Paxos

the largest island of the Paxi group

Paxos

Paxos

Paxos (often called Paxi as well) is part of a small archipelago in the Ionian Sea which it forms together with the neighbor islet of Antipaxos. It is located between Corfu and Lefkada.

Despite its small size, Paxos is lively and captivating, with varicolored buildings and architecture which bears the stamp of the former Venetian presence. The island is characterized by lots of greenery highly in contrast with the bright blue sea.

Hotels in Paxos

General information about Paxos

The promenade in the morning

The total area of the island is about 19 km2, covered with pine and olive trees. Paxos has three ports: Gaios - the capital and the largest settlement, Lakka - a small village in the north, and Longos - the smallest port with a couple of houses and taverns by the sea. The roads lead to almost any point of the island and you can go from the northernmost to the southernmost part within less than 50 minutes drive.

The east coast is flat and the beaches are easily reachable, while the west coast is steep and the sea has formed caves and interesting shapes in the vertical limestone rocks. The west coast can be explored via boat trip but yet there are some places which can be accessed partially by car and on foot. The south coast of Paxos is so close to the nearby islet of Mongonisi that both are connected via a short causeway, about 20 meters long.

Where to stay in Paxos?

The largest villages of Paxos are Gaios and Lakka where you can find everything for your holiday even if you do not have a car. In the inner part of the island there are a few more settlements (and the names of almost all of them end in ”tika”) but they are very small, although many villas to rent are available namely there. The largest of them are Magazia, Bogdanatika and Ozias, and they also have some taverns and mini markets.

Which are the best beaches of Paxos?

Paxos has no sandy beaches except for the small sandy strip of Mongonisi. The beaches on this island are covered with small or big smooth pebbles but they all compensate with clean blue water. Wind and waves are very rare on the east coast.

Kipiadi, Monodendri and Levrechio are the largest beaches of the island, and Orkos is one of the most scenic ones. Beaches with facilities like sunbeds and umbrellas are Monodendri, Kamini, Levrechio and the two beaches of Lakka called Harami and Kanoni.

The imposing beach of Erimitis is the only one on the west coast which can be accessed on foot via a short path and a few stone steps, and it is also a place to enjoy the sunset. Actually most people tend to go to the exotic beaches of the uninhabited Antipaxos by boat taxi from Gaios.

What to do in Paxos?

The list of sights and interesting things to do in Paxos includes:

- The capital Gaios wits its colorful alleys, the promenade and the line of boats at the port
- The bay of Lakka with the shades of light and dark blue
- The scenic seafront of Longos
- Vrika and Votoumi, the striking beaches of Antipaxos
- Boat trip to the Blue Caves on the west coast of the island
- Erimitis beach for the sunset
- Tripitos Arch, a huge natural arch in a sea rock that looks scary from a distance but actually you can easily walk on it
- The islet of Agios Nikolaos in the middle of Gaios bay (accessible by boat)
- The rock formations at Planos beach
- Mongonisi islet which is connected to Paxos via short bridge
- Day trip to Corfu island with speed passenger ferries

Hotels in Paxos

The beach bar with pool

The average price for accommodation in Paxos is a bit higher than the price for accommodation in the larger Ionian islands like Corfu and Kefalonia. There is a great number of private villas and detached houses to rent, including luxury villas with private pools. Many of them are located in quiet areas away from the villages, surrounded by trees or with fantastic sea views.

There are no all-inclusive hotels in Paxos, accommodation is self-catering except for a few small-size hotels which offer breakfast.

How to get to Paxos?

Ready to jump

Paxos has no airport and it can only be reached by sea from Corfu or from mainland Greece. There are regular ferry lines from the port of Igoumenitsa (for passengers and vehicles) and from Corfu (for passengers only). There is one more boat (for passengers only) which runs a few times weekly in the summer and connects Paxos with Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Zakynthos.

You can also visit Paxos for a day with the boat trips organized from Parga and Syvota on mainland, since they are close to Paxos and its very scenic neighbor Antipaxos.

Paxos photo galleryx