Alyko
Best for. Travellers who want the most beautiful and natural corner of Naxos, a cluster of turquoise coves among protected cedar dunes, with nature over scene.
Best spot. The small coves below the cedar forest for clear sheltered water, with the shade of the trees behind when the sun is high.
Know this. Alyko is wild and lightly served, and the famous little cove gets busy, so arrive early and bring supplies to enjoy it at its quiet best.
Alyko is the most beautiful corner of Naxos, and one of the most unusual beaches in the Cyclades. On the island's southern tip, a rare protected forest of cedar and juniper grows right down over the dunes to a cluster of small sandy coves, where the water turns an almost improbable turquoise. The contrast of dark green trees, pale sand and clear bright sea is unlike anywhere else on the island, and the shade of the forest is a genuine luxury on a hot day. Nearby, an abandoned hotel covered in striking street art has become a curiosity in its own right.
The honest read is that Alyko trades comfort for beauty and quiet. There is a beach bar and little else, no rows of loungers, no club, no promenade, so you come for the landscape and the swimming rather than for service. The most photographed little cove can fill by the middle of a summer day, which is the one thing that dents the magic, so the trick is simply to arrive early or to walk a few minutes to one of the neighbouring coves, several of which stay quiet even in August. Parts of the area are relaxed about clothing, worth knowing if you have children.
Come for nature and tread lightly. The cedar forest is protected and special, so take your litter with you and keep to the sandy paths. Settle in one of the smaller coves for clear, sheltered water and the rare gift of natural shade, bring water and a picnic since supplies are thin, and time your visit for the morning or late afternoon. The luxury at Alyko is not a daybed, it is the wild, fragrant, turquoise quiet of the best stretch of coast on Naxos. For more organised sand, Plaka and Agios Prokopios are back up the coast.
A beach bar in a forest, not a club
Alyko has a single relaxed beach bar among the cedars rather than a daybed club, which keeps it wild. See the Naxos beach clubs guide for the island's more organised sand.
Photo: Thomas Schemm via GoogleThe Alyko beach bar
Alyko is served by one relaxed beach bar set among the cedar dunes rather than any organised club, with the natural coves stretching away free beside it. The mood is barefoot and low key, a cold drink and a shaded patch of sand rather than a daybed and a minimum spend, and loungers where they exist are limited and to be confirmed. For more organised sand and service, Plaka and Agios Prokopios are back up the coast.
Near the southern tip among the cedars
Alyko lies near the southern tip of Naxos about twenty kilometres south of Naxos Town, roughly thirty minutes by car or scooter, beyond Kastraki and just short of Pyrgaki. A car or scooter is the practical way down, as bus service is limited, and the cedar forest on the dunes is the landmark that tells you that you have arrived.
Parking is informal among the trees and on the tracks behind the coves, and a short walk on sandy paths leads down to the sand. There is very little shade beyond the forest itself and almost no shops, so bring water, a picnic and anything else you need, carry cash for the beach bar, and tread carefully to protect the fragile dunes.
Photo: polina zafiropoulos via GoogleBook a beach club
Alyko is a wild, lightly served beach rather than a club. Tell us your dates and we can point you to a lounger at a more organised Naxos beach 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 Alyko
Why is Alyko beach in Naxos special?
Alyko is special for its landscape. A rare protected forest of cedar and juniper grows over the dunes down to a cluster of small coves with exceptionally clear turquoise water, a combination of dark trees, pale sand and bright sea found nowhere else on Naxos. The natural shade and the wild beauty make it many visitors' favourite corner of the island.
Is Alyko beach busy?
It depends where and when. The single most photographed little cove can fill by the middle of a summer day, but Alyko is really a cluster of coves, and the neighbouring ones stay much quieter even in August. Arriving early or walking a few minutes from the main cove usually finds you calm and space.
Are there facilities at Alyko beach?
Very few. There is a relaxed beach bar among the cedars and little else, no rows of loungers, no club and no shops, so Alyko is best treated as a natural beach. Bring water, a picnic and your own shade if you want it, and carry cash for the bar, since this is a wild rather than a serviced stretch.
Is Alyko a naturist beach?
Parts of it are relaxed about clothing, particularly some of the quieter coves, while others are used by families, so it is a mix rather than a formal naturist beach. Because it is a cluster of separate coves it is easy to choose one that suits you, which is worth knowing if you are travelling with children.
How do you get to Alyko beach from Naxos Town?
It is about twenty kilometres south of Naxos Town near the island's southern tip, roughly thirty minutes by car or scooter, beyond Kastraki and just short of Pyrgaki. Bus service is limited, so a car or scooter is the practical choice, with informal parking among the trees and a short walk on sandy paths to the coves.
