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Island hopping in October? Why Crete and Naxos outlast the summer season
Think all the Greek islands shut down after summer? Crete and Naxos remain open, lively, and warm, ideal for late-season island hopping.
If you’re considering a Greek island getaway this autumn, you may have heard the warnings: resorts closing down for the season, empty streets, and no ferries.
But this doesn’t apply to every island.
Some small seasonal islands shift from party hubs to ghost towns in October, but larger inhabited islands like Crete and Naxos stay full of life and excitement.
Here’s how these two Greek islands retain their buzz, and why October is actually the best time to visit.
Why some islands go quiet, but these two don’t
Some Cycladic islands rely almost entirely on tourism, so after the summer crowds leave and seasonal staff return home, they can quickly feel deserted.
For example, Mykonos is a crowded party hub in July and August. Yet by October, it’s eerily calm as the hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants close down for the season. Similarly, small, remote islands like Koufonisia have only a few hundred year-round residents, leaving them almost vacant outside the summer months.
However, Crete and Naxos have steady year-round populations and active communities. As a result, most services on these islands remain accessible in October, including shops, tavernas, and ferries.
In addition, autumn in Crete and Naxos sees comfortable temperatures and minimal crowds. You can relax on the beaches without feeling like a sardine and enjoy long hikes in idyllic weather conditions, making Crete and Naxos the best Greek islands to visit in October.
Typically, the sea remains warm enough to swim in during October, with average water temperatures of 22°C to 25°C (72°F to 77°F), matching the air temperature. However, late October can bring some cooler breezes and brief rain showers, making conditions feel less comfortable.
Because Crete and Naxos differ significantly in size, their vibe and activities vary. In the following sections, you’ll learn what to expect on each island and how to choose the best one for your October trip.
| Crete | Naxos | |
|---|---|---|
| October vibe | Big, varied, still busy in towns | Village life, calm beaches |
| Best for | Hiking, history, food | Slow travel, beaches, mountain villages |
| Getting there | Flights or ferry to Heraklion/Chania | Ferry from Piraeus, small airport |
Crete: An island big enough to keep the season going
As Greece’s largest island, Crete offers plenty to do in autumn. The crowds have thinned, and so the island’s usually busy spots, like Chania’s old harbor and Heraklion’s Knossos, feel more enjoyable and peaceful.
Then there’s the famous southern beaches like Elafonisi and Balos. They take on a completely different character without the wall-to-wall August crowds, even though some beach facilities begin winding down for winter.
October can also be a great month for hiking. Samaria Gorge is open in the mornings until October 31. However, it is common to close temporarily due to bad weather, and so far this year, it has been closed for several days since the start of October.
Crete has plenty of other gorges and shorter walks to explore, such as Imbros Gorge, which typically stays open year-round.
And of course, Greek food becomes a central focus for any autumn island trip. The Chestnut Festival in Elos is scheduled for 19-21 October, which is a great opportunity to taste some chestnut-inspired seasonal dishes. The olive harvest also begins in late October, which offers a fascinating insight into local island life.
Naxos: The Cyclades island that still feels local
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades archipelago, with a significant year-round population.
The island remains fully functional, but with a slower, more relaxed pace. Hotels and resort rates also drop by 30% to 40%, making for a far less expensive Greece trip compared to the summer months.
October is a fantastic month to enjoy the beautiful west-coast beaches of Agios Prokopios and Plaka without the crowds and chaos. Meanwhile, in Naxos Town, Portara sunsets become peaceful again, with the autumn sun casting a cozy, warm glow over the Aegean.
Another low-season must-do is heading into the mountains to the villages of Halki, Apiranthos, and Filoti. Here you’ll find traditional cafés, stone houses, and family-run businesses, showing you a side of the island most tourists miss, far from the beach resorts.
Naxos’ mountain villages offer an abundance of local produce. Halki has produced kitron liqueur since 1896 and is the island’s main hub for olive oil production. Meanwhile, Apiranthos and Filoti are famed for Arseniko Cheese and comforting meaty dishes like rosto (garlic-stuffed pot-roasted pork), typically served with creamy mashed potatoes.
How to island hop between them in late October
If you can’t choose between Crete and Naxos, why not split your time between both islands?
SeaJets ferries operate once a day between Naxos and Heraklion (Crete) until 01 November, with a journey time of around 3 hours.
However, the weather can become unpredictable toward the end of October, and strong winds often disrupt Greek ferry services. So book a few days ahead and keep a backup day in case of cancellations, since there is only one ferry per day.
An alternative (but much longer) way to travel between the two islands in low season is via Piraeus in Athens.
Athens has regular ferry connections to both islands, with Naxos just 3-4 hours by high-speed catamaran. Crete is 8 hours from Athens by ferry, so flying is a much quicker form of transport in Greece when traveling long distances.
So how long should you spend on each island?
3–4 days on Naxos and 4–5 days on Crete is ideal.
As a smaller and more compact island, it makes sense to spend less time in Naxos. Meanwhile, one or two extra days in Crete will ensure a well-balanced trip between the island’s historic sights, villages, beaches, and hiking trails.
Timing your October Greek island trip
There are a few key events in October to consider when planning your Greek island getaway:
- October 28 is Ohi Day, a nationwide public holiday in Greece. Towns on Crete and Naxos will host street parades, which can be awesome to experience. But many services close that day, so if you’re in Greece, plan ahead for transport, tours, and meals.
- The clocks go back on October 25. From then on, sunsets will be earlier and evenings shorter, so schedule your main daily activities in the mornings.
- Late October is the tail end of the island season. From early November, some beach bars and smaller hotels close, reducing the number of amenities on the islands.
- Bring plenty of layers: The evenings can be surprisingly cool and windy, especially by the coast. So your Greece packing list for October should prioritize layers, including warm sweaters, long trousers, and a light rain jacket.
Keep your island hop on track with Holafly
Late-season island hopping is all about saying yes: an extra night in a Naxos mountain village, a last-minute ferry swap, a detour to a beach someone mentioned at dinner. Your phone needs to keep up with every change of plan.
A Holafly eSIM for Greece keeps you online from Piraeus to Heraklion, with unlimited data, 5G speeds, and 24/7 customer support. No roaming fees, and no hunting for a SIM shop on a quiet October afternoon.
What’s more, every Holafly eSIM includes Always On: 1 GB of monthly backup data at no additional cost. It switches on automatically as long as the eSIM stays installed, renews every month and works in 150+ destinations. So if you stretch your trip past your plan’s end date, you’ll still have enough data to check ferry times, maps and messages until you’re home.
Unlimited data. Peace of mind.
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Hi, I'm Mika, a South Korean writer living in the US. I cover travel and live events, focusing on the practical stuff that makes your trip smoother, whether you're navigating a new city or heading to a major international event.I'm also the founder of Search SEOul, South Korea's leading SEO conference, bringing together search marketing experts and speakers from around the world.
