Greece › Naxos › Beaches › Plaka Beach
Updated: August 17, 2026 • By Santorini Dave
See Also
- Best Hotels in Naxos
- Where to Stay in Naxos
- Best Family Hotels in Naxos
- Best Beach Hotels in Naxos
- Best Beaches in Naxos
The beach club at Naxian on the Beach. Plaka is my favorite beach in Naxos, but hotel location matters more here than at Agios Prokopios or Agia Anna.
Plaka Hotels: My Advice
- Best Hotel: Ammothines Cycladic Suites. My favorite luxury beach hotel in Naxos, with excellent suites, a large pool, restaurant, and the sand immediately outside.
- Best for Couples: Naxian on the Beach. Couples-only suites, private hot tubs, excellent beachfront restaurant, and one of the best locations on Plaka.
- Best for Families: Cosmos Hotel. Large apartments and villas, kitchens, pool and kids’ pool, and a convenient northern Plaka location.
- Best Family Beachfront Stay: Athina Studios and Suites. Pool, kitchenettes, larger family units, and the beach directly in front.
- Best Small Hotel for Couples: Naxos Island Escape. Quiet, personal, and just back from the sand, with excellent breakfasts and sea-view suites.
- Best Quiet Self-Catering Stay: Archon Seaside Retreat. Stylish rooms and houses near the quieter southern end of Plaka, but much better with a car.
Plaka is the best beach in Naxos, but not every part of Plaka is equally convenient. The beach is long and spread out, with restaurants, hotels, beach clubs, and buses concentrated toward the northern end. Go farther south and Plaka becomes quieter and less developed. That’s wonderful if you want peace and sand, but much less useful if you want to walk to several restaurants or go into Naxos Town every evening.
For most first-time visitors staying without a car, I recommend northern Plaka around Maragas. Couples looking for a quiet beach holiday can happily stay farther south, but I would rent a car.
Why Stay at Plaka Beach?
Plaka is where I would stay if the beach itself is the main reason for the trip. The sand is long, wide, and beautiful, the swimming is excellent, and even in summer it feels less compressed than Agios Georgios, Agios Prokopios, or Agia Anna.
The tradeoff is convenience. Plaka does not have one compact village center. Restaurants and hotels are stretched along the beach road, and your experience changes considerably depending on exactly where you stay.
Northern Plaka, close to Maragas and Agia Anna, is the easiest part of the beach. You have more restaurants, beach bars, bus stops, and the option to walk into Agia Anna.
Southern Plaka is much quieter. Hotels are farther apart, restaurants are less frequent, and a rental car becomes increasingly useful. I like this end for couples, repeat visitors, and travelers deliberately looking for a quiet beach trip.
Plaka or Agios Prokopios?
I prefer Plaka for the beach itself and Agios Prokopios for convenience. Plaka is longer, quieter, and more spacious. Agios Prokopios is more compact, with restaurants, shops, hotels, beach clubs, and buses concentrated around one village.
For a three-night trip without a car, I would choose Agios Prokopios. For a five- or six-night beach holiday, especially with a good hotel, I would choose Plaka.
Plaka or Agia Anna?
Choose Plaka for space and a longer beach; Agia Anna for atmosphere and beachfront tavernas. Agia Anna is much smaller and easier to navigate on foot. Northern Plaka is close enough that you can walk between the two.
Couples who want to go out for dinner every evening without thinking about transportation should lean toward Agia Anna or northern Plaka. Families wanting a larger resort-style hotel and more room around the beach should look closely at Ammothines, Cosmos, and Athina.
Do You Need a Car at Plaka Beach?
Not at northern Plaka. Yes, or close to it, at the quieter southern end.
Buses connect northern Plaka with Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, and Naxos Town during the main season. If your hotel is near Maragas and most of your trip will be beach, restaurants, and occasional trips into Chora, you can manage easily without a car.
Farther south, I prefer having one. It makes dinners, grocery runs, village trips, and exploring the rest of Naxos much easier. Taxis are not something I would want to depend on every evening in July or August.
Even if you stay at northern Plaka, renting a car for a day or two is worthwhile for Halki, Filoti, Apeiranthos, the Temple of Demeter, Alyko, Pyrgaki, and the interior.
Plaka Beach Map
Map update: Medusa Resort is closed. Ammothines Cycladic Suites, now my favorite Plaka hotel, is almost in the same location.
The 7 Best Hotels at Plaka Beach
1. Ammothines Cycladic Suites
The best hotel on Plaka Beach and my favorite luxury beach hotel in Naxos. Ammothines sits at the quieter southern end of Plaka with the sand immediately in front of the property. The setting is excellent if you want to spend most of the trip by the beach rather than going into Naxos Town every day.
Suites and maisonettes have a clean, minimalist design and are much more spacious than typical Greek-island hotel rooms. Larger units work especially well for families and groups, including adjoining accommodations that can sleep up to ten.
The large beachfront pool is one of the best hotel pools on Naxos, with an excellent restaurant and bar beside it. The hotel also has landscaped gardens and a strong food focus, including cooking events and a wood-fired kitchen.
The location is the only real tradeoff. This is not northern Plaka, and I strongly prefer having a rental car if I stay here. Choose Ammothines because you want an excellent hotel on an excellent beach, not because you want to wander between a dozen restaurants every night.
Best for: luxury, families, couples, beach holidays, pool, larger suites, and travelers with a car.
Not ideal for: travelers who want nightlife, frequent trips into Naxos Town, or a compact village outside the hotel.2. Naxian on the Beach
My favorite Plaka hotel for couples. Naxian on the Beach has only ten couples-only suites directly beside the sand, with private outdoor hot tubs, sea views, and reserved beach loungers.
The attached Tortuga restaurant and beach bar is a big part of the appeal. You can spend the entire day here without feeling trapped at the hotel, and there are additional restaurants and beach bars within walking distance.
This is a more intimate and romantic stay than Ammothines, but with fewer traditional hotel facilities. There is no large resort pool or family setup. Choose Naxian on the Beach if the room, beach, restaurant, and being together as a couple are the trip.
Best for: couples, romantic trips, beachfront stays, private hot tubs, beach dining, and no-car beach holidays.
Not ideal for: families, large pools, or travelers wanting a full resort.3. Sundunes Hotel
One of the best new luxury hotels on Plaka Beach. Sundunes has a beautiful beachfront setting, stylish Cycladic design, and a quieter, more polished feel than most hotels along this stretch of coast.
Rooms and suites are spacious and contemporary, with private terraces and a strong indoor-outdoor feel. The best suites add private pools. The hotel has a large swimming pool, restaurant and bar, spa, and its own serviced section of beach. It feels more like a complete luxury resort than Naxian on the Beach, while remaining smaller and more intimate than a large international-style property.
The location is quieter than northern Plaka, so getting a rental car for exploring Naxos and going into Chora is recommended.
Best for: luxury, couples, honeymooners, beachfront stays, private pools, spa, and relaxing at the hotel.
Not ideal for: nightlife, frequent evenings in Naxos Town, or travelers who want lots of restaurants immediately outside the hotel.4. Cosmos Hotel
One of my favorite Plaka hotels for families. Cosmos sits toward the northern end of Plaka, close enough to restaurants and beach clubs that the location works reasonably well without a car.
The hotel is built around a large freeform swimming pool with a children’s section. Accommodations range from suites and two-bedroom family apartments to large three- and five-bedroom villas. Kitchens or kitchenettes and private balconies make Cosmos particularly good for longer family stays.
The largest villas sleep up to ten, giving Cosmos an advantage over most conventional beach hotels for extended families or groups traveling together.
This is not directly on the sand like Naxian on the Beach or Athina, but the beach is a short walk away and the location is easier for restaurants and buses than the remote southern end of Plaka.
Best for: families, groups, pool, villas, kitchens, longer stays, and northern Plaka.
Not ideal for: couples looking for an intimate beachfront hotel.5. Athina Studios and Suites
An excellent family-friendly choice directly at Plaka Beach. Athina combines a beachfront setting with a garden pool, pool bar, and a wide range of studios, suites, apartments, and maisonettes.
Most rooms have kitchenettes, and the larger two-bedroom units sleep up to five. This makes Athina especially practical for families who want to prepare breakfast or simple meals rather than eating out three times a day.
The location is a good compromise: quieter than Agia Anna but close enough to the northern Plaka restaurants and beach clubs that you do not feel isolated.
I prefer Cosmos for larger families wanting villas and a bigger pool setup. I prefer Athina if being directly at the beach matters more.
Best for: families, beachfront stays, kitchenettes, pool, longer stays, and travelers without a car.
Not ideal for: travelers wanting a polished five-star hotel.6. Naxos Island Escape
A small, personal hotel for couples who want quiet without going all the way to southern Plaka. Naxos Island Escape sits about 100 meters from the beach, with stylish sea-view suites, private terraces, and a much more intimate atmosphere than the larger resorts.
The breakfasts are a highlight, using produce from the property’s organic garden. Honeymoon Suites add indoor jacuzzis, and the owners are particularly good at helping with restaurants, beaches, and exploring the island.
There is no large swimming pool and you are not directly on the sand. Choose it over Naxian on the Beach if you want a quieter, more personal guesthouse-style stay and do not care about having a beach club outside your room.
Best for: couples, quiet, personal service, breakfast, sea views, and travelers who do not need a pool.
Not ideal for: families wanting extensive facilities or travelers who insist on being directly beachfront.7. Archon Seaside Retreat
My favorite choice for a quiet self-catering stay near the southern end of Plaka. Archon sits just across from the beach in a much less developed part of the coast.
Rooms, studios, and one- and two-bedroom houses are clean and stylish, and most have sea views. Studios and houses have full kitchens, while standard rooms include smaller kitchenette setups. There is also a lovely pool surrounded by gardens.
The lack of an on-site restaurant or breakfast is the important tradeoff. There are places to eat in the wider area, but I would absolutely rent a car here. This is a better choice for travelers who want privacy and self-sufficiency than for anyone looking for a traditional resort experience.
Best for: quiet, couples, families, self-catering, longer stays, pool, and travelers with a car.
Not ideal for: no-car trips, nightlife, restaurant choice, or full hotel services.What About Stella Naxos Island and Blue Harmony?
Both are still good places to stay, but I no longer put them in my short list of the best Plaka hotels.
Stella Naxos Island has an excellent northern Plaka location, pool, family rooms, and good value. I prefer Cosmos and Athina for families because their accommodations and overall hotel experience are stronger.
Blue Harmony remains a useful apartment-style option close to the beach, especially for longer stays on a budget, but it is more of a practical rental than one of the hotels I would send most travelers to first.
Best Plaka Hotels for Families
Cosmos is my favorite for most families, especially if you need a two-bedroom apartment or a villa with a kitchen. The large pool and kids’ pool are useful, and northern Plaka is easier for restaurants and transportation.
Choose Ammothines for a more luxurious family beach holiday and significantly better hotel facilities.
Choose Athina if being directly beside the beach and having a kitchenette are the priorities.
Archon works well for independent families who want a house or apartment and are renting a car.
See my full Best Family Hotels in Naxos guide for more choices around the island.
Best Plaka Hotels for Couples
Naxian on the Beach is my favorite couples hotel on Plaka. It has the right combination of beachfront location, just ten suites, private hot tubs, and an excellent restaurant and beach bar.
Choose Ammothines if you want a larger luxury hotel with a proper pool and more facilities.
Choose Naxos Island Escape if you prefer a quieter, more personal stay just back from the beach.
For couples who want more restaurants and evening atmosphere outside the hotel, I would also compare Plaka with Agia Anna.
Best Plaka Hotels Without a Car
Stay at the northern end of Plaka if you are not renting a car. Naxian on the Beach, Cosmos, Athina, and Naxos Island Escape all work better for a car-free trip than hotels farther south.
Restaurants and beach bars are closer together here, Agia Anna is accessible on foot from the northern end, and buses run back toward Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, and Naxos Town during the main season.
Ammothines and Archon are excellent hotels, but I prefer having a car at either one. Do not book southern Plaka assuming the entire beach works like a compact resort village.
Plaka Hotels: FAQs
What is the best hotel on Plaka Beach?
Ammothines Cycladic Suites is the best overall hotel on Plaka Beach. It combines an excellent beachfront location with one of the island’s best pools, spacious luxury suites and maisonettes, and a very good restaurant. I recommend renting a car because of its quieter southern Plaka location.
What is the best luxury hotel on Plaka Beach?
Ammothines Cycladic Suites. It is also my favorite luxury beach hotel in Naxos. Couples who prefer a smaller adults-focused stay should choose Naxian on the Beach instead.
What is the best Plaka hotel for couples?
Naxian on the Beach. It has just ten couples-only suites, private hot tubs, excellent beach service, and one of Plaka’s best beachfront restaurants.
What is the best Plaka hotel for families?
Cosmos Hotel is my first choice for most families. It has a large pool, kids’ pool, kitchens, two-bedroom apartments, and big villas. Ammothines is the better luxury choice, while Athina is better if being directly beside the beach matters most.
Which part of Plaka Beach is best for hotels?
Northern Plaka is best for most travelers. It has more restaurants, beach bars, buses, and easy access to Agia Anna. Southern Plaka is quieter and more beautiful in places, but a rental car becomes much more useful.
Is Plaka Beach good without a car?
Northern Plaka is. Southern Plaka is much easier with a car. If you do not want to drive, choose a hotel near Maragas or the northern part of Plaka and check the exact location before booking.
Is Plaka better than Agios Prokopios?
Plaka has the better long beach; Agios Prokopios is more convenient. Choose Plaka for space, quiet, and a longer beach holiday. Choose Agios Prokopios if you want restaurants, shops, buses, and everything concentrated in a compact area.
Is Plaka better than Agia Anna?
Plaka is better for beach space and quiet. Agia Anna is better for village atmosphere and beachfront dining. Northern Plaka and Agia Anna are close enough that you can enjoy both.
Plaka Beach Photos
Plaka is the longest and, in my opinion, best beach in Naxos. The farther south you go, the quieter it gets.
Hotels and restaurants are spread along the road behind Plaka Beach. This is why checking the exact hotel location matters here.
A car is easy to use at Plaka and becomes increasingly useful the farther south you stay.
The walkway connecting Agia Anna Beach with northern Plaka.
Plaka is one of my favorite Naxos beaches for long walks at sunset.
Buses from Naxos Town travel through Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna before continuing along Plaka during the main season.
Northern Plaka has the most useful bus access. Check the current timetable and your hotel’s nearest stop before relying on buses for the entire trip.
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