A Naxos catamaran cruise sails along the coast of the largest island of the Cyclades, past bays and beaches seen from the water. Browse more island days out on our tours in Greece page.
This page covers the route and its bays, the view of Naxos Town and the Portara, the catamaran itself, the water, food and drink, the season and the wind, and the questions travellers ask.
What is a Naxos catamaran cruise, and how does it work?
A Naxos catamaran cruise means a day of coastal sailing on a boat with two hulls. It starts from the port of Naxos. The crew sails along the coast and stops at beaches for swimming. A traditional Greek meal is served on board.
No other island of the Cyclades group is bigger than Naxos. One operator page gives its coastline as 133 kilometres. The same page calls a catamaran a comfortable and stable ride. Another operator page says the crew knows secluded bays and beaches that are accessible only by boat.
A Naxos catamaran cruise follows a simple order. The boat leaves the port of Naxos and sails to a first beach for a swim. It then moves on to a second stop. While guests swim, the crew cooks the meal. On the daily cruise, both English and Greek are spoken by the captain and the crew.
The format of a Naxos catamaran cruise changes from page to page. One operator offers small group tours, where you sail together with other guests. It also offers private tours, where your party has the catamaran and the captain to itself. A private tour takes up to 22 passengers. Another page lists sunset sailings next to the day cruises.
How long is a Naxos catamaran cruise, and where does it start?
A Naxos catamaran cruise lasts between five and nine hours, says one operator page. It starts in the port of Naxos. The meeting point on another page is Naxos Marina.
The day cruise on that second page lasts approximately six and a half hours. It ends in the early afternoon. Its private tours run four hours for a half day and six for a full day. A third operator page names a private cruise of five hours.
That spread of times means a Naxos catamaran cruise fits a short outing or a whole day on the water. One page says private itineraries stay flexible. They change with the wishes of the guests, how long the trip runs and the weather at sea. So the time on your own booking is the one that counts.
The start point is Naxos Town, also called Chora. It is the capital of the island, with 8,897 inhabitants. Wikivoyage says big cruise ships cannot use its small port. It also calls Naxos a popular stopping point on an Aegean sailing cruise.
The boarding point of a Naxos catamaran cruise differs between operators. One page says cruises leave from Naxos Town or from Agia Anna. Another page also offers private trips that begin at Paros or Mykonos. Both are close by sail to its base on Naxos. Check your meeting point before the day.
Which bays and beaches does a Naxos catamaran cruise pass?
A Naxos catamaran cruise leaves the port of Naxos and sails to south Paros for a first swim. Next it passes Mikri Vigla, with turquoise water and golden sand.
The island gives the boat plenty to pass. No other Cycladic island is bigger than Naxos, and its coast runs for 133 kilometres. Sandy beaches, small coves and dramatic cliffs fill that shoreline. Beach communities line the shore south of Naxos Town, where the sand is white granite.
The route changes from day to day. One operator page describes a southern coast sail past Agios Prokopios, the Parthena Church, Mikri Vigla and Bay Ro. Another page names Kalogeros Bay with its natural clay, Tripiti Cave and Golden Beach. It adds the Blue Lagoon, which lies between Paros and Antiparos.
A Naxos catamaran cruise can also sail south to the Rina sea cave. Longer trips reach the Lesser Cyclades, such as Koufonisia with its natural swimming pools, or Iraklia with its quiet bays. Southeast of Naxos sit 32 islands and rocks in that group.
Operators adjust the plan to the wishes of the group, how long the trip lasts and the weather. Ask which route runs on your day, because a Naxos catamaran cruise has no single fixed track.
What do you see of Naxos Town and the Portara from the sea on a Naxos catamaran cruise?
From the water, a Naxos catamaran cruise shows the Portara. This marble gate of an unfinished Apollo temple sits on Palatia, a small islet. It marks the north tip of the Naxos Town harbour.
The day cruise starts at the Naxos port, so that harbour gives the first view. Lygdamis, a tyrant of the island, began the temple in the sixth century BC. Its floor plan measured 38 by 16 metres. A causeway now joins the islet to the town.
The door frame is what survives. It uses five blocks of marble, up to 20 tons apiece. Builders hauled the stone from the Flerio quarry, roughly 10 kilometres off. Small bumps on the blocks held the ropes of a wooden crane. They show that the work was never finished.
Behind the gate rises the old town. Marco Sanudo, a Venetian who conquered the island, raised the Kastro on the old acropolis. It held a palace, walls and a keep.
One operator page says its sunset cruise gives views of the Temple of Apollo. The sky behind it glows with sunset colours. A Naxos catamaran cruise at that hour frames the old gate in the last light.
What is a catamaran, and why does it suit a Naxos catamaran cruise?
Two equal hulls, set wide apart, carry the deck of a catamaran, and that stance keeps it steady. This is why the boat suits a Naxos catamaran cruise. Wikipedia credits the wide gap between the hulls with resisting rolling and overturning, with no ballast needed.
The article names two traits that set a catamaran apart: low resistance to the water and high stability. Its worked example gives a catamaran seven times the initial resistance to heeling of a single hull. Low resistance also lets the sails run in the mode the article calls efficient. It also lists a shallower draft.
Naxos has a long coast to cover. One operator page counts 429 square kilometres and 133 kilometres of coast, with sandy beaches, coves and cliffs. Wikipedia names Naxos the biggest island of the Cyclades. The operator page calls a catamaran cruise a comfortable and stable ride, ideal for both relaxation and exploration. A Naxos catamaran cruise follows that seascape.
Guests on operator pages also write about space. One review calls the boat spacious and clean. Another guest says there was plenty of room to lie out in the sun or the shade. For the Naxos catamaran cruise on private trips, the page lists groups of up to 22 passengers.
What can you do in the water on a Naxos catamaran cruise?
You swim from the boat at each stop, and snorkelling is on offer as well. On a Naxos catamaran cruise, operator pages list swim stops at beaches and coves. One guest says the crew handed out snorkels and flippers.
One operator page opens the day with a first stop for a swim. The beach lies on the south part of Paros. The boat then carries on to Mikri Vigla, which the page describes as turquoise water and golden sand. A last swim before the trip ends is offered, or you can simply rest on board.
A guest on another operator page counts three coves in total. The group had about an hour at each to swim and explore. The crew gave out snorkels and flippers, plus tips on where to look. The guest also leapt off the side of the boat. That Naxos catamaran cruise mixed swimming, snorkelling and deck jumps.
Other pages point to further swim spots. One lists the sea cave of Rina in the south, with turquoise water for a swim. It also names the natural swimming pools of Koufonisia. Koufonisi is listed by Wikipedia among the Small Cyclades. A guest review on a further page mentions diving equipment on board.
What food and drink are on board a Naxos catamaran cruise?
A Naxos catamaran cruise serves a traditional Greek lunch on board. Coffee, snacks and finger food come earlier in the day. One operator page adds chilled local wine or beer with the meal, and says the amount is limited.
The crew cooks while you swim. One operator page says the day cruise leaves Naxos Marina and stops for a swim. The crew then serves the meal on board once everyone is back from the water. The trip lasts about 6.5 hours and ends in the early afternoon.
The menu differs from page to page, so a Naxos catamaran cruise never reads the same twice. Another page lists coffee and cakes, cold refreshments, lunch with wine and raki, and fresh fruit salads. A Greek salad comes with the lunch. A third page says the onboard meals use local ingredients.
Private trips split by length. One page offers four hours or six hours, and lunch comes only with the full day. Sunset trips swap lunch for a glass of wine with fresh local fruit or local meze. One traveller review also lists bruschetta, fruit and vegetables between the coves, and water, soda, wine and beer to drink.
Which season, wind and sea suit a Naxos catamaran cruise?
A Naxos catamaran cruise runs in the meltemi season. Wikipedia dates this northerly wind from late spring until September is half over. The crew picks the route by the weather on the day.
Wikipedia calls the meltemi dry and strong. On the Beaufort wind scale, its strength can reach 7 or 8. Afternoon is when it blows hardest. Sailors get no warning, because it rises in clear weather. A spell can run on for days.
Operators plan around this. One page says six different routes leave Naxos marina, depending on the weather. Another page calls private itineraries flexible. It ties them to the wishes of the group, the hours at sea and the weather. A Naxos catamaran cruise therefore follows the day’s conditions, not a fixed line on a map.
Wikivoyage puts summer heat on the sheltered west side of the island at 30 degrees Celsius. Sea breezes keep the coast from feeling stuffy. Rain storms are infrequent in summer. Wikipedia calls Naxos a windy place, so expect a fresh breeze on deck. The pages give no wave heights, so ask the crew about your Naxos catamaran cruise.
What else do travellers ask about a Naxos catamaran cruise?
Where do you meet, and what time does the cruise start?
A day-long Naxos catamaran cruise meets at the marina in Naxos Town. One operator page asks guests to arrive from 9:15 in the morning for a trip of about 7 hours. A second page lists departure at 9:00 from Agia Anna Port or Kalantos Port. It asks guests to come 20 minutes early.
A third page lists 9:30 for its small group trip. A sunset Naxos catamaran cruise runs on a different clock. Guests arrive at 6 in the evening and the boat leaves at 6:30. The departure time moves with the time of sunset. One page lists an English and Greek speaking captain and crew.
Which clothes and bags go with you on a Naxos catamaran cruise?
The packing lists for a Naxos catamaran cruise are short. They name a hat, sunscreen, a towel and swimwear. One page adds sunglasses, a camera and a beach bag. Two operator pages state in plain words that towels are not provided, so bring your own.
Keep it to one bag, as the pages list only personal items. Swimwear and a towel cover the swimming stops on the route.
Are children and non-swimmers welcome?
Families join a Naxos catamaran cruise, and the pages explain the gear. One operator page lists a mask, snorkel, fins and swimming flotation aids as part of the cruise. It asks guests to bring flotation aids and snorkel gear for small children.
A review quoted on another page says the crew handed out snorkels and flippers. The pages do not say how non-swimmers are handled on board, so put that question to the operator when you reserve. Private trips on one page take groups of up to 22 passengers.
Do you get seasick on the water?
No operator page states a seasickness rule or a remedy for a Naxos catamaran cruise, so none is promised here. The pages show how the crew handles the sea instead. One page says the route and swimming stops are chosen on the day by weather and sea conditions.
Another page lists six routes from the marina that depend on the weather. A safety briefing comes before every departure. Tell the crew at the start if you feel unwell.
What happens when the wind or weather changes the schedule?
The weather decides every Naxos catamaran cruise. One operator page says the excursion is cancelled for safety in bad weather. Guests are first offered a new date, and a new date depends on availability.
Another page says the captain considers a safer destination in bad weather. A different itinerary is also used on rare days. Read the cancellation policy of your operator before you book a Naxos catamaran cruise.