Nikos Xydakis was born in Piraeus, in 1958. He is originally from Mykonos. He completed his secondary studies in Piraeus and in Ermoupolis, Syros. He received a degree from the School of Dentistry of the University of Athens (1984) and did graduate studies in Art History at the Philosophical School of Athens (1999-2004).

In 1987 he began working as a journalist. He has collaborated with a number of magazines and newspapers, as a writer, book and art critic, publication consultant, editor in chief and publisher. From 1992 to 2014 he worked at the Athens daily “Kathimerini”. In 1999 he took over as head of the culture section of the Sunday edition, and in December 2003 he became the newspaper’s editor in chief.

His essays and prose have been published in a number of books, conference minutes and exhibition guides. The Botsis Foundation honored him with the Hellenic Parliament Award as Political Columnist of the Year (2009).

In 1998 he was a candidate for municipal councilor in Mykonos, with the Citizens of Mykonos Movement. In 2000 he was a candidate for Cyclades MP on the Coalition of the Left ticket. In 2004 he was a candidate for MEP on the Syriza ticket.

On 25 January 2015 he was elected MP for the Athens B electoral district and served in the Alexis Tsipras government as Alternate Minister for Culture. On 20 September 2015 he was re-elected MP for the Athens B electoral district.