Rent a Car in Naxos with SimplyBook

Looking for car hire in Naxos? Naxos, the largest and greenest of the Cyclades, is an island of contrasts best explored by car — long sandy beaches on the west coast, marble mountain villages in the interior, and ancient monuments scattered across a fertile landscape. When you rent a car in Naxos you can reach all of it from a single base in Chora.

SimplyBook connects you with trusted local agencies in Naxos — compare prices, book online, and pick up your car in town near the port. From the iconic Portara gateway at the harbour to the highest peak in the Cyclades, a rental car gives you the freedom to explore Naxos island at your own pace.

Pick-up and delivery are available in Chora (Naxos Town), at the port, and locations across the island.

Getting Around Naxos

Most visitors arrive in Naxos by ferry at the port in Chora, right below the Venetian Kastro and the landmark Portara. Naxos Island National Airport (JNX) handles small domestic flights only, so the port is the main gateway — and a handy place to pick up your rental car. From Chora, the west-coast beach road runs south, while a second road climbs east into the Tragea valley and the mountains.

Naxos is compact but mountainous: you can drive from Chora to the far side in under an hour, but the central villages sit high on the slopes of Mount Zas (1,004 m), the tallest peak in the Cyclades. Main roads are well-surfaced; the village roads are narrower and winding, with rewarding views at every turn.

Top Driving Routes in Naxos

The Tragea Valley & Mountain Villages (30 km, 45 minutes)

The essential Naxos drive climbs east from Chora into the Tragea, a green valley of olive groves dotted with Byzantine churches. Stop at Halki, the old capital, for the Vallindras kitron distillery, then continue to Filoti on the slopes of Mount Zas and the marble village of Apeiranthos with its stone lanes and little museums.

West-Coast Beaches (20 km, 30 minutes)

Head south from Chora along the coast to a string of the Cyclades' best sandy beaches — Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, and the long, wild expanse of Plaka. Continue to Mikri Vigla for windsurfing and kitesurfing, and finish at Alyko, where a cedar forest meets dunes and quiet coves.

Ancient Naxos: Kouros Statues & Temple of Demeter (25 km, 40 minutes)

Drive inland to Melanes to see a giant unfinished Kouros statue lying in an orchard where it was carved 2,600 years ago, then visit the restored 6th-century-BC Temple of Demeter near Sangri. A longer trip north reaches the even larger Kouros of Apollonas.

Beaches Worth the Drive

• Agios Prokopios — Consistently rated among Greece's best beaches: fine white sand and shallow turquoise water. 6 km south of Chora.

• Plaka — A long, wide sweep of soft sand and dunes, with organised and naturist sections. Great for a beach day. 8 km south.

• Mikri Vigla — Two bays split by a rocky headland — one calm, one windy and perfect for windsurfing and kitesurfing. 17 km south.

• Alyko — Secluded sandy coves backed by a protected cedar forest on the dunes. Wild and quiet. 20 km south.

• Agia Anna — A sheltered sandy beach with tavernas and a small fishing harbour, next to Agios Prokopios. 7 km south.

• Kastraki — A long, undeveloped stretch of pale sand towards the south of the west coast. Bring your own shade. 22 km south.

Best Time to Visit Naxos

June to September is peak season — hot, dry and busy, with the summer meltemi wind sweeping the west coast. That wind is exactly why Mikri Vigla is a windsurfing favourite, while the town beaches nearer Chora stay more sheltered.

May and October are ideal for driving the island: warm days, green mountains, quiet roads and lower prices. Spring is especially lovely in the Tragea valley when the hills are still green.

Practical Tips

• Pickup: Chora (Naxos Town), the port, or hotel delivery.

• Arriving by ferry: Collecting your car at the port makes the transfer from the boat effortless.

• Fuel: Filling stations are around Chora and the main road; fill up before heading into the mountain villages.

• Mountain roads: Village roads to Apeiranthos and Koronos are winding — allow extra time and enjoy the views.

• Parking: Chora's old town is a pedestrian maze; park near the waterfront and walk up to the Kastro.

Naxos Food and Culture

Fertile Naxos is a foodie island: it's famous for graviera cheese, potatoes, and citron (kitron) liqueur distilled from the leaves of the citron tree, best sampled at the Vallindras distillery in Halki. In Chora, the Portara — a giant marble doorway from an unfinished ancient temple of Apollo — frames the sunset above the harbour, and the medieval Kastro rewards an evening wander.

With your own car you can combine a morning in the mountain villages, an afternoon on a west-coast beach, and dinner back in town — the kind of full day that ferries and buses make hard to plan.

Why Book with Local Agencies

SimplyBook connects you with local agencies who know Naxos inside out — personal service, flexible arrangements and competitive prices. Why support local companies?

Island-hopping the Cyclades? Compare car hire on neighbouring Paros, plus Santorini and Rhodes.