The short answer
This is a short hop within the Cyclades, comparable to the neighbouring Mykonos-to-Paros crossing, and it is served by both high-speed and conventional boats.
We are not going to print a duration for it, and that is deliberate. We did not find a figure for this specific pair we were willing to stand behind this session, and a made-up number on a page about catching a boat is worse than no number. Check the operator for your dates - what you will find is a short crossing with several sailings in season.
What this page can tell you is the part that does not change: why these two islands go together, and what to expect at each end.
Do it to follow the loud island with a quiet one. Check the duration with the operator rather than trusting a summary.
Mykonos to Naxos at a glance
Why the pairing is good
| Crossing | A short Cyclades hop, high-speed and conventional both run it |
|---|---|
| Duration | Not printed here - see the note above and check the operator |
| Carries a car | Conventional ferries |
| Leaves from | Mykonos has TWO ports. Check which your ticket names |
| Arrives at | Naxos town, under the Portara |
Mykonos and Naxos are about as different as two islands in the same group can be, which is exactly why they work in sequence.
Mykonos is a scene. The town is genuinely beautiful, the nightlife is world-famous, the south coast has the beach clubs, and it is the most expensive island in Greece alongside Santorini. Two or three nights is what most people want, even if they booked seven.
Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades and the one that does not depend on you. It grows potatoes and citrus and makes cheese; it has a mountain interior with villages that are villages rather than sets; and its west coast is a run of long, shallow, sandy beaches. It costs a fraction of Mykonos.
Going Mykonos first and Naxos second gives you the party and then the recovery, at descending cost. Doing it the other way tends to feel like being priced out of your own holiday at the end.
Mykonos vs Naxos argues the choice in full if you only have room for one.
What to check before you book
Because we are not printing a time, here is what to actually look at when you open the operator’s page:
Which Mykonos port. The island has two - the New Port at Tourlos a couple of kilometres north of town, and the Old Port beside the town. Your ticket names one. Mykonos has very few taxis and they are in permanent demand, so arriving at the wrong harbour on departure morning is a real problem.
Whether it is direct. In the Cyclades the same route can be a quick hop or a long meander depending on how many islands the boat calls at. The duration on your ticket is the one that matters.
The vessel class. High-speed craft are quicker, enclosed and pricier, and they are the first services stood down when the meltemi blows in July and August. Conventional ferries are slower, cheaper, steadier and carry cars. See when a ferry is cancelled.
Arriving on Naxos
Ferries dock at Naxos town, and it is one of the better arrivals in the Cyclades. The Portara - a huge freestanding marble doorway, all that was ever finished of a temple to Apollo - stands on the islet at the harbour mouth, so it is the first thing you see coming in.
The port is in the town. You step off into the edge of the old quarter, with the Kastro climbing behind it. No cliff road, no transfer.
Give the island more than two nights. It is big, it has an interior, and a flying visit wastes both the island and the crossing. Where to go once you are there is in the Naxos travel guide.
Where it fits
Naxos sits in the middle of the chain, so from here you can carry on south to Santorini or hop twenty minutes west to Paros.
The classic shape: Athens, Mykonos, Naxos or Paros, Santorini, fly home from the far end rather than sailing back. The island hopping guide has the method.
Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Mykonos to Naxos?
It is a short Cyclades hop served by both high-speed and conventional boats, but we did not verify a duration for this specific pair and will not print one we cannot source. Check the operator for your dates - and read the time on your own ticket, since a boat calling at other islands takes considerably longer than a direct one.
Which Mykonos port do I leave from?
Either the New Port at Tourlos, a couple of kilometres north of town, or the Old Port beside the town. Your ticket names which. Check before departure day, because taxis on Mykonos are scarce.
Is Naxos cheaper than Mykonos?
Substantially, for both accommodation and eating. That gap is the main practical reason to pair the two islands rather than staying put.
How many nights should I give Naxos?
More than two. It is the largest of the Cyclades with a real mountain interior as well as a beach coast.
Where does the ferry arrive on Naxos?
At Naxos town, right by the Portara at the harbour mouth, with the port in the town itself.
Next
Read the Naxos travel guide and the Mykonos travel guide, compare them in Mykonos vs Naxos, or continue with Naxos to Paros.