Travel Guide
This Underrated Island Named Best In Europe By Travel Experts
Jun
Trust me, 20+ Greek islands in, I did not want Condé Nast Traveller to inform me this, but it surely’s good to get a stamp of approval from the highest journey tastemakers within the sport, nonetheless:
Europe’s prime island getaway proper now, in line with the distinguished journey publication run by a number of the trade’s main editors, is the laid-back, nonetheless partially-secret, postcard-ready Naxos, a Santorini dupe I really feel most Americans are nonetheless sleeping on.
Worry not, we’re right here to repair that.
In a rating of Europe’s Best Islands for 2025 by CN Traveller, the Cycladic gem positioned first with a rating of 95.71, forward of Mediterranean powerhouses Ibiza, Capri, Hvar, and sure, even Mallorca.
If you are this wall of textual content barely befuddled, as you’ve got possibly by no means heard of Naxos earlier than, enable me to introduce you to one among Greece’s dreamiest summer time escapes:
5x The Size Of Santorini, 5x The Fun
The very first thing that may stand out to you as you pull as much as Naxos with the ferry, both from party-heavy Mykonos or Instagrammer-colonized Santorini, is how lush and inexperienced it’s.
It is the biggest island within the Cyclades island group, which incorporates the well-known duo, and in contrast to its smaller—however far more well-liked—counterparts, it packs fairly the varied panorama, paradisiacal seashores, and mountainside choriá that successfully look frozen in time.
That’s simply Greek for ‘villages’. Sorry, needed to flex my little-to-nonexistent data of Greek whereas we’re at it.
Back to Naxos, likelihood is your first cease on the sun-drenched island is Naxos Town, or how locals name it, Chora. If you like Santorini for the whitewashed alleys, the Venetian fort, the lovable harborside promenades, and the plethora of boutiques and tavernas, you may love it right here.
Particularly as a result of it is far more lowkey, and never practically as chaotic as Oia, though these hilltop viewpoints atop Kastro, the native fortress courting again to the thirteenth century, are simply as epic.
Of course, when you’re in Chora, you’ll be able to’t miss out on sundown by Portara, the iconic large marble doorway sitting on a tiny islet related to the harbor by a causeway. It’s the last-surviving little bit of what was a a lot bigger temple, and the image of Naxos.
Before you go forward and seize these flight tickets, ensure you run a bit vacation spot verify on the Entry Requirements Checker page, particularly if it is Europe you are headed to. This consists of Greece.
Whether it is obligatory fingerprinting or pending journey permits that may change how Americans view journey to Europe without end, there is a lot it’s essential to compensate for and put together for forward of flying.
Why Naxos Is Europe’s Top Island Getaway
No pun meant, Chora and its Portara are merely the gateway to Naxos, the island.
Which by the way in which, is the biggest by far within the Cyclades, being 27 miles north to south, and roughly 15 miles east-to-west. In different phrases, it’s about 5.5 occasions bigger than an island like Santorini, so do not go on considering you are able to do it justice as a day journey or over an extended weekend.
Condé Nast Traveller referred to as it first, and I can vouch for them.
Naxos’ best-kept secrets and techniques are inland, like Aspeiranthos, a phenomenal mountain village with marble-paved streets, stone homes, and mountain views for days, or Halki, a chorio dotted with neoclassical townhouses, greatest identified for its native liqueur.
Speaking of that liquid braveness, Vallindras Kitron Distillery, proper within the coronary heart of the village, has free entry, and you will get a guided have a look at the previous copper stills, and if the proprietor’s feeling significantly beneficiant that day—a yassou and efcharisto go a great distance right here—even style all 3 kitron varieties.
Chora is the “capital on the coast”, but when the mountainous inland of Naxos had a principal hub, that might be Filoti, the biggest hinterland village. Great ambiance, taverna-backed principal sq., and a maze of chalk-white alleys surrounded by verdant valleys.
Filoti additionally sits on the foot of Mount Zas, the best mountain within the Cyclades, and when you’ve packed your mountaineering footwear, the uphill path affords some really spectacular views over the entire of Naxos, and even onto neighboring islands like Paros and Antiparos.
Etched onto the slopes of the mountain, the Cave of Zas is a must-see for Greek mythology lovers: the Ancient Greeks believed Zeus grew up there to cover from his personal father Cronus.
Wondering how protected Greece is to go to in the meanwhile? The nation scores 90 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index, a instrument based mostly on self-reports by vacationers who’ve truly been, as an alternative of some imprecise authorities recommendation that is too broad or generic.
Check it out beneath:
Greece’s Best-Kept Secrets Are Here?
Before we get to Naxos’ paradisiacal seashores, I simply must inform you about my favourite cultural pit cease on the island, solely a 9-minute drive from Mount Zas: the Temple of Demeter, maybe the best-preserved historical web site within the Cyclades…?
It’s a lovely Hellenic sanctuary, with greater than only a handful of columns scattered hither and thither, and the seen skeleton of a marble temple. And the countryside surrounding it? Mamma Mia. Just stupidly attractive.
Seeing you’ve got pushed all the way in which again to the southwest–central a part of Naxos, the place the entire greatest seashores are, you would possibly as properly go for that afternoon dip after all of the action-packed sightseeing.
From the very best, it is solely 4 miles to Agia Anna, a lengthy, tender golden sand stretch backed by tavernas and boutique accommodations, and a barely additional 5 miles to Plaka Beach, one more sandy strip with some improvement, not a lot, and just-enough infrastructure to not really feel utterly overrun, however not too crowded.
For one thing a bit extra rugged and distant, and arguably extra scenic than the primary resort seashores, Alyko is ready on a protected pure space on the south-western facet of the island, framed by dunes, cedar forests, and a mainly one rocky cove for each few souls that enterprise out this fashion.
Naxos is CN Traveller’s prime choose for summer time 2026, however when you’ve received just a few extra days to spare in your Greek island-hopping journey, possibly you may wish to go even extra area of interest, even wilder and correct distant, and hit up the tiny, volcanic outcrop that’s Folegandros as an alternative.
I referred to as all of it the way in which again in March 2025 already: it really is paradise… with out the Santorini crowds.
