Paxos
4.0/5Emerald olive groves and the Ionian's clearest water
Emerald olive groves and the Ionian's clearest water
Why 4.0: very good beaches and some of the best sailing water in Greece — but it is pricey in season and it is light on things to visit.
Paxos has no airport — you arrive by ferry from Corfu, about an hour. That filters the crowds. It is tiny: 19 km², 2,300 residents, blanketed in ancient olive groves of more than 200,000 trees, many over 500 years old, that produce some of Greece's finest oil. There are three harbour villages and no real need for a car. Gaios sits behind two offshore islets, with a five-minute rowboat crossing to the Venetian fort ruins on Agios Nikolaos; Lakka is the prettiest, a horseshoe harbour you can swim from; Loggos is three tavernas and a curve of pebble. The west coast is white limestone cliffs and blue caves, and the Erimitis path from Lakka is the way to see them from land. Fifteen minutes by boat, Antipaxos has the clearest water in the Ionian at Voutoumi and Vrika. Skip it if you want big resorts, nightlife or a wide choice of beaches. June, before the yachts, and September are the months; August is chaos and priced accordingly.
Good for
- Couples and sailors after clear water, olive-grove walks and slow dinners by tiny harbours
- Anyone who wants the Ionian's most translucent swimming without Corfu's crowds
- Travellers happy with three small villages and no need for a car
Maybe skip if
- If you need an airport or a quick trip — Paxos is reached only by ferry, via Corfu or the mainland
- If you want big resorts, lively nightlife or a wide choice of beaches
Getting there
No airport. Reach Paxos via Corfu (daily summer ferry, ~1h) or from mainland (Igoumenitsa, Patras). The smaller, quieter Ionian sister.
Tip: Ferry from Corfu via Antipaxos and Blue Caves — make the journey part of the trip.
Best time to visit Paxos
Paxos is an Italian-clientele island — small, olive-grove dense, blue caves on the west coast. Open May-October. June and September are sweet spots. The British/Italian sailing crowd dominates July-August and prices reflect it. Antipaxos beach (15 minutes by boat) is essential.
Top beaches of Paxos
Voutoumi (Antipaxos)
Famous for the clearest water in the Ionian. Reached by boat from Gaios.
- Type
- White pebbles
- Length
- 400 m
- Depth
- Moderate, crystal clear
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the north to east at over 5 Bft. Northeast-facing — mostly sheltered from the afternoon maïstros (NW breeze); usually calm
- Facilities
- Two tavernas on cliff above
Vrika (Antipaxos)
Smaller sandy beach on Antipaxos. Gradual entry, family-friendly, stunning colour.
- Type
- Fine sand
- Length
- 150 m
- Depth
- Shallow
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northwest to northeast at over 5 Bft. North-facing — open to the Ionian's afternoon maïstros (NW sea breeze); calmest in the morning
- Facilities
- One taverna
Mongonissi
Paxos' only true sandy beach on the main island. Very calm, great for young kids.
- Type
- Sand
- Length
- 100 m
- Depth
- Very shallow
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the prevailing NW winds; calm in summer, exposed only to rare southerlies
- Facilities
- Beach bar, umbrellas
2-day itinerary for Paxos
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Gaios & the East Coast
- 10:00 · Gaios (port)
Main village on the east coast. Sheltered natural harbour formed by two offshore islets. Pastel Venetian-style buildings ring the quay.
- 11:30 · Agios Nikolaos islet
Tiny islet at the mouth of Gaios harbour, crowned by Venetian fort ruins and a small chapel. The 5-minute rowboat crossing from the quay costs almost nothing; the views back at Gaios from the fort walls are the best on the island.
- 🍴 Stop for lunch · Gaios — see Eat & Drink below
- 16:00 · Mongonissi Beach
Sheltered sandy bay at the southern tip, 4 km from Gaios on a narrow road. The calmest swimming on Paxos — protected from wind on all sides — and a couple of small tavernas at the back of the beach for grilled octopus and a cold beer. - 🍴 Stop for dinner · Gaios — see Eat & Drink below
Day 2: West Coast Cliffs & Antipaxos
- 10:00 · Lakka
Prettiest village on Paxos — tiny horseshoe harbour at the northern tip. Great for swimming right from the quay.
- 11:30 · Erimitis Cliffs
Dramatic white limestone cliffs on the west coast, dropping straight into deep blue water. Walk the well-marked cliff path from Lakka for the best vantages; the late-afternoon light turns the cliffs gold. Bring water and sturdy shoes. - 13:30 · Longos
Tiny fishing village halfway down the east coast — three tavernas, a soap factory turned ruin, a curve of pebble beach. Lunch at O Gios with views over the bay; ask for the fish soup if the boats came in the night before.
- 🍴 Stop for lunch · Loggos — see Eat & Drink below
- 15:30 · Antipaxos boat trip (Voutoumi)
Day boat from Gaios (15 min). Voutoumi and Vrika beaches have water so clear and blue you won't believe the photos.