Agia Anna
Best for. Families and travellers who want calm, sheltered swimming with a sociable buzz, good tavernas and a pretty fishing port, all close to Naxos Town.
Best spot. The middle of the bay for the calmest shallow water and the easy sunbeds, with the little port at the south end for a wander and a fish lunch.
Know this. This is the lively stretch, not a hideaway, so come for calm water with a relaxed scene and step to Plaka next door when you want real quiet.
Agia Anna is the easygoing companion to Agios Prokopios, running on from the headline beach along the same southwest sweep to a small fishing port at its southern end. Many people treat the two as one long beach, and they share the same soft sand and clear water, but Agia Anna has its own character, smaller, cosier and a touch more sheltered, with traditional fishing boats bobbing by the port and a string of tavernas and bars that give it a sociable, lived in feel. The calmer water is the headline, and it makes this one of the gentler family swims close to Naxos Town.
The honest read is that Agia Anna is calm in the sea and lively on the sand. The sheltered position keeps the water gentler than the open beaches when the Meltemi blows, which is its real advantage for children and easy swimmers, but the run of bars, the music at places like Santana and the steady buzz around the port mean this is not the spot for solitude. That is a feature rather than a fault if you want a relaxed scene with your swim, and a reason to wander a few minutes to Plaka if you want quiet. The service is friendly Naxos rather than glossy, sunbeds and tavernas instead of a daybed empire.
Come for a calm family day with good food close at hand, take the middle of the bay for the gentlest water, and finish with a fish lunch by the little port. When the afternoon wind gets up it stays more comfortable here than on exposed Agios Prokopios, and when you want a long empty stretch the vast sands of Plaka are right next door. For calm swimming with a bit of life around it, near town and easy to reach, Agia Anna is one of the soundest choices on the island.
The liveliest sand on Naxos
Agia Anna is the party end of the coast, with Santana running the music and easy bars along the sand. They are beach bars rather than a glossy club, so see the Naxos beach clubs guide for the full run and the calmer spots.
Photo: Aliki D. via GoogleSantana, Banana and the Agia Anna bars
Agia Anna is the liveliest stretch of the Naxos coast, with Santana Beach Club bringing DJ sets and beach parties and relaxed bars such as Banana and Island Bar serving food and cocktails along the sand. They are easygoing beach bars rather than a dressed up daybed club, and the free public sand sits right beside the loungers. For calmer sand, neighbouring Plaka is the place. Prices and any lounger fee are set locally and to be confirmed.
On the southwest coast by the fishing port
Agia Anna sits on the southwest coast about six kilometres south of Naxos Town, just beyond Agios Prokopios, around ten to fifteen minutes by car or scooter, and the frequent number one bus serves it from the port through the day. The little fishing harbour at the south end is the easy landmark, and the beach runs north from there toward Agios Prokopios.
There is parking behind the sand that fills in peak season, so come earlier for both a space and the calmer morning water. Natural shade is limited, so bring or hire an umbrella, carry a little cash for the smaller bars, and the tavernas by the port are the place for a fish lunch. Plaka and Agios Prokopios are both a short walk away.
Photo: Γεωργία via GoogleBook a beach club
Agia Anna runs on relaxed bars and sunbeds rather than a single club. Tell us your dates and we can point you to a lounger at a Naxos beach bar to match your day. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Agia Anna
Is Agia Anna beach good for families?
Yes, it is one of the better family beaches on Naxos. It sits just south of Agios Prokopios and is more sheltered from the wind, the water is shallow and calm and shelves gently, and there are tavernas, sunbeds and a little fishing port to wander. The calm water and the easy facilities make it an easy choice with children, though it can get busy and breezy on a high summer afternoon.
What is the difference between Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios?
They are neighbours on the same southwest sweep, a short walk apart, and many treat them as one long beach. Agios Prokopios is the bigger, more open headline beach with vivid water, while Agia Anna is smaller, more sheltered and a little calmer, with a charming fishing port and a livelier run of bars and tavernas. Agia Anna suits a calm family day and a sociable evening, Agios Prokopios the grander stretch of sand.
Is there a beach club at Agia Anna?
Agia Anna is the liveliest stretch of the Naxos coast, with Santana Beach Club running DJ sets and beach parties and relaxed bars such as Banana and Island Bar along the sand. They are easygoing beach bars rather than a glossy daybed club, and you can usually take a lounger when you arrive, with prices set locally and to be confirmed. The free public sand sits right beside them.
How do you get to Agia Anna from Naxos Town?
It lies on the southwest coast about six kilometres south of Naxos Town, just beyond Agios Prokopios, around ten to fifteen minutes by car or scooter, and the frequent number one bus runs there from the port through the day. There is parking behind the sand that fills in peak season, so arriving earlier helps, and the little port at the south end is the easy landmark.
Is Agia Anna a quiet beach?
It is calm in the water but social on the sand. The sheltered position keeps the sea gentle, yet the bars, tavernas and fishing port make it one of the more sociable, lively beaches near town rather than a hideaway. For real quiet, the long stretch of Plaka next door or the southern beaches such as Alyko are the better bet. Agia Anna is for calm swimming with a relaxed buzz.
