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PAXOS

Romantic Hideaway of the God Poseidon

Welcome to Paxos

According to mythology the smallest Ionian Island came about when Poseidon plunged his trident into Corfu. Paxos broke away from the bottom and became a love nest that Poseidon shared with his consort Amphitrite, and his trident remains the official emblem. In reality Paxos is a peaceful island of olive groves, crystal clear waters and pocket-sized seaside villages. The east side has gentle coves with pebble beaches, while the west is all vast limestone cliffs sculpted by the sea into caves, giant stacks and a natural arch.

THE AREA

Paxos can be found 14 kilometres south of Corfu, 20 kilometres to the east is Parga on the mainland of Greece. Paxos covers an area of some 19 square kilometres and is one of a cluster of picturesque small islands set in the Ionian Sea.

RESTAURANTS

Greek food spreads its culinary influence throughout Europe and beyond. It is known as some of the best food in the world! With an age old tradition, Greek cuisine has been greatly influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures. Fresh vegetables, fishes & seafoods play a significant role in the dishes mostly because of its long coastline while meat is treated as less popular, with the exception of lamb.

Things to do at Paxos

GALOS

The south of the island and is the largest town but it's still very much a working fishing port with caiques tied up in the harbour. When you approach Gaios from the north you enter a very beautiful inlet passing the islands of Panayia and St Nicholas.

LAKKA

The second largest and is situated at the north end of the island. The bay is spectacular and it is very popular for boat owners who wish to stay a day or so.

LOGGOS

The very charming village with a harbour fronted by Tavernas and small bars. It's a great place to peacefully while away the time and is a great favourite with many visitors.

VRIKA BEACH, ANTIPAXOS

The vine-covered island of Antipaxos is only ten minutes by water taxi from the harbour at Gaios. A crossing will cost around €14, and the main goal is this Caribbean-style white sandy beach. Vrika Beach is also a family favourite as it enters the sea on a smooth gradient and has lots of safe, shallow water. This has the kind of shimmering turquoise tones you’d expect from a tropical paradise. Remember to take photos and try to convince your friends that you haven’t used Photoshop! There are two tavernas on the beach, renting out sun loungers for free if you stay on the terrace under the pergola, or for €4 each if you’d prefer to be on the beach itself.

VOUTOUMI BEACH, ANTIPAXOS

In any other place the twinkling waters at Voutoumi would be full of sun-seekers, but as this beach is eclipsed by nearby Vrika you’ll never have to fight for space. You can get there direct by water taxi from Gaios, or walk the trail from Vrika in 20 minutes. The advantage of Voutoumi is that there’s only a single beach bar, and instead of rows of beds in expectation of crowds, the sun loungers are only set up one by one as people arrive. Voutoumi is a horseshoe cove with white pebbles, contrasting with the deep green of the vegetation behind. Up the trail a short way from the beach is a taverna with a lovely view of the beach and Paxos behind

TRIPITOS ARCH

Less than three kilometres south of Gaios is one of the island’s great natural landmarks. The journey is tricky but brief, as you have to drive on an unpaved road through olive groves before parking up and descending a short, steep track. The arch is the remnants of a collapsed sea cave, and at its highest point is 20 metres above the water. On foot the bridge is broader than it might seem and you can cross it to a stack topped with bits of scrub. The Tripitos Arch can also be viewed from the water on one of the tours to the Blue Caves, which we’ll cover next.

BLUE CAVES

The massive west coast of Paxos has limestone cliffs that in places have been hollowed out by the sea. The Blue Caves can only be seen by boat, and are large enough that many vessels can pass right through. Tour boats will stop to let you dive into the transparent waters, swim through the caves and climb on a few of the smaller outcrops. You can make the trip on a large boat with lots of other visitors, or keep it private by taking a skippered vessel or just hiring your own motorboat for the afternoon. Make sure to set a course for Ortholithos, a monolithic outcrop near the entrance to the Pappanikoli Cave.

Travel to Paxos

AIRPORTS

Paxos has no airport, can only be reached by ferry boat and therefore, has been able to protect itself from the strain of modern tourism.Between the months of May until late October you can fly direct to Corfu from most European airports but between November to April it's necessary to fly to Athens and then onto Corfu. If you fly Olympic Airways from the UK they will arrange for your luggage to be transferred direct to the onward journey.

TRANSFERS

On arriving at Corfu airport you take a taxi to the New Port. There are usually several taxis available, just ask the driver to take you to the New Port for the boat to Paxos, they all know where to take you. It's helpful to give them the name of your particular ferry boat or sea taxi. The journey to the New Port will take about 10 minutes and cost between 10 and 15 Euros. Travelling overland from Northern Greece is now very much easier and quicker with the new Egnatia motorway taking you straight to the Port of Igoumenitsa.

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