A Naxos catamaran cruise leaves from the island’s port and sails past the Small Cyclades with swim stops on the way. Our tours in Greece list also covers other island boat days.
This page covers what a Naxos catamaran cruise includes, where it starts and how long it lasts, the daily route to Paros and Mikri Vigla, shared versus private boats, the private routes, the Small Cyclades caves and the sunset sailings, plus the questions travellers ask.
What does a Naxos catamaran cruise include?
The daily Naxos catamaran cruise from the operator Naxos Catamaran includes coffee, snacks and finger food. A traditional lunch is served on board, with chilled local wine or beer in limited amounts. The captain and crew speak English and Greek.
The private page of Naxos Catamaran lists the same coffee, snacks and finger food for a private Naxos catamaran cruise. Its lunch is served on the full-day trip only. That page names no wine or beer, and it lists an English-speaking captain and crew.
Pack your own towel for a Naxos catamaran cruise. Naxos Catamaran states on both of its cruise pages that towels are not provided. The note sits right below the list of what is included, so read it before you leave the hotel.
Other sellers describe food in general terms. Naxos Yachting says its catamaran tours come with onboard meals. A travel directory adds that excursions combine swimming stops, snorkelling and onboard meals prepared with local ingredients. Check each operator’s listing for the exact menu and drinks before you book.
Where does a Naxos catamaran cruise start, and how long does it last?
A Naxos catamaran cruise from Naxos Catamaran meets at Naxos Marina. The daily cruise begins from the port of Naxos. The operator’s daily page gives approximately 6.5 hours, so plan for a long day.
The private cruise page names Naxos Marina as the meeting point too, and the operator calls Naxos its home base. That page sets two lengths: a half day of 4 hours and a full day of 6 hours. Naxos Yachting names a five-hour private catamaran trip on its home page.
A travel directory gives a wider range for a Naxos catamaran cruise: between 5 and 9 hours. It names Naxos Town and Agia Anna as departure points. One cruise in its list, going by the title, starts from Alyko.
Wikipedia calls the capital of the island Naxos City, also known as Chora. It lists Agia Anna and Aliko among the island’s beaches. It places the Port of Naxos on the northwestern side of the city, with a breakwater and piers.
Ferries link the town to all neighbouring islands, says Wikipedia. Santa Maria Catamaran says on its own site that its daily cruise starts from the port of Naxos. That site gives no length.
The cruise listed with this page is titled “Naxos: Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & Drinks”. The title names lunch and drinks. Every length and meeting point above belongs to the operator named, not to that cruise.
None of the operator pages we read gives a start time. Check availability for the start time of your Naxos catamaran cruise before you plan the rest of the day.
What does the day cruise from Naxos to Paros and Mikri Vigla look like?
Naxos Catamaran’s daily page describes a Naxos catamaran cruise from the port of Naxos to the south of Paros. It sails on to Mikri Vigla. A swim, a meal on board and an early afternoon finish fill the day.
This Naxos catamaran cruise starts at the port of Naxos. According to Wikipedia, Paros lies 8 km west of Naxos, separated from it by a narrow channel. Naxos Catamaran says the boat sails towards Paros. Its first stop is a beach in the south part of the island, for a swim. The page does not name the beach.
The page says the sailing carries on to Mikri Vigla, which it describes with turquoise water and golden sand. Wikipedia puts Paros west of Naxos and Mikri Vigla south of the city of Naxos. On this Naxos catamaran cruise, the two stops lie in different directions. The page gives no minutes for either stop.
The crew prepares a traditional meal while guests swim and look around. The page says it is served on board after the swimming. Next, the page offers two choices: relax on the catamaran, or take a last swim. The home page adds more swimming on the way back. The Naxos catamaran cruise ends in the early afternoon.
Routes differ from seller to seller on a Naxos catamaran cruise. Santa Maria Catamaran starts its daily cruise at the port of Naxos too. Its page names the south coastline of Naxos as the area to discover. A travel directory lists shared cruises whose titles name the Paros coast and the south beaches of Naxos or Paros.
What is Mikri Vigla, the beach on the daily route?
Wikipedia calls Mikri Vigla a small village on Naxos, about 18 km south of the city of Naxos. On the operator’s daily route, a Naxos catamaran cruise sails on to it after the Paros swim.
The name is Greek and means little lookout. Wikipedia says the village is known for its beaches and names two of them. Parthena lies to the north and is about 600 m long. Limanaki lies to the west and runs about 3,200 m towards Kastraki village. For this Naxos catamaran cruise, the daily page names the village only.
The Naxos article on Wikipedia lists seven beaches by name. Mikri Vigla is the one that a Naxos catamaran cruise on the daily route visits. The others are Agia Anna, Agios Prokopios, Aliko, Kastraki, Plaka and Agios Georgios.
The same article calls Naxos a windy island, like other Cycladic islands. It says the wind suits windsurfing and kitesurfing. Seven sports clubs on the island offer both sports and other water activities.
How does a shared Naxos catamaran cruise differ from a private charter?
A shared Naxos catamaran cruise puts you on the boat with other travellers. A private charter gives your party the catamaran and its captain alone. Naxos Catamaran sells small group tours and private tours, so one operator offers both.
Naxos Catamaran says its small group tours suit couples or families exploring the coast with like-minded travellers. Its private tours give your party exclusive use of a catamaran and a captain. The operator’s page also names private and semi-private boat tours from Naxos, Paros and Mykonos.
Naxos Yachting lists a group cruise and a tailor-made catamaran journey. Its group cruise is a chance to meet new friends and explore new places. The journey is worded around privacy. A shared Naxos catamaran cruise therefore trades privacy for company.
A private Naxos catamaran cruise has a size limit. Naxos Catamaran takes groups of up to a maximum of 22 passengers on its private tours. Santa Maria Catamaran says a private cruise lets you create your own route. Its page names birthday and anniversary parties, wedding proposals and bachelor parties.
Naxos Catamaran calls its private itineraries flexible. They follow the guests’ wishes, the length of the cruise and the weather conditions. The operator’s team will help you plan a daily cruise tailored to your interests.
Which routes do private catamaran cruises from Naxos offer?
Naxos Catamaran gives three sample itineraries for private tours. One follows the south coast of Naxos. One stops at Golden Beach and the Blue Lagoon. One visits Naoussa Bay on Paros. A private Naxos catamaran cruise can also start from Paros or Mykonos on request.
The south coast itinerary of this Naxos catamaran cruise names four stops. They are Bay Ro, Mikri Vigla, the Parthena Church and Agios Prokopios. The second itinerary lists Golden Beach, the Blue Lagoon between Paros and Antiparos, Tripiti Cave and Kalogeros Bay. Kalogeros Bay has natural clay.
Wikipedia places Paros 8 kilometres west of Naxos across a narrow channel. It puts Antiparos less than one nautical mile from Paros. Naxos Catamaran describes a private day on the water around Naxos, Paros and Antiparos, or around Mykonos.
The third Naxos catamaran cruise itinerary lists Naoussa Bay, Paros Kolympithres and the Saint Ioannis Monastery. Wikipedia describes Naoussa as a fishing village in the north-east corner of Paros, with Kolympithres among its nearby beaches. Venetians founded the settlement around the late 14th century. A fortress was built early on to protect its young port.
Naxos Catamaran calls Paros and Mykonos a short sail from its home base in Naxos. It hosts guests from both almost every week. For another nearby island, the crew says it can come to you. Contact the operator with your needs and it will help you plan a Naxos catamaran cruise.
Which islands and caves can a catamaran from Naxos reach?
A Naxos catamaran cruise reaches the south coast of Naxos, Rina’s Cave, Paros, Antiparos and the Small Cyclades. Naxos Catamaran names Koufonisi, Irakleia, Schoinoussa, Donousa and Keros for its private boat tours.
Santa Maria Catamaran runs a daily Naxos catamaran cruise to the south coastline of Naxos and Rina’s Cave. A travel directory calls Rina a sea cave with clear turquoise water that invites a swim. The same directory adds Koufonisia, with natural swimming pools, and Iraklia, with quiet bays.
Santa Maria’s page for private day and half day cruises lists five routes for a Naxos catamaran cruise. Two pair Naxos beaches with Rina’s Cave, and one of those adds Koufonisia. The other three go to Paros and Panteronisia, to Heraklia and Schinoussa, or to Delos and Mykonos.
Wikipedia gives set sizes for three of those islands. Donousa covers 13.7 square kilometres, Schoinoussa 8.1 and Keros 15. It also notes ruins from classical antiquity and the Roman period on Schoinoussa and Irakleia. Pirates raided the group in medieval and modern times, and shepherds from Amorgos later resettled it.
For a Naxos catamaran cruise on the Paros side, Naxos Catamaran lists Paros and Antiparos together. Wikipedia places Antiparos 1.5 kilometres south-west of Paros, across the Strait of Antiparos. It says the cave of Antiparos has served as a natural shelter since the Neolithic period.
What does a sunset catamaran cruise from Naxos offer?
A Naxos catamaran cruise at sunset lasts 2.5 to 3 hours on Naxos Catamaran’s page. That cruise serves chilled local wine and fresh fruit, and the departure time changes with the time of sunset.
Naxos Catamaran’s sunset cruise meets at Naxos Marina at 6 PM and departs at 6:30 PM. Its list of complimentary items has local wine, fresh fruits and Wi-Fi. Santa Maria Catamaran runs a Naxos catamaran cruise at sunset that lasts about two hours and leaves near 18.30. Its page lists soft drinks, wine and beer, a snack and fruit salad.
On Santa Maria’s sunset page, a Naxos catamaran cruise offers views of the Temple of Apollo. That page also puts the Portara of Naxos in the background of the sunset. Wikipedia calls the Portara an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo. It stands on the islet of Palatia at the northern end of the harbour.
Wikipedia says the tyrant Lygdamis started the temple around 530 BC. Work stopped by about 524 BC at the latest, and the temple stayed unfinished. The marble pieces of the doorway weigh up to 20 tons each, and the temple faces Delos, the sacred island.
A travel directory lists shared and private sunset sailings from Naxos Town, each with drinks and snacks. One private Naxos catamaran cruise on that list adds dinner. Naxos Yachting also lists a sunset cruise beside its group cruise and its five-hour private cruise.
What else do travellers ask about a Naxos catamaran cruise?
Can a Naxos catamaran cruise last more than one day?
Yes. Naxos Catamaran sells crewed multi-day charters of two to seven days. They start from Naxos, Paros, Mykonos or any other island you choose. The charter page says the plan follows your interests and the islands you want to visit.
What does the sample itinerary of a multi-day charter look like?
Naxos Catamaran’s sample charter leaves Naxos at 10 am. The first evening is spent in the small fishing port of Antiparos. The next day the boat sails two and a half hours to Tsiggouri beach on Schinousa. Pano Koufonisi comes next. On the last day the boat enters the port of Naxos around 5 o’clock.
What does a multi-day Naxos catamaran cruise add to the day trip?
Naxos Catamaran’s multi-day charter page lists masks for snorkelling among its complimentary items. Its activity list adds sightseeing and shopping visits at port stops, plus tasting of local cuisine and meze.
Which catamaran models sail from Naxos?
Santa Maria Catamaran names a Lagoon 450 Flybridge on its home page. Naxos Yachting’s home page lists Lagoon 400, Lagoon 42, Lagoon 43 and Lagoon 450S models. The boat for your Naxos catamaran cruise depends on the operator you pick.
How big is Naxos, and where does it sit among the Cyclades?
Santa Maria Catamaran says Naxos sits in the centre of the Cyclades Islands. A travel directory says Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades. It covers 429 square kilometres and has 133 km of coastline.
How do I check dates and book a Naxos catamaran cruise?
A travel directory’s Naxos catamaran page lets you sort its shared and private cruises by duration and by capacity. Its no-results message asks you to try a date closer to the summer when a search by date finds nothing. The directory says you can book with it online or in its offices on the island of Naxos.