Starting from a dining gem with the best view of the Portara on the edge of the bustling town, and moving down its southwestern coast of sparkling shores, we’ve rustled up some of the restaurants in Naxos we keep returning to with kids. Some more for the ambience than faultless plates (truth be told – the food has seen better days at Paradiso and Paradise in less busy years past), because when there’s plenty of space to run around in nature, and the kids are happy, somehow even mediocre food tastes better.

THE NAXOS APOTHECARY (MAIN TOWN)

An unlikely name for a restaurant, until you realise it’s the culinary venture of the founders of the eponymous luxe skincare brand, inspired by the rich flora and botanical heritage of Naxos. They couldn’t have chosen a more fitting setting for their self-styled “country-style” kitchen: perched on the quieter edge of the Chora, with uninterrupted views of the island’s iconic Portara. 

Modern dining prioritises style over substance all too often, but not here. The inventive menu is as thoughtful as it is beautifully executed, balancing unexpected yet harmonious flavours with remarkable precision. In a way that leaves you wanting to try more of their culinary interpretations. It’s the sort of refined meal parents often resign themselves to missing while travelling with young children.

So why is it one of our favourite family restaurants on Naxos despite a rather grown-up menu and portion sizes that seem to disappear alarmingly quickly into little stomachs? Space. The broad, traffic-free cobbled promenade leading to the Portara becomes an irresistible playground between courses, while I sample scents at the display of skincare, fragrances and candles inside. 

And then there’s the sunset. As we waited for our grilled octopus on a bed of chargrilled fasolakia (green bean) encircled in a tangy escabeche puree, cuttlefish orzo, and succulently grilled shrimp with velvety tarama, the sky dissolved into washes of violet, amber and rose behind the Portara. Reserve a table around 8 pm for the same spectacle.

PARADISO TAVERNA (AGIA ANNA)

Occupying the northern corner of Plaka Beach that transitions into Agia Anna, Paradiso’ tables sit directly on the sand, positioned for a sunset that should soothe even the most frazzled parent. In fact, after our last meal, I would treat the setting as the main attraction and the food as a pleasant accompaniment. 

Paradiso has one of those sprawling menus that are so extensive it invites skepticism on execution. Ready-cooked, home-style dishes are displayed inside—an advantage for hesitant eaters who can inspect the options before ordering—alongside grilled seafood, meats and pasta. You’re safest keeping things simple: grilled fish, baked lemon chicken, and other unfussy classics.

Follow the wooden boardwalk through the dunes towards the shoreline to chase the sun as it dips towards the horizon. And if dessert doesn’t tempt you first (our chocolatopita had great success that day), there’s a tiny seaside church around the corner for exploring further.

PARADISE (KASTRAKI)

Beyond the stretches of parcelled fields that fringe the shores of Plaka and Mikri Vigla lies the wilder coast of Kastraki. Perched on a broad plateau overlooking the sea, Paradise enjoys a wonderfully untamed setting, with expansive grounds that happily absorb even the liveliest of ruffians. While you linger over a leisurely lunch from a small but well-executed menu of taverna favourites—fresh seafood and classic Greek dishes alike—children can inspect ant hills, play hide-and-seek among tamarisk trees. 

LIOFAGOS (MIKRI VIGLA)

A seaside taverna nestled on the sand in Mikri Vigla, the atmosphere here is both buzzy and thoroughly relaxed. In salt hair and sandy feet, bikini-clad diners come from the beach seeking sustenance as they kick back on wooden chairs and tables and turn towards the sea. An expansive menu includes some home-style cooking (e.g. yemista and moussaka), but our usual seafood staples are more dependable – fluffy-crisp zucchini fritters the girls wolf down, grilled sardines, fried calamari, and grilled pork chops – mixing seafood with meat in a way traditional Greeks find peculiar.

A coffee bar beside the taverna invites you to linger a little longer – a good idea because the full appeal of the venue is that Mikri Vigla is a veritable natural playground for kids: a luminous, gently shelving bay for easy swimming, rocks to scramble over at one end, and a rich wrack line on the shore where we found two, elusive Eye of Naxos shells.

Tinos was the island yiayia (grandma) and her friends flocked to by the busload during off-season excursions, drawn to Greece’s foremost Orthodox pilgrimage site: the Panagia Evangelistria. Built over the ruins of an ancient Greek temple (as is the unfortunate custom of many Orthodox churches in Greece), it is said that Pelagia, a sainted nun, received a vision in 1822 which led to the discovery of an icon of the virgin Mary thought to be painted by the apostle Luke.

From religious devotees who crawl (some prepared with knee pads) the carpet that lines the stone paved road from ferry port to church, to the drystone walls painstakingly woven across its mountainscape from end to end, fortitude and devotion pervades the island spirit. Like the flowing lines raked through the gravel of a Japanese Zen garden, Tinos’ intricate network of dry-stone walls sweeps across its mountains from end-to-end, punctuated by monasteries and its distinctive dovecotes. 

For me, Tinos’ draw is inland, where traditional villages are home to unique attractions. From Pyrgos and its marble craft heritage, and enchanting Kardiani, to Volax. Activities are more suited for older children (E.g. scaling the rocks of Exomvourgo, a marble crafting workshop, or to surf the waves at wind whipped Kolymbithres). And for little ones, Tinos has a selection of easy beaches for families (we spent most of our beach days at Agios Sostis). Not of the dreamy hues of blonde and blue shores like neighboring Mykonos and Paros, but where crystal clear waters gentle lap over gentle slate-sand shores speckled in silver. Just right for fortress sculpting. 

WHERE TO STAY

There’s a clear sweet spot for families on this pear-shaped island. Perched along the lofty south-west coast, where evenings end with sublime sunsets, the area behind the beaches just west of the main town (starting from Ballos Beach) puts almost everything within easy reach. Most of the island’s highlights are just 20 to 30 minutes away by car. 

VILLAGES

When you’re about to drag children on a village exploration, it helps to know what to expect. Somehow, they (mine, at least) fail to find the same curious enchantment in quiet wanders through residential village alleyways often ridden with stairs. Which is Kardiani. At least Volax has soft serve to lure little legs along. While larger Pyrgos is filled with so many pockets of attractions I would start my visit there early in the day.

— PYRGOS —

With marble found in abundance in northwest Tinos (Exo Meria), Pyrgos established itself as the greatest center of marble craftsmanship. Once a village of marble craftsmen and quarrymen that flourished  in the 18th and 19th centuries, a Fine Arts School was established in 1955, and most recently, the Museum of Marble Crafts. 

Sitting just outside the village, the museum is a thoroughly modern introduction to tools and technique of the craft—and a welcome refuge on a sweltering summer afternoon. Afterwards, drop into Michael Saltamanikas‘ workshop a few doors down from the marble bus stop, where you might catch him at work before choosing from his exquisitely carved creations. 

Back in the village, boutiques occupy elegant stone buildings along stone-paved lanes that lead to a lively square shaded by a magnificent oak tree. There are numerous options for sustenance, but if pizza is the only thing your children eat, Dough Shaker has a mini-sized playground tucked below. 

— KARDIANI —

As we filtered off the “main road” down the winding south slope of Mount Pateles, the unlikely sight of water-loving plane trees start to appear, gathering around a narrow ravine where a creek winds its way to the sea. A series of church spires float into view as you approach the village, fusing beauty with spirituality for an almost mystical sense of place.

Arrivals are welcomed by a small square with sweeping views across the bay below, centred on a fountain that has become a pond for orange fish, watched over by four marble frogs. With discreet villas and a handful of tavernas, shops and cafes, Kardiani remains wonderfully peaceful.

— VOLAX —

Amidst the jumble of giant, spherical boulders, Volax village sits. Village houses frame their walls around these marvellous rocks, lacing poetry on doors in random corners. When we arrive, a family picks up an unusually determined pace as they launch into an alley. And then another overtakes our languid wander. It turns out we are all converging at the soft serve bolthole. If you prefer a less heavily processed sweet treat for the kids, steer clear of the shop and plant yourselves at Kafe Nai for homemade cakes or a bowl of yoghurt with honey and walnuts.

Volax is a small village, where you’re likely to bump into the same people twice. Basket weaving was once the village’s defining craft, but only a handful of artisans remain. Pop into Loudovikos to catch a glimpse of how its done if you’re in time. Our old neighbours in Athens who made Tinos their new home enthusiastically suggest Aeraki Tiniako for food in the area. Not seeing their text message in time, we settled on the sun-dappled hillside terrace of Venerada. Within its soothing Scandi-rustic setting, thoughtful touches for families abound—from a child-sized table, colouring activities and games to a baby changing station. It’s meat-heavy menu is enticing, including rabbit stifado. A thoroughly beastly choice, according to my girls, whose look of disbelief as I placed the order permanently diminished my enjoyment of the dish.

— CHORA (MAIN TOWN) —-

You have to seek to find the beauty of Tinos’ Chora, which otherwise looks disappointingly like a whitewashed version of the 2 and 3-storey apartment blocks that dominated Greek city architecture in the 1970s. Not the kind of graphic Cycladic villages hidden in its hinterland. A small, more beautiful old town with neoclassical buildings flank the main road towards the church. One part (the portside) an unlikely huddle of bars that bustles with a sequin cladded party-set at night, and another part (the opposite end), a frenzy of souvenir shopping and sweets. 

Where to eat with kids in town? Pranzo by the promenade on the waterfront has ample space for kids to dash around between bites, throw breadcrumbs to feed fish in the harbour, or browse the neighbouring bookshop for art supplies or a travel game. Every so often, a horse-drawn carriage clops past on its way to the nearby rank. The road closes to traffic after 9 pm, leaving the waterfront noticeably calmer for your evening meal.

GETTING THERE

Tinos is reached by ferry, most commonly from Athens’ ports of Rafina or Piraeus. Rafina is the more convenient option for many travellers, with frequent sailings during the summer and a shorter crossing of around two hours. Ferries also connect Tinos with neighbouring Cycladic islands including Mykonos just a 20 minute ferry ride opposite, with an international airport.

WHEN TO VISIT

Greek islands reward those who arrive outside the peak summer crush. June and September offer the perfect balance: the weather is reliably warm, the sea is inviting, and villages, beaches and tavernas retain their unhurried rhythm. July and August bring the island to life, especially around the Panagia Evangelistria pilgrimage on 15 August, when thousands of visitors descend on Chora for one of Greece’s largest religious celebrations. 

Over 70 beaches scallop the dramatic coastline of Serifos, but just a handful are suited for kids. The good? The main draw of dreamy Greek beaches are still accessible, without having to tread through 100 meters of thorny high bushes to reach.  Resisting overdevelopment, its coastal gems retain most of their pristine beauty. And while a few beaches offer just the right amount of amenities, you might want to pack a picnic to some. Here’s where to head to with little legs:

LIVADAKI

The protected port-cove of Livadaki is where you will find the calmest pool-like waters, even on gusty days. But neighbouring Livadakia, with similarly sheltered waters, is more inviting in turquoise crystal clarity. Apart from offering shade, a line of trees with low slung branches serve as a climbing attraction for kids (ours, at least). If you prefer the comfort of padded sunbeds, the camping grounds of Coralli (public parking is right behind) has an earth-toned cafe-bar complete with a pool you can use when you rent sunbeds for €10 a pair (as of 2025). A thoroughly convenient setup for families.

PSILLI AMMOS

A dreamy bay with golden sand and aquamarine waters, Psilli Ammos (“fine sand” in Greek) promises a good time for small splashers with shallow waters that stretch out for more than 30 meters. And you will be in the company of many. While it’s not organised, a string of mature Tamarisks line the shore from end to end for you to throw your towel under.

There are two taverans on the beach. Stefanakos (a very good one that packs out early) has private parking and a beach bar with sun-dappled lounge seating you can plant yourself under. They also serve bolognese pasta if that is the only thing your child eats). Manolis is the other taverna that sets-up shop above the beach every summer.

With sand of the grain size that’s perfect for sandcastle building, this is where we spend the longest days at the beach. Its other appeal? On windy days, because of its shallow waters, it works up a gentle succession of waves the kids find classic joy in jumping over.

AGIOS SOSTIS

A double sided beach that takes your breath away when sighted from above, a 100-metre walk down a dirt road from parking at the top will bring you to this picture perfect cove. With its namesake church looking over stunning turquoise waters, the sheltered coastal indent ensures waters that are calm and crystalline. Under this blistering summer sun, the trek back up requires a bit of grit from kids. The hack? Dad can chauffer the car load all the way down to shore and sort out parking up above. The beach is also just a 5-minute drive from the port, so we suggest you take away bougatsas, coffees, and anything else you need. An early huddle of beachgoers start to mushroom under its five Tamarisk trees, so you’ll need to snag these early if thats your plan for shade. Otherwise, bring umbrellas. 

GANEMA

Not an obvious pick, Ganema has a few good things going for it: With its southerly position (along with other sheltered coves like Vagia), this is where you want to be when the northern Meltemi winds blow brutally. One kilometer long, it’s also one-part pebbly, and one-part sandy, allowing finicky children to take their pick. Little D doesn’t enjoy sand between her toes, so we headed to the pebbly side where a mini mountain stack of boulders beckons to mount them. The girls cannot resist the rock-scaling fun.

The best thing about Ganema (arguably) is Grandma’s. Walk all the way to the opposing end of the beach from where you park (along the road by its entrance), and you will find a family-run café-taverna with bistro chairs huddled under the generous cover of oversized tamarisks. On our first trip when we rented beachfront accomodation here, most of our mornings were spent with iced chocolates and coffees while the kids built bridges with twigs, and castles with pebbles by their tables. If you’re staying for lunch, their menu is a simple, but well-executed selection of burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and seafood classics.

While pristine, the waters at Ganema (along with the islands other southern beaches) are darker, and get deep relatively quickly. Also because of its sheer length, it’s best visited with older children.

While Paros has suddenly become fashionable, how does it compare with neighbouring Naxos, described by historian Herodotus as the “happiest of islands”? Each with its own share of sparkling shores (some of the best in Greece), Cycladic village charm, cultural attractions, an airport and other family-friendly conveniences, a distinct personality difference separates the two. Here’s how they weigh-up:

If dining well for you sounds more like ceviche and champagne than a Greek salad and moussaka, choose Paros.

With polished facades set in insta-perfect corners of whitewashed villages framed by tumbling bougainvillea, the scene in Paros is curated and cosmopolitan. In Naxos, even the snazzier restaurants have a laidback way about them. Picture nursing an ouzo over grilled octopus with sand between your toes, while the children scamper around sprawling tavernas. The most fertile island in the Cyclades, Naxos also attracts with the wholesome goodness of food grown and grazed locally. 

The shopping in Paros is similarly elevated, with artisan boutiques like Yiannis Sergakis fine jewellery and Todd Marshard ceramics to swoon over.

The Greek island of the moment for designers, celebrities and the well-heeled, a string of luxury properties have sprouted up in Paros. It also has more beachfront property options set right in the sand scalloping the island’s gentle coastline. Step off your porch, and a few skips away, you’re in the sea. A perfect setup for families with young kids.

Naxos’ accommodation options are not without good looks, stylish suites, and swoon-worthy comforts. You’re just less likely to find Aesop toiletries in your bathroom, hot stone massage services, and a sushi bar on your property.

_{^{Pictured above, from left: 5 star Avant Mar in Paros, and Seaside Naxos boutique villas in Plaka}}.

If you appreciate an assortment of beaches for every mood, Paros is more impressive.

Swim between the exotic rock sculptures of eccentric kolymbithres, the golden windswept shores of surf hotspot Chryssi Akti, or the twinkling privacy of Faragas bay.

While Naxos is larger and has a longer coastline, most of the swimming takes place in what is essentially the same length of beach on the island’s west coast. Dreamily clear and sandy, expansive horizons backed by beach bars dominate the busy end (starting from Agios Georgios), emptying out as you head south.

_{^{Pictured above, from left: Kolymbithres beach in Paros, and Mikri Vigla beach in Naxos}}.

If you’re a naturist and enjoy quiet communes with the countryside, Naxos has diverse swathes of untouched land.

Hike to Mount Zas, the highest peak in the Cyclades. Roam authentic mountain villages that feel lost in time, and explore stone-paved footpaths leading to springs, waterfalls and Byzantine monuments. Smaller and flatter, Paros’ countryside is more developed and infiltrated by an extensive road network.

Paros is circled by coastal gems. Where do you start if you have limited time and twitchy tots with little patience for exploring? Stunning Kolymbithres is hard-to-miss with sparkling bays framed by eccentric rock-sculpted beauty. But you’re likely to have to jostle with crowds of sunseekers for the slivers of space between its boulders. Golden Beach sounds like a winner. But high winds that make it a windsurfers playground can be off-putting for beach lounging.

With our girls, we look for shallow, calm, fuss-free, along with crystal clear, in addition to somewhere where an iced coffee is within easy reach. So where are the dreamiest, most reliable waters in Paros? From north to south, here are three:

MARCELO

So close to Parikia you can see it in the distance, the sheltered port waters of Marcelo beach make this one of the calmer spots for pool-like swims in bright blue seas.

Parking is located right behind the sunbed-free end of the beach that graduates into rocky shore pocked by rock pools. Little D loves catching shrimp, spotting hermit crabs, and dislodging rocks to uncover surprises within its cavities. There’s quite a bit of sea life to keep you company in the waters as well, so bring goggles or a snorkeling mask. Take a stroll towards the beach bar (there are two you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas from) and you’ll find a mini jetty where kids take endless turns jumping off into adult waist-deep waters.

Backing its shores, a scattered assembly of beach houses overlook its beauty. It’s the perfect set-up for young families that understand the singular conveniences of beach living.

SANTA MARIA

Wide, expansive, and probably the most beautiful stretch of sand in north Paros, Santa Maria’s transparent waters shimmer in the faintest shade of blue stretching as far as the eye can see. This is where the “towel movement” of Greek residents seeking to reclaim free beach space began, keeping part of its grounds blissfully bare and noise pollution free. Two beach bars continue to rent sunbeds and umbrellas for EUR 30 to 60 a set, and parking is directly behind.

FARAGAS

Faragas cafe and restaurant on the southern tip is on our favourite stretch of sand. Located in one of three stunning coves that make up Faragas, the beach has crystalline, sheltered waters that are calm even on the windiest of days. Parking is right behind its palm tree studded grounds, and the restaurant and bar, just meters from the beach. With thickly padded sunbeds, summery soundtracks, and cocktails on-call, we were in parental bliss when we first discovered this with D as a baby.