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Rent From Locals

Car Rental in Naxos

Rent a car from verified, top-rated local suppliers at Naxos airport, at the ferry port or in Naxos Town. Pick-up is flexible, no credit card is required and you can choose full insurance.

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17 cars available

17 cars

17 cars

How you pick up your car

Picking up in town suits you if you arrived some other way and only want a car for part of your stay. You can't drive into the old town or the Kastro: cars aren't allowed in, and the lanes are too narrow and steep anyway. The supplier brings the car to your hotel or sends you directions to their office, and confirms which after booking. If you're staying inside the old town, the handover is at the nearest street a car can reach, and you walk in with your luggage.

Driving and parking

Parking in Naxos Town

  • Old town and Kastro: no cars. Park on the edge of the centre and walk in.
  • Car parks: guides name a car park just south of the port, about 5 minutes' walk from the Portara, and others next to the town hall and behind the Kastro. Follow the "P" signs, even when they lead through narrow streets.
  • One-way streets: there are several in town, so watch the signs.
  • Hotels: most hotels outside Naxos Town have their own parking. In town many don't, so ask when you book.

Parking in the villages and at the beaches

  • Mountain villages: cars stay outside Halki, Filoti and Apiranthos, which each have a free public car park at the edge of the village.
  • West coast beaches: you park along the roads at Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna and Plaka. In August the popular stretches are full by late morning.

On the road

  • Main roads are paved and in good condition, including the road inland from Naxos Town to Halki and on to Apiranthos.
  • The mountain road: past Halki the road climbs through Filoti to Apiranthos with many bends, and some switchbacks have no guardrail. The hardest stretch is the 11 km down from Apiranthos to Moutsouna on the east coast: narrow, steep and with tight hairpins.
  • Signs and lighting: signposting is sparse, so use a map app, and outside the towns there is hardly any street lighting. Plan mountain drives for daylight.
  • Animals: goats, sheep and cows on the road are normal, even on main roads. Take blind bends slowly.
  • Fuel: stations cluster in and around Naxos Town and along the road inland through Galanado, Sangri and Halki. There are few or none further east and in the south, so fill up before heading for Apollonas, Moutsouna, Panermos or the far south-west (Alyko, Pyrgaki).

Practical tips

  • Which car: a small car is the better choice here. You can't drive into the old town anyway, the village car parks are small and the mountain road has tight bends. All main roads are paved, so a 4x4 isn't needed for any of the trips above.
  • Unpaved roads: a few beach roads end in dirt tracks, for example the last 300 m to Abram and the Plaka side of Mikri Vigla. Many insurance policies exclude damage on unpaved roads (tyres, underbody), so ask the supplier before you book if you plan to drive them.
  • Daylight: the mountain and east coast roads are unlit. Leave enough time to drive back from Moutsouna, Panermos or Apollonas before dark.
  • When to arrive: in July and August, get to the west coast beaches and to Mount Zas early: the roadside spaces fill by late morning, and the trail has no shade.

Driving rules in Greece

  • Speed limits: in towns the limit has been 30 km/h since 1 January 2026, and 50 km/h on roads with two or more lanes in each direction, on one-way roads with two or more lanes and on roads with a central divider. Outside towns it is 90 km/h, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways. Signs can set other limits.
  • Alcohol: the limit is 0.5 g/l. It is 0.2 g/l for new drivers, and for motorcycle and moped riders.
  • Phones: hands-free only. Since the new traffic code of 2025, a first offence costs €350 and a 30-day licence suspension.
  • Helmets: compulsory on mopeds, motorcycles and quads, for the rider and the passenger.
  • In the car: a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher are compulsory. Check they're in the boot at pick-up.
  • Emergencies: call 112.

Places to visit by car

  • West coast beaches

    West coast beaches

    Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna and Plaka follow one another along the coast 6-8 km south of town, 10-15 minutes away. They are also the shortest drives from the airport.
  • Mikri Vigla

    Mikri Vigla

    12 km, about 20 minutes. The newer road past the airport and Plaka ends in a few kilometres of easy dirt track; the older road via Galanado and Vivlos (17 km) is paved all the way. The north bay is the kitesurfers' beach.
  • Temple of Demeter

    Temple of Demeter

    16 km, 25-30 minutes, outside Sangri: a 6th-century BC sanctuary. At the time of writing it's open 08:30-15:30 every day except Tuesday, and a full ticket is €5.

    Photo: Olaf Tausch, cropped, CC BY 3.0

  • Kouros of Melanes (Flerio)

    Kouros of Melanes (Flerio)

    12 km, about 15 minutes. Two unfinished marble kouroi, each about 5 m long, lie in a garden and in an ancient quarry near Melanes, a few minutes' walk from the car park.

    Photo: Jean Housen, cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Halki and the Vallindras distillery

    Halki and the Vallindras distillery

    16 km, 20-25 minutes, on the mountain road. The distillery in Halki has made kitron, the island's citron liqueur, since 1896, and offers tours and tastings. The chapel of Panagia Drosiani, 3 km further on, has only roadside parking.
  • Filoti, Apiranthos and Koronos

    Filoti, Apiranthos and Koronos

    the mountain villages beyond Halki. Filoti is 19 km away (about 25 minutes), Apiranthos 27 km (about 35 minutes) and Koronos 28 km (about 35 minutes).
  • Mount Zas

    Mount Zas

    the usual trailhead, at the chapel of Agia Marina on the Filoti-Danakos road, is 24 km away, about 30 minutes. The summit, just over 1,000 m and the highest in the Cyclades, is about 5 km there and back with a 500 m climb: allow 3-4 hours. There is no shade, so start early. The other start, at the Aria spring above Filoti, has very little parking.
  • Moutsouna

    Moutsouna

    38 km, about 45 minutes, down the hairpins from Apiranthos to the east coast. It was the port for the emery mined in the mountains, and the remains of the aerial cableway that carried it down are still there.
  • Panermos (Panormos)

    Panermos (Panormos)

    54 km, just over an hour, via Moutsouna and the coast road south, which ends at the beach. Park along the road. The remains of a prehistoric acropolis sit on the hill above. The last stretch may be unpaved, so take it slowly.

    Photo: Zde, cropped, CC BY-SA 3.0

  • Apollonas and its kouros

    Apollonas and its kouros

    along the north coast via Engares and Abram it's about 37 km, about an hour; over the mountains via Halki, Apiranthos and Koronos it's 48 km, about 1¼ hours. The two make a loop: out through the villages, back along the coast. The unfinished kouros, over 10 m long, lies in an ancient quarry just above the village.

Questions and answers

Can I drive to my hotel in the old town of Naxos?

No. Cars aren't allowed in the old town or the Kastro, and the lanes are too narrow anyway. The handover is at the nearest street a car can reach, and you walk in with your luggage.

How far is Naxos airport from the town?

About 3 km south, 10 minutes by car. The supplier meets you on arrival, sends you directions to their office or sends a shuttle, and confirms which after booking. The beaches at Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna are only a few minutes from the terminal.

My ferry arrives late at night. Can I collect the car at the port?

Yes. Give the supplier your ship and arrival time when you book. They'll confirm whether they'll meet you at the port, send you directions to their office or send a shuttle. The port is in Naxos Town itself, a few minutes' walk from the old town.

Is the mountain road to Apiranthos difficult?

The road from Naxos Town through Halki and Filoti to Apiranthos is paved and in good condition, but it has many bends. The narrow, steep part comes after, down the hairpins to Moutsouna. Drive it in daylight and watch for goats.

Where can I get fuel on Naxos?

Mostly in and around Naxos Town and on the road inland through Sangri and Halki. Fill up before you head for Apollonas, Moutsouna or Panermos: stations are scarce in the east and south.

Do I need a 4x4 for the beaches?

No. All main roads are paved, and only a few beach roads end in short dirt tracks. If you plan to drive those, ask the supplier whether their insurance covers unpaved roads.