Things to do in Mikri Vigla: 12 ideas from the cape

The best things to do in Mikri Vigla are simple: swim in the calm north bay, walk the long sand of Sahara on the south side, climb the cape for the sunset over Paros, watch the kitesurfers from the shore, and eat by the water in the evening. Add a drive to Kastraki, Alyko and Pyrgaki, one day in Naxos Town, and you have a full week without rushing.

This guide lists 12 concrete things to do, with distances, bus times and what each one is actually like. It is written from the cape itself, where our family has lived and worked since 1986, so it leans towards what we do ourselves rather than what sells tickets.

1. Swim in the north bay and walk Sahara on the south

Mikri Vigla is a small cape with a beach on each side, and the two could not be more different.

• North bay (Parthena): sheltered, shallow and calm, with fine golden sand and the islet of Panagia Parthena in front of it. This is where you swim in the morning and float without doing much. The kitesurf and windsurf launch is 100 m from Studios Kontos, at the open end of the same bay.
• South side (Sahara, also called Limanakia): an open stretch of white sand about 4 km long, running south towards Kastraki. It catches more wind, which is exactly why kiters love it, and it is long enough that you can always find a quiet patch.

Between the two lies Kavos, a small cove with the same sand and water. Umbrellas and sunbeds exist but are few, so in high season bring your own shade. There is no lifeguard on the south side, so keep your swimming sensible when the sea is up.

2. Walk the cape for the sunset over Paros

The cape between the two beaches is a rocky rise, and the walk to the top takes minutes rather than hours. Go up an hour before sunset. From there you see both bays at once, the rock formations at the tip, and the sun dropping behind Paros across the channel. Bring a light layer, the wind on top is stronger than on the beach. Most evenings there are only a handful of people, which is part of the point.

If you would rather watch from a chair, the verandas at Studios Kontos face the same direction, so the Sea Front Bungalow and the upper studios get the full show without the climb.

3. Watch the kitesurfers, or try it yourself

Mikri Vigla is one of the best known kite and windsurf spots in the Aegean, and in summer the north bay fills with sails and kites by late morning. Even if you never touch a board, sitting on the sand and watching is a genuine afternoon activity. The schools are right on the beach and offer rentals and courses.

We have a separate, detailed guide to kitesurfing and windsurfing in Mikri Vigla, covering seasons, wind and how lessons work, so we will not repeat it here.

4. Drive or ride the bus to Kastraki and Glyfada

Just south of Sahara the coast continues as Kastraki, a beach of fine white sand with a shore more than 3 km long. It is mostly unorganised, with only a few sunbeds, cedar trees behind the sand and a well stocked mini market for supplies. It is the beach to pick when you want to walk for an hour with the sea on one side and nothing built on the other. It is exposed to the wind, so check the forecast before you go.

Glyfada follows Kastraki and is the next stop on the same bus line. Both are 15 km from Naxos Town, which makes them closer to Mikri Vigla than to anywhere else you might stay.

5. Spend a slow day in the cedar forest and bays of Alyko

Alyko is a peninsula 18 km south of Naxos Town, past Kastraki and Glyfada. Above the beaches is a cedar forest on sand dunes, declared a protected natural area, and below it a series of small bays with soft white sand and clear water. The best known beach is Hawaii. Kedros, the largest, sits on the northern side of the peninsula, has no facilities beyond a food truck, and is popular with naturists because you have to walk across the sand to reach it. Hawaii and Kedros join, so you can move between them on foot.

Bring water, shade and food. This is a place for a full, slow day, not a quick stop.

Pyrgaki: the end of the road. Pyrgaki is where bus Line 3 terminates, 55 minutes from Naxos Town, just past the Alyko crossroads. It feels like the end of the island. If you are driving, the same road gives you Kastraki, Glyfada, Alyko and Pyrgaki in one afternoon, with swims at each. On the way back, the tavernas on the Kastraki road are the classic stop.

6. Eat by the water, walk home

The tavernas around Mikri Vigla are modest, fairly priced places serving local cuisine with Naxian products, and several have a sea view. From Studios Kontos the nearest restaurants and cafes are 200 m away and Kontos Restaurant, our family’s taverna, is 300 m. The routine that works: a late lunch after the beach, a coffee in the afternoon, a second swim, dinner as the light goes. Nightlife is not what Mikri Vigla does. If you want bars and music, they are a short drive north in Plaka and Agia Anna.

If you prefer to cook some evenings, every unit has a kitchen and a veranda, which we cover in this piece on kitchens, verandas and sea views.

7. Take one day in Naxos Town

Naxos Town (Chora) is 10 km away, about 15 to 20 minutes by car, or 35 minutes on bus Line 1 along the coast via Plaka, Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios. One day is enough to see the Kastro, the Portara at the harbour and the lanes of the old town, and to shop for anything you cannot find at the mini markets. Go in the morning, come back for an afternoon swim. The port and the airport are on the same side, 12.2 km and 8.6 km from the studios.

A useful alternative on the way back is the inland route through the villages of Galanado and Tripodes (Vivlos). It is longer, about 16.8 km, but fully asphalt and with panoramic views over the whole coastline of Plaka, Orkos and Mikri Vigla.

8. Snorkel the calm coves and do nothing on the veranda

Snorkelling: the north bay and the small cove of Kavos are the places, sandy bottom, clear water and rocks along the cape where fish gather. Mornings are best, before the wind comes up and the kites go out. Bring your own mask, there is nowhere to rent one on the beach.

Getting around: Line 1 (coastal) and Line 3 (inland, continuing to Pyrgaki) both reach Mikri Vigla in about 35 minutes from the port, with a ticket of 2.60 euro for adults and free travel up to age 6. Tickets are bought before boarding, not on the bus. A car makes the southern beaches much easier. Details are on our location page.

Slow days: some of the best days here involve no list at all. Breakfast on the veranda, a swim, a book, a nap, the sunset. We wrote about that way of travelling in quiet beach stays and slow living in Naxos. If you are travelling with children, our family day in Mikri Vigla article covers that side separately.

For the background on the area, see about Mikri Vigla, and when you are ready to plan the dates, the accommodation page has every unit with its size and view.

Frequently asked questions about things to do in Mikri Vigla

Sources

• Greeka, Mikri Vigla beach
• Naxos.net, Mikri Vigla beach
• Greeka, Kastraki beach
• Greeka, Aliko beach
• Naxos Buses, Mikri Vigla route

By the team at Studios Kontos, Mikri Vigla, Naxos. We write about what we live every day on the island.