Paxos Greece: an unspoilt island getaway to remember

Paxos island in the Ionian sea off the west coast of Greece is a haven of brilliant blue seas and secluded bays. Paxos holidays are all about relaxing with family and friends: swimming, sunning and exploring in a timeless Greek setting. So that’s just what we did! Here’s our guide to things to do on a family trip to Paxos Greece including the best Paxos beaches. Updated 2024

• Crystal clear blue sea
• Hidden beaches
• Boating and snorkelling
• Venetian influence
• Greek island living

Why Visit Paxos Greece

Paxos is one of the Ionian islands, strung like pearls along the western coast of the Greek mainland. These are fertile Greek islands with thickly wooded hillsides, ancient olive trees and a history of wine making and olive oil production. For centuries these islands were under the control of the Republic of Venice and you can still find Italian influences in the architecture of the houses and some traditional island recipes.

Unlike its bigger Ionian island neighbours, Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos, Paxos doesn’t have its own airport. It’s a low-built island, without big hotels, apartment complexes or mass tourism and island life centres around just three small harbour towns. Paxos is a popular port of call for yachts, cruisers and flotillas sailing in the Ionian islands. And it’s a haven for visitors looking for beautiful beaches, picturesque villages and private villas or small family run hotels.

Paxos, also known as Paxi Greece is a low key holiday island, best for those looking for peace and quiet and an authentic way of island living. And its loyal fans return year after year!

Find out more about our stay in beautiful Villa Avra here

Disclosure: Ionian Villas hosted our stay at one of their Paxos villas in return for coverage of our trip. This post is entirely my own thoughts and opinions.

Things to do on Paxos island

After a busy summer my two sons and I wanted some rest and relaxation before autumn and their new university terms.  Authentic Greek island sunshine seemed the perfect solution! I’d heard lots about Paxos holidays and coincidentally some family friends happened to be visiting the island at the same time.  It’s a great place to visit in September in Europe.

So here are our favourite things to do on a family trip to Paxos Greece.

Relax in a postcard-pretty Greek setting on Paxos island

Yes, this was our view of Lakka bay from our villa and this actually is the colour of the sea around Paxos island.  It sparkles like crystal and ombres from palest turquoise to inky indigo blue.

Unlike Corfu, its near neighbour, little Paxos is slightly off the beaten track where tourists are concerned.  

This is a bonus!  Paxos is a gem of an island which has retained its laidback charm because the majority of visitors to Greece stick to the islands with airports.  Corfu Town in early September was busy when we passed through, but an hour or so later we were relaxing in the peaceful shade of an olive tree with our toes in the turquoise sea.

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There’s a strong Venetian influence in Paxos. The Venetians arrived uninvited in the 1400s and ruled the Ionian islands for centuries. They left their mark in the elegant buildings around the tiny harbours and in the thousands of ancient olive trees which cover the island.  These gnarled trunks are a hallmark of Paxos island, lining the dusty little roads between hamlets and framing enticing glimpses of sparkling blue sea.

Nobody comes to Paxos for the shopping or the nightlife.  There aren’t any bustling beach resorts or big stores and the handful of hotels are low key and tucked away.  Most people stay in villas, apartments or the boats they’ve sailed up in.  A couple of mega yachts posed off shore during our stay in Lakka – but that was as glamorous as it got.

Which was just how we liked it.  Paxos is for slow living and simple pleasures with your favourite people.

Get to know Lakka on Paxos island

We stayed in a villa just above Lakka village, the most northerly of Paxos’ three coastal harbours. Set on a brilliantly blue horseshoe bay Lakka is a haven for sailing boats, which adds to its postcard-perfect charm.

Lakka is a two-bakery Greek village!  A handful of little streets lead to the harbour, punctuated by shady squares with cafe tables. A shiny pharmacy and recently installed ATM combine effortlessly with more traditional Greek sights like cats snoozing in doorways and brightly painted taverna chairs.

We loved Lakka’s relaxed friendly atmosphere. Plus there’s the sense that daily life goes on – this village isn’t just for the visitors.

Lakka has two small beaches, Kanoni and Harami, which both lie to the west of the village just a few minutes walk from the centre. The second, Harami beach, was just beneath our villa so we visited it lots of times.

Harami beach is a quiet strip of smooth white pebbles, fringed with olive trees. At the water’s edge the pebbles give way to sloping sand so we could hop straight into the sea and swim without any stony paddling. Lots of boats come and go into Lakka bay so this is not as secluded as more remote Paxos beaches.

The shady taverna on the edge of Harami beach serves food and drinks all day and offers some sunbeds too.

Explore Loggos Paxos

Just south of Lakka on the east coast of Paxos island lies Loggos, also known as Longos, another harbourside fishing village. And it’s another appealing jumble of houses and tavernas set around a pretty harbour.

Everywhere we ate on Paxos was good, but the tavernas of Loggos are particularly well regarded. Our friends had a meal here and recommend Vasilis on the waterfront.

Loggos is the place to come to hire a day boat to putter around the little coves of the east coast. It also has a local taxi service and is on the main bus route of the island.

We didn’t spend long in Loggos but we were lucky enough to catch the arrival of the local bus. And to watch it negotiate the super-narrow quayside with breathtaking precision!

Visit Gaios Paxos the island’s capital

Gaios is the capital of the island but don’t go expecting a big town by mainland standards.  It’s a charming little port with a sheltered harbour, main square and a promenade along the waterfront, lined with restaurants and little boutiques.

The Venetian style buildings gathered around the harbour, painted in shades of pink, ochre and blue, hark back to the centuries when the Ionian islands were under the rule of the Republic of Venice.

There are plenty of tavernas to choose from and shops to browse for wine, Paxos olive oil, cakes oozing with honey or shady straw hats for the beach.  You’ll find art galleries here, as well as a few high end boutiques.

The bay itself is protected from the open seas by the wooded islet of Agios Nikolaos. This makes it a popular port of call for yachts and flotillas sailing in the Ionian sea. And the harbour is a little reminiscent of Fiskardo on Kefalonia.

The new port of Gaios, for the hydrofoil and ferries from the mainland and Corfu, is out of sight. But the pretty harbourside is the place to catch excursion boats and the sea taxis that whisk across the strait to the tiny island of Antipaxos.  

We all met up one evening and strolled out of town past the Green Man, a statue of Georgios Anemogiannis who was killed in 1821 fighting the Turks in the Greek War of Independence.

On the way we saw a couple of tiny pebble beaches and perched on the rocks to catch the last of the sun. But the organised beach at Morgonissi is just a short drive away.

Paxos beaches

The little coves on the east coast of Paxos feature pale pebbly beaches, crystal clear waters and craggy rocks topped with cypress and olive trees. Some are hidden and best accessed by sea, others can be reached by car or on foot although they may lie at the bottom of precipitous tracks.

Many Paxos beaches aren’t organised at all, so come prepared with beach mats, parasols and snacks.

As well as the Lakka beaches and the beaches of Antipaxos, here are some more lovely beaches on Paxos where we spent time.

Mongonissi beach Paxos

Mongonissi is a sheltered bay at the southern point of Paxos with, whisper it, a manmade sandy beach.  Once a little islet, it’s now connected to Paxos by a bridge. This is an easy to access Paxos beach if you have a car and we parked without difficulty.

Mongonissi is one of the more organised beaches on Paxos with a restaurant overlooking the sands, beach beds and kayaks, pedaloes and SUPs to hire.

So this was bound to happen:

And this:

 

Monodendri beach, Paxos

Just east of Lakka, Monodendri beach is famous for Ben’s Bar and Restaurant where straw parasols and soothing Latin sounds set the scene. 

Another semi-organised beach on Paxos, Ben’s Bar is set on a pretty white pebbled shoreline. It’s easy to settle in here with sunbeds on the beach and deck, plenty of swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding to be had in the turquoise bay and a cocktail service from the bar. The seaside restaurant provides lunch too. Monodendri is a fashionable beach and liable to be busy in high season, but that’s only to be expected.

Lakkos beach

Just north of Monodendri is Lakkos beach. We were able to drive some of the way down from the road, then walked down a trail to the little pebbly cove surrounded by trees. This is a traditional Paxos beach with no facilities at all, but on the afternoon we visited the only other people sharing the cove had arrived by boat.

Hire a boat to explore Paxos

We spent too much time lazing around our pool and local beaches, planning the next meal and catching up on everyone’s news.  But a little self-drive boat is a great way to access the most beautiful east coast beaches on Paxos.

A boat gives freedom to roam and anchor where you will.  A boat hire company in Loggos offers on the spot training. They will give you tips on the best beaches to visit and also warn you against exploring the exposed west coast of the island where wind and waves are unpredictable.

If you prefer you can hire a boat with a skipper, who will be able to show you the best secret coves, snorkelling spots and places for lunch. Private charter companies offer RIBs, cruisers and even traditional wooden boats to explore the island or visit Corfu, Lefkada or the mainland.

Take a sea taxi to Antipaxos

We all caught the sea taxi from Gaios quayside one morning to visit Antipaxos, a tiny island just 15 minutes away from Paxos. Antipaxos has two main beaches that offer a bewitching combination of fine white sand and turquoise sea. These are semi-organised beaches with some sunbeds and tavernas close by.

With just a handful of permanent residents and no shops, hotels or even proper roads, Antipaxos is remote. But you can go full Robinson Crusoe and book a stay in an Antipaxos villa to enjoy those beaches all to yourself when the daytrippers go home.

Read more about our day trip to Antipaxos

Watch the sun set on Paxos Greece

The best place to catch the sunset on Paxos island is on the west coast at Erimitis bay.  A bar and restaurant provide a grandstand view as the setting sun drops below the horizon and reflects on the white cliffs of the island.

But we had our own sunset just a couple of minutes away from our villa, to the west of Lakka lighthouse.  By car we could drive right down to rocky Plani beach where the waves crashed and a handful of people gathered on the huge flat slabs of rock to watch the sun go down.

It’s a wild beach, not somewhere for swimming, but suitably dramatic for sunset viewing.

Activities on Paxos

We filled our time quite happily exploring beaches and chilling by the pool. And to be fair, Paxos isn’t the place to come if you’re looking for a very active stay.

But there are still plenty of outdoor things to do in Paxos. You can go scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking or paddleboarding from the harbour villages. Windsurfing is possible here too. Although windsurf and kite-surfing enthusiasts will love Vasiliki on nearby Lefkada which is famous for its propitious winds.

Paxos is a beautiful island, with craggy limestone cliffs, hills wooded with pine and cypress and countryside dotted with little hamlets and olive groves. In spring and autumn, or very early on summer mornings, it’s a lovely island to explore on foot. Walkers can follow plenty of little goat and donkey trails which lead to hidden coves or breathtaking views.

On the south west coast is the Tripitos Arch, a stunning natural rock formation. The path there is steep and unfenced, so take care. But the Arch can also be easily seen on a boat tour, along with the Blue Caves near Erimitis beach.

In springtime the island bursts into flower and on May evenings fireflies glimmer in the olive terraces at dusk.

For arts lovers the Paxos festival in the summer is a fortnight of music and arts events that attracts Greek and international performers and artists.

Choose a Paxos villa with a sea view

Since the island is just seven miles long and two miles wide I thought we owed it to ourselves to find a villa with a sea view.  Luckily this isn’t hard on Paxos but we still reckon we found the perfect place to stay.  Villa Avra has a pool with the view of Lakka bay.

Harami beach and taverna lie at the bottom of a path through the olive terraces. Whilst Lakka village is a short stroll away along the beach.

For all-round convenience coupled with seclusion I think it would be hard to find a better position on Paxos.  Check out this post on our Paxos villa and decide for yourself.  In the meantime, Avra with its deep blue views, spacious terrace and speedy broadband is available through Ionian Villas.  It sleeps four to five and was brand new when we visited, I suspect it’s become a favourite!

How to get to Paxos Greece

As Paxos doesn’t have an airport the only way to get there is by boat.  For visitors from Britain this extra leg of the journey generally means a flight to Corfu and an overnight stay in Corfu Town before the short sea crossing to Paxos.

We flew Ryanair from London Stansted to Kerkyra Corfu, the flight takes around 3hrs 20 mins. We spent the night in Corfu Town, which is close to the airport, and transferred to Paxos island by hydrofoil the following morning. On the return we left Paxos in the morning and took an afternoon British Airways flight back to London Heathrow.

Corfu to Paxos 

We took the hydrofoil service from Corfu Town to Gaios on Paxos island.  The journey takes one hour and costs around 20 euros each way.  The regular ferries take longer or, to do the trip in style, you can hire a sea taxi.

Whatever you decide, if you book your stay with Ionian Villas their island manager will organise tickets and an itinerary to suit.

Hiring a car on Paxos

I’d recommend hiring a car for at least part of your Paxos holiday. That way you can explore the island and visit each of the little coastal villages.

Paxos has a couple of good roads running north to south, although ‘good’ doesn’t necessarily mean they have pavements, kerbs or even road markings.  We found that once we turned off the main roads we were soon in single track territory with few signposts and some steepish hills, especially down to beaches.  

Over the course of the week we identified our own landmarks: Chicken Corner, the one with the gravelly hairpin bend and the flock of hens wandering across it and Goat Hill: self-explanatory!

Paxos weather

The Ionian islands have a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry, sunny summer months and mild winters. Paxos is a very green island but most of its rainfall occurs between October and February.

Peak season and the hottest, driest months are June to August when temperatures can reach the high 30°Cs. From mid-April to June you can enjoy Spring in Paxos, walking and exploring in cooler temperatures than mid summer. July to September have the warmest sea temperatures. September in particular is a lovely month to visit, a little cooler and quieter than in high season but usually still dry and sunny.

Please note that all visitor information here is for guidance only. Please check the relevant websites for the most up to date information eg. accommodation details, tickets, entrance requirements, opening times etc.

Paxos Greece FAQs

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What to read next

I’ve visited several of the unspoilt Ionian islands of Greece.

Read about our trip to KEFALONIA where we stayed in a lovely villa in Fiscardo , as well as a catered villa in the south of the island.

Or find out more about LEFKADA, our windmill-style villa in Vasiliki and the glorious Lefkada beaches

Magical MEGANISI is another under-the-radar island getaway which also makes a great two-centre vacation matched with Lefkada.

Check out more of the hottest places in Europe in September here.

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