15-minute drive apart, making for an easy road trip! Having the cars was a must for us, and it made the day trip quite easy. Most villages have specific public parking spaces. We noticed that even these parking areas seemed to fill up while we were visiting, so I can imagine that in the summer, it may be difficult to find parking.
Vivlos – This village was the closest to us. We did enjoy the views of the old windmills as we drove through, although we didn’t spend too much time here.
Filoti – This village was our favourite! We enjoyed exploring the picturesque streets, window shopping at the souvenir shops, and having a tasty Greek lunch filled with Gyros and Moussaka! We especially enjoyed visiting the Panagia Filotitissa Church and spending some time at the Folklore Museum. This museum operates on donations rather than charging an admission fee to enter.
Apeiranthos – Our last stop on our tour day. Another quaint village to explore with some cafes, more souvenir shops and museums! Although we didn’t get a chance to go in, we noticed that there was a Geological Museum, Fine Arts Museum, and Folklore Museum all connected. It cost €5.00 to go to all three! This is a really interesting area, and you could spend a few hours here!
FAQs About Visiting Naxos
Is October a good time to visit Naxos?
I think October is an okay time to visit Naxos. It was not busy at all, and the weather was a bit unpredictable at times. I would have loved to have spent more time at the beach. If I were to come back again, I’d likely come from June – September to enjoy more beach days.
What are the best additional activities in Naxos besides beaches?
Renting a car for a road trip definitely is the way to go. Exploring the villages was really interesting, and the horseback riding was a highlight for my family. Scuba diving, a day trip to Paros Island, and a day exploring Naxos Town would also be my top choices!
Is 2 days in Naxos enough time?
I think 2-3 days is enough time to explore the highlights of Naxos. You can easily fit everything into 2 days if you are renting a car. If you prefer to take public transportation or go on tours, then I’d recommend 3-4 days to allow for a bit of downtime and not feel so rushed.
Is a rental car necessary in Naxos?
I would highly recommend renting a car to maximize your time in Naxos, especially if you are only there for a couple of days. We used our car rental every day and found it super convenient during our stay. We also rented a holiday home, so things like buying groceries for the home and going to the horseback riding center made a car essential to go to and from the home.
Can you do a day trip to Paros from Naxos?
Yes! You can easily do a day trip to Paros from Naxos. It’s only about an hour away by boat, making it super easy to go for just the day. You can join a tour or take a ferry to go there!
Final Thoughts on Visiting Naxos Island
I truly loved visiting Naxos Island with my family last year. It’s a great place to explore with families as Naxos offers something for everyone! Getting a holiday home was ideal as we had a group of 7 people; however, there are SO MANY beautiful hotels I’d go back to with my partner.
Renting a car is the way to go to make the most of your time on the island. I loved the flexibility we had and the amount of things we were able to do and explore while on the island. I would absolutely add Naxos to your list of places to go to while visiting Greece. It still remains a highlight destination after spending 2 months in Greece in 2025!
