You’ve probably seen the photos of Zakynthos or the crowded streets of Corfu. They’re fine, I guess. But if you actually want to feel like you’ve stepped into a version of Greece that hasn't been scrubbed clean for Instagram, you need to head to the island of Paxos Greece. It’s tiny. Really tiny. You can drive from one end to the other in about twenty minutes, assuming you don't get stuck behind a local farmer on a vintage Vespa.
Most people skip it. They see the lack of an airport and decide it’s too much work. Their loss, honestly.
Paxos—or Paxi, as the locals call it—is basically one giant olive grove floating in the Ionian Sea. It’s got this weirdly perfect microclimate that keeps everything lush and green, even when the rest of the country is baking under a 40-degree sun. There are three main villages: Gaios, Loggos, and Lakka. Each one feels like a different mood. Gaios is the "capital," though calling it a capital feels a bit dramatic for a place where the primary activity is watching yachts squeeze into a narrow channel.
Forget the Sand: Why Pebble Beaches are Better
If you’re a "sand or bust" kind of person, the island of Paxos Greece might frustrate you at first. Almost every beach here is made of white, smooth pebbles.
Hear me out, though.
Because there’s no sand to get stirred up, the water is terrifyingly clear. It’s like swimming in liquid gin. You look down and see every ripple on the sea floor ten meters below. Places like Erimitis Beach are legendary for this. It was actually formed by a cliff collapse back in 2008, so it’s relatively "new" in geological terms. The sunset there hits the white limestone cliffs and turns everything a dusty pink. It’s spectacular.
Then you have Monodendri. It’s one of the few beaches with some actual "stuff"—a couple of beach clubs like Bastas or Manadendri Beach Bar. You can get a decent frappe, sit on a sunbed, and pretend you're in a movie. But honestly? The best way to see the coast is to just rent a 30hp boat. You don't need a license. They give you a five-minute "how to not hit rocks" crash course and send you on your way.
Taking a small motorboat out to the caves on the west coast is mandatory. The Blue Caves are massive. You can drive the boat right inside some of them. The light reflects off the sandy bottom (okay, there's a little sand under the water) and creates this neon blue glow that looks fake. It isn't.
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The Weird History of the Olive Trees
Walking through the interior of Paxos is like wandering through a silent, silver-green forest. There are over 200,000 olive trees here. For an island that’s only about 25 square kilometers, that’s a lot of trees.
Most of them were planted during the Venetian occupation. The Venetians were smart. They paid the locals to plant trees to ensure a steady supply of oil for the Republic. This wasn't just a few trees; it was a massive agricultural project. Because many of these trees are centuries old, they have these twisted, gnarled trunks that look like something out of a fantasy novel.
Local producers like the Lilas family still produce oil that is world-class. It’s punchy and peppery. If you visit the Paxos Olive Oil Museum near Magazia, which is housed in an old 18th-century stone press, you get a real sense of how grueling this work was before modern machinery. It wasn't "artisanal" back then; it was survival.
Loggos: The Village That Refuses to Rush
Loggos is the smallest of the three main ports. It’s also the prettiest.
There’s an old, abandoned soap factory at the end of the harbor with a tall brick chimney that feels slightly out of place among the pastel Venetian houses. It’s a relic from the early 20th century when Paxos actually had a bit of an industrial vibe. Now, it’s just a backdrop for people eating saganaki at Taverna Vassilis.
If you want the best food, you go where the locals go. In Loggos, that’s often Roxy Bar for a drink or Bouloukos for fresh fish.
People always ask about the "vibe." It’s quiet. If you’re looking for 2 AM clubs and booming bass, you’re on the wrong island. Go to Mykonos for that. Paxos is for people who want to read a book, drink some local wine, and maybe have a long conversation with a waiter named Spyros about why the ferry was late.
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The Anti-Paxos Factor
You can’t talk about the island of Paxos Greece without mentioning its tiny sibling, Antipaxos.
It’s just a ten-minute boat ride away. While Paxos is all about olive trees and cliffs, Antipaxos is basically one big vineyard surrounded by two of the most famous beaches in Europe: Voutoumi and Vrika.
Voutoumi is the one you see on all the posters. The water is turquoise. Like, aggressively turquoise. It’s so bright it almost hurts your eyes. Most people take the "tourist boat" from Gaios, stay for three hours, and leave.
That’s a mistake.
Stay late. Take the last taxi boat back. When the big tour groups from Corfu leave around 4 PM, the island changes. It becomes silent. You can hike up the 200-odd steps to Bella Vista taverna for a view that explains exactly why the Greeks believed gods lived in these waters. The wine on Antipaxos is also distinct—dark, heavy reds that are hard to find anywhere else because the production is so small. They mostly keep it for themselves. Can't blame them.
The Logistics: Getting There Without Losing Your Mind
This is where the "barrier to entry" keeps the crowds away. Paxos has no airport.
You have to fly into Corfu (CFU). From there, you take a taxi to the New Port and hop on a hydrofoil (the Flying Dolphin) or a large ferry. The hydrofoil takes about an hour. If the wind is blowing from the north—the Maistros—the ride can be a bit bouncy.
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- Booking Ferries: Use Kamari Tours or Joy Cruises. Book in advance during July and August. They sell out.
- Car vs. Scooter: The roads are narrow. Like, "folding your mirrors in" narrow. A small car is fine, but a scooter or e-bike is better for parking in the villages.
- Timing: May, June, and September are the sweet spots. July and August are busy, mostly with Italians who have been coming here for decades. October is beautiful but risky; once the rain starts, the island basically shuts down for a long nap.
The Reality of "Island Time"
There’s a misconception that everything in Greece is cheap. Paxos isn't "cheap." It’s not as expensive as Santorini, but because everything has to be shipped in by boat, prices for groceries and fuel are higher than on the mainland.
But you’re paying for the lack of noise. There are no high-rise hotels. There are no massive resorts. Most accommodation is in private villas or small apartments tucked away in the hills near Magazia or Fontana.
One thing most people get wrong: they think they can "do" Paxos in a day trip.
You can't.
Day trippers from Corfu arrive at 11 AM and leave by 5 PM. They see the harbor, eat a quick gyro, and think they've seen the island. They haven't felt the way the air cools down at night when the scent of wild thyme and jasmine kicks in. They haven't sat in the town square of Gaios at midnight when the local kids are still playing soccer and the old men are arguing about politics over tiny cups of Greek coffee.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
If you’re planning to visit the island of Paxos Greece, do it with a bit of strategy.
- Rent the Boat Early: Don't wait until you arrive. Email a rental company like Paxos Boat Hire or Theodorou weeks before you land. The small, easy-to-drive boats are the first to go.
- Walk the Old Paths: There is a network of ancient stone paths (kalderimi) that connect the villages. The hike from Gaios to Mongonissi is easy and takes you past some incredible dry-stone walls that have been there for centuries.
- Magazia for Sunset: Most people head to the coast, but the inland village of Magazia has a spot called Erimitis Wine Bar. It sits right on the edge of the cliff. Get there an hour before sunset.
- Cash is Still King: While many places take cards now, the smaller tavernas and the guys running the taxi boats much prefer cash. The ATMs in Gaios sometimes run out on busy weekends.
Paxos doesn't try too hard. It doesn't need to. It’s a place that rewards people who are willing to slow down to its pace. If you’re looking for a destination that feels like a genuine community rather than a tourist theme park, this is probably it. Just don't tell too many people about it.