Paxos stole my heart: here’s my guide to the tavernas, coves and quiet corners worth knowing
From clifftop sunsets to grilled fish on the beach: the tried-and-tested addresses on a tiny island near Corfu #110.
New here? Welcome, I’m so glad you came. I’m Stephanie: French, London-based for over twenty years, and I write From the Poolside, my personal edit of boutique hotels and villas with pools across Europe, the ones with a particular atmosphere and a little je ne sais quoi. I write when I feel like there’s something good to share: an honest hotel review, a list of hotels with pools in a destination or, like this week a guide to a destination. I pay for all my stays so you can expect honest and direct opinions!
We’ve just come back from Paxos, where we spent a second week, mid-June again, like last year, and we loved it just as much.
It is genuinely restful: a welcoming sort of place with a little life to it, but not too much. Calm. Not over-commercialised, yet with enough going on to wander out for a drink or a long dinner. Great moments on the beach, on the sea or, as I liked to do it every morning, just stepping out of your house and admiring the view and the silence with a warm cup of tea in your hands.
Out on the water it’s even better: you nose the boat into the sea caves, look up at the enormous rocks and the blues and reflections, and slip in wherever you like, with no tourist crowds in sight. There are the dazzling white cliffs of Erimitis, where everyone drifts down at golden hour for the sunset and the pebbles are so bright you can practically feel yourself catching the sun. And just across the water sits Anti-Paxos, with a turquoise so absurdly Caribbean you don’t quite believe it until you’re in it.
I’ll be honest about one thing before we start, because it sits underneath the whole week. There’s a new hotel coming to Loggos: the old soap factory on the waterfront, chimney and all, being turned into something small and luxurious. I spend my life seeking out exactly these projects, and part of me is interested. But part of me is conflicted, and by the end of this I’ll tell you why, and why my advice, if Paxos has been sitting on your list, is simply: go now. More on that later.
For now, here’s everything from two summers in Paxos. The practical stuff, the addresses (two years’ worth), and a few thoughts I wasn’t expecting to have.
A quick note on the cast, so you’re not lost: Mr Big is my husband and Mademoiselle is our daughter, and “we” is usually the three of us, sun-creamed and very much of the school of “let’s sleep and relax a lot and not do too much”!
Getting there
We flew London Gatwick to Corfu on a Friday. Cheaper flights, and it gives you a night to decompress before the ferry.
One night in Corfu
I’d recommend building this in rather than trying to connect same-day. We stayed at the Liston Suites in Corfu Town. Very clean, very central, fine for one night with three. We’ve done it two years running now. Interestingly the owners/designers are also the ones who are building a hotel in Loggos…
For dinner that first night: Venetian Well. I recommend it wholeheartedly. It’s genuinely gastronomic cooking. Delicious, with impeccable service. It’s in a hidden courtyard lost in the old town’s narrow lanes, named after the Venetian well in the centre. The restaurant has a pink-orange facade, trees, flowers, a very poetic, romantic place, and you eat extraordinarily well. Ask for an outside table when booking (essential in summer) and book a few months in advance. They’ll take a deposit payment. We had a lobster tartare (very fresh), I had sea bass with peas and an aubergine puree, really very delicate, and both desserts were excellent: wild strawberries and a raspberry one with a subtle coffee note that worked impeccably well. They do a tasting menu too, but a la carte is also absolutely superb. Very good wine advice.
The ferry
Go to FerryHopper to book your tickets and check the times. We took the 10:30 from Corfu. Two hours and fifteen minutes when it’s not the express.
A few tips:
Reconfirm the day before. Schedules can change last minute, especially with Joy Cruises. Check the evening before departure. Don’t rely on what you booked weeks ago.
You can have a cup of tea and coffee at a café while you wait for the boat to arrive. Do ask for your drinks in a takeway cup as, as soon as the ferry arrives, everybody gets up and starts queuing hoping to get the seats that are out but not oin the sun!
Bring a hat. Even with the breeze, you’ll be hot up on deck.
If you want a good spot, join the queue the moment the boat arrives at the quay.
Don’t panic if the eFerry website shows your sailing as crossed out — it just means you can’t buy tickets less than an hour before departure.
There’s also another line that comes into the south of Corfu with a shuttle straight to the airport (45 minutes to an hour), and it’s said to be far more reliable.
The sea taxi (book early)
If you can stretch to it, a sea taxi is the best way to travel, especially on the way back. They’re expensive (significantly more than the ferry) and you need to book well in advance, particularly in high season. But they’re fast (an hour and fifteen minutes), they run to your schedule, and on the return journey they let you keep as much of the day as possible. The ferries only run in the morning and late afternoon, nothing in the middle, so a late-afternoon flight can be impossible to make by ferry. Our 8am sea taxi back was glorious: the sea was like glass, deeply meditative.
Getting around
Everything on Paxos is about ten minutes by car. That’s it. The whole island. So the question is whether you actually need a car at all.
We rented one this year and barely used it. Taxis aren’t expensive (25 euros return for us), and you don’t have to worry about drinking. In high season they might be harder to get, though. Book early in the day.
My advice: if you can find a villa that’s within walking distance of a village, whether that’s Loggos, Lakka, Gaios or Magazia, you’ll barely need transport at all. We were seven minutes’ walk from Loggos this year, and it transformed the week. You can stroll down for bread in the morning, wander to dinner in the evening, and never think about keys or parking.
The first year, we rented a car and it was worth it as we explored the whole island, found our favourite spots, got our bearings. But the second year? The car sat in the drive most of the week. Waste of money!
The villages
Gaios: the main port, where the ferry arrives. The biggest village, with the most shops: supermarkets, a butcher, a fishmonger, a greengrocer. Practical rather than romantic, but it has its charm. A pretty harbour with a tiny island just offshore. This is where you’ll do your main provisioning.
Loggos: our village this year. Tiny, very pretty, with a handful of restaurants around a miniature harbour. Quieter and more intimate than Gaios or Lakka. Good bakery (Martha’s, known for almond cookies), a small supermarket, and the beaches of Levrechio and Marmari within walking distance.
Lakka: at the northern tip. A bigger port than Loggos, with proper yachts moored up. More of a authentic greek locals feel. Children playing in the streets in the evening. A few good restaurants and a lovely bay for swimming.
Magazia: not really a village, more a scattering of shops and houses in the centre of the island. That’s where we were last year. It has a very good bakery, a well-stocked supermarket and a petrol station. It’s also where Erimitis Bar sits on the cliffs, THE sunset spot.
Mongonissi: the south. Quiet, a good small beach, two good tavernas, views to Anti-Paxos. Worth a day trip but quite remote.
Where to stay
On Paxos the thing to do is rent a villa: there are far more of them than hotels, and even the contemporary ones are built sympathetically in local stone, so nothing spoils the view. They can be very expensive in July and August, so my tip is either to come in June (rates drop and it’s blissfully quieter) or to take a bigger house with another family and split the cost.
Recommended villas
Use Scott Williams
This year, we book through Scott Williams, the English villa specialists, and the service has been impeccable. Before the trip, they helped arrange ferries, sea taxis, restaurants, car rental, everything. Always with extraordinary kindness. On arrival, our concierge Anastasia met us at the ferry, had already collected the rental car, drove us to the villa, and was available by WhatsApp all week. As someone who normally organises every single step of a trip, I found this soooo relaxing!
You can also browse and compare places to stay on Paxos here.
We’ve now done two summers, in two very different houses.
This year: Little Loggos
Little Loggos is a small villa near Loggos, perched on a hilltop with a stunning view over the sea and the Greek mainland. Three bedrooms (two doubles, one with bunk beds that work for young adults too), and, crucially for us, a pool of 9x4 metres. Most pools here aren’t heated, but with the June warmth it’s the perfect temperature.
What we particularly loved: the dining table just outside the kitchen. Last year we had to carry everything down to the garden on trays. This year, you step outside and you’re eating with the sunset arriving from the side. We had the most beautiful show. You hear the sea below when the wind is right, the waves breaking on the rocks.
A few honest notes: Little Loggos is connected to Loggos Beach House below (same owner, sleeps 12, huge pool). When it’s occupied, you’d hear people surely. We were lucky it was mostly empty. Also, there’s a neighbouring property visible from certain angles, including their car, which slightly breaks the illusion. And some construction noise one morning. But overall, very calm and really lovely.
The included daily housekeeping (beds made, bins emptied, important given Greek island plumbing) plus a mid-week linen change made it feel almost hotel-like. The welcome hamper was generous. My tip: arrive at the villa first, see what’s there, then go shopping for the rest.
We asked for an extra parasol by the pool (there’s a covered area with an awning, but if you want sun on the loungers, ask). Remember to close it at night if it’s windy.
Last year: Patroclus
A villa I’d had my eye on for years. A complete rebuild in original stone, 180m2, three bedrooms, a 15-metre pool facing the white cliffs of Erimitis, right in the middle of the island and ten minutes from everywhere. We booked through Welcome Beyond, and my full review and photos are here.
Also worth knowing: Zoe Paxos Home
Just near where we stayed that first year is Zoe Paxos Home, smaller than Patroclus but with an equally great view and a small pool. I like the relaxed, bohemian look of it, and the owner, with whom I regularly speak on Instagram, is lovely. Worth looking at if you want something intimate and don’t need a huge space.
A mix between a hotel and villa
For something more flexible (rooms and villas rather than a whole house, with two saltwater pools, a seaside taverna and Monodendri beach right below) there’s Glyfada Beach Villas, set in the olive groves just outside Loggos.
A thought about what’s coming to Loggos
There’s a new hotel coming to Loggos. The former soap factory on the waterfront is being transformed into a small luxury boutique hotel, with the historic building and its iconic chimney carefully restored. As someone who spends her time seeking out and sharing beautiful hotels, I should be delighted. And part of me is. It’s exactly the kind of thoughtful project I would normally write about.
But I’m also conflicted.
What I love most are not just hotels, but places with a particular atmosphere, places that feel as though they belong to themselves. Loggos has always had that quality. Despite Paxos becoming increasingly popular over the years, the village still feels wonderfully low-key, especially in June.
A hotel changes that. Not necessarily for the worse, but inevitably. It will make short stays easier and bring a different flow of visitors to a harbour.
Paxos is hardly an undiscovered secret, and perhaps it never really was. But standing in Loggos this week, watching the factory take shape, I couldn’t help thinking that the island is about to enter a new chapter. Which is why, if Paxos has been sitting on your travel wishlist, my advice is simple: go now. Not because it is about to lose its charm, but because places are never quite the same once the rest of the world catches up with them.
Where to eat
Two summers in, here’s the fuller list. A quick orientation first: the first year we were based in the middle of the island, near Magazia, right by Erimitis Bar. This year we were above Loggos. Between the two, we’ve now covered most of Paxos.
The short version: Bournaos (Magazia) — Bouloukos (Levrechio beach) — Vassilis (Loggos) — Ben’s Bar(Monodendri) — Erimitis (sunset cocktails, Magazia) — Spiros (Vrika, Anti-Paxos) — and, on Corfu, Venetian Well. The detail:
Bournaos, Magazia: authentic, simple Greek food, as though friends were cooking for you. Super friendly service and a great atmosphere. There’s live music some evenings (we had a guitarist doing a lovely mix) and a real mix of tourists and Greeks, which is always a good sign. You don’t book, you just turn up.
Bouloukos, Levrechio beach; a taverna right on the beach serving very good grilled fish, the sea straight in front of you, impeccable service. It sits among the olive trees on Levrechio, a five-minute walk south of Loggos. In June in the evening it’s not full so lacks a bit of atmosphere but the setting is worth it. It’s also where you can get a massage with Dimitria. Mr Bigg said she was very good, especially for feet. I’ll try the reflexology next year.
Vassilis, Loggos: an institution on the island (family-run for decades), a touch more sophisticated. We weren’t blown away last year but this year it was better. The starters are a bit more sophisticated than usually and there is good fish. Service, again, lovely. My tip: don’t sit at the harbour-front tables (cars pass constantly), ask for the side tables in the alley.
Nassos, Loggos: doesn’t pretend to be more than what it is, which is a classic Greek taverna. Portions are very generous and the roasted grouper with tomatoes and olives was really good.
Ben’s Bar, Monodendri beach: an island institution between Loggos and Lakka, though not the most authentic: lots of tourists, English and American voices everywhere (Mademoiselle found it a little too much like home). But Ben is lovely and the loungers are comfortable. You can take a bed up on the deck or down on the pebbles with direct access to the water. Beds are 10 euros with the good mattress, 5 euros for the plastic ones. Free paddleboards, wifi, they bring you water, and you can order cocktails to your bed. At lunch you go up to the restaurant run by Ben’s Greek mother, Effie: a good, classic taverna food, not extraordinary but good. Book ahead, even in June.
Erimitis Bar & Restaurant, Magazia: perched on the west-coast cliffs, the sunset spot for a cocktail, and the year we stayed on that side it was two minutes from our door. We were unlucky, though as it was closed twice for private parties, so check in advance that it’s open.
Spiros, Vrika (Anti-Paxos); if you take the boat over to Anti-Paxos, I really recommend the taverna at Vrika, right where the boats land. Very good barbecue-grilled food you can watch being cooked, very fresh, lovely atmosphere under the trees. A really, really good moment. It’s also for sale if you fancy a new life as a greek taverna owner ;-)
Alexandros in Lakka: pretty setting, popular, but we probably didn’t choose well.
The beaches
Every beach on Paxos is pebbly and uneven, so water shoes are non-negotiable (we bought those from amazon women’s, men’s and children’s.)
Marmari : our favourite. Near Loggos, a truly wild beach: no sunbeds, no taverna, nothing but the beach, pine trees behind for shade, and superb, quiet, clear water. Leave the car at Levrechio , walk to the end of the beach, turn right and then up until you see a sign on the left for Marmari.
Levrechio: white pebbles and clear water, a five-minute walk south of Loggos, with Bouloukos taverna among the olive trees. Easy to park, and the walking start for Marmari.
Erimitis beach: on the wild west coast near Magazia. The beach only formed after a cliff collapse in 2007. About 17 minutes down a genuinely steep path. The beach faces straight into the sun, which is why everyone walks down for the sunset. Fabulous, very high white cliffs and white pebbles; careful, because they reflect the sun and you burn very fast.
Monodendri: between Loggos and Lakka, the island’s largest organised beach: white pebbles, two tavernas, and home to Ben’s Bar. Easy to reach and good for a full day by the water.
Pykos: a tiny beach below our villa this year. Steep path through the pines, and when we arrived it was just us. Proper seclusion.
Mongonissi: right at the south. Very clean, very quiet, a few sunbeds and two tavernas, views to Anti-Paxos.
Anti-Paxos (Vrika and Voutoumi) : extraordinary water. You don’t have to rent your own boat: from Gaios port there are boats roughly every hour for around 25 euros. Both beaches have sunbeds but you can also just lie on the sand.
Paralia laki- we saw it from the boat. Has sun loungers and some shade.
Kipadi: a small beach where we dropped the anchor and relaxed by on the boat.
On the water
This is probably the highlight of any week in Paxos. Whether you take a skipper or drive yourself, a day on the water is unmissable.
We’ve used Panos Boats in Loggos both years. You can hire a boat to drive yourself without a licence, one that needs a licence, or a boat with a skipper. With a skipper, the full island tour - East coast, West coast, the caves, Anti-Paxos - runs about eight hours and starts around 280 euros depending on the size of the boat you choose. The real joy of going with a skipper is exploring the caves without the tourist crowds: you slip inside, look up at these enormous rocks and the blues and reflections on the water, and it’s simply superb. You stop wherever you like and jump in.
Important: ask the total cost upfront. The base price may not include the skipper fee (90 euros extra for us) or fuel (paid in cash at the end). Get everything clear before you commit.
Self-drive boats are much cheaper and great fun once you’re comfortable. You spend the day going from bay to bay, swimming, sunbathing on the boat. On a hot day it’s glorious.
If it’s your first time, do the full loop with a skipper early in the week to get your bearings, then go back to your favourite spots by self-drive later.
My advice: start on the East coast (calmer). The West is windier and you don’t need to go there if you’ve already done a tour unless you specifically want to see the caves again.
Provisions
Supermarkets: Several in Gaios (one on the main road with parking: 4 euros, but three free spaces right in front). The Loggos one is just as good for basics.
In Gaios village: A greengrocer (fruit and veg are decent but limited: watermelon is the main fruit, don’t expect nectarines or peaches. Even the avocados come from Peru!. A baker (not as good as Magazia’s or Loggos’, but fine). A butcher: good prepared food: stuffed peppers, marinated chicken. They do rotisserie but not every day so call to reserve and collect a few hours later. There’s also a fishmonger.
Magazia: Of all the shops, we found the supermarket here the best stocked. It’s also where there’s a butcher with very good meats and preparations, and they do the rotisserie chicken — book it, and note it’s only on a set day (check when you arrive).
Bakeries: The baker in Magazia is the best on the island. In Loggos, Martha’s Bakery is known for its almond cookies and Italian-style coffee.
The rituals
The quiet morning wakeup: instead of lying in bed staring at my phone, I go outside and just sit, looking at the landscape, admiring it. It’s warm, so you don’t need much. A sarong and you’re out. Watching the view with my cup of tea, thinking about life, being grateful for this moment, decompressing...
Going to Roxy bar in Loggos for a cocktail by the seafront before diner. We tested theirs and the cafe next doors’offering and the ones at Roxy are better.
My recommendation for a perfect week
Start with a day, maybe two, simply to rest and acclimatise, and then do the boat day on the second or third day. Getting out on the water early gives you the lay of the land: you see the beaches, work out which ones you want to return to, and decide whether you want extra time on Anti-Paxos. After that, the week shapes itself.
Come in June if you can. There are fewer people but still an atmosphere: the bars and restaurants are all open, the service is wonderful, and the narrow roads are still easy to drive before the high-season cars arrive.
Explore the villages every other day but don’t feel like you have to go to all of them. If you like one place, just go back there regularly throughout the week. It’s the best way to feel like you’ve come here for many years and to fully decompress.
If you want a sense of what an actual week looks like, here’s ours.
Saturday: Arrived midday. Scott Williams met us, we did supermarket at Gaios (though the Loggos one turned out to be just as good). Settled in, pool, dinner at home.
Sunday: Pool day. Dinner at Bournaos in Magazia: live music, relaxed atmosphere, the kind of evening where you don’t want to leave.
Monday: Walk to Loggos for fresh bread. Pool. Then the beach: first Levrechio (easy, taverna, chairs), then walked on to Marmari (wild, quiet, perfect). Dinner at Nassos in Loggos.
Tuesday: Boat day with skipper. West coast, caves, Anti-Paxos. Eight hours on the water. Lunch at Spiros in Vrika. Clouds until 1pm but still beautiful.
Wednesday: Pool, relaxing. Late afternoon walked down to Pykos via a tiny, empty, steep path through pines. Dinner at Alexandros in Lakka.
Thursday: Groceries in Gaios. Quiet day at the villa. Dinner at home. Magnificent sunset.
Friday: Self-drive boat. East coast, bay to bay, swimming all day. Back to Loggos: massage on the beach and time on Marmari. Last dinner at Vassilis in Loggos.
Saturday (departure): Sea taxi at 8am. Glorious. An hour and fifteen minutes, straight to Corfu. Taxi to airport. Tip: lots of cafes after passport control, so don’t queue for coffee before.
The summary
Book through
Scott Williams (we use them); also Glyfada Beach Villas
Getting there
Fly to Corfu, stay overnight, ferry or sea taxi to Paxos
Best for
Couples, small families, people who want quiet beauty without pretension
Villas
This year: Little Loggos (Scott Williams). Last year: Patroclus (Welcome Beyond)
Restaurants
Venetian Well (Corfu), Bournaos (Magazia), Bouloukos (Levrechio), Vassilis (Loggos), Erimitis (sunset)
Beaches
Marmari (wild, quiet), Levrechio (easy + taverna), Erimitis (cliffs, sunset), Anti-Paxos (Vrika & Voutoumi)
Don’t miss
Boat day (Anti-Paxos), morning tea on the terrace, the walk to Marmari
Season
June: everything open, not yet rammed, pools warm enough
Why Paxos works
What struck me most about Paxos is how it feels both sophisticated and authentically Greek. The service everywhere was genuinely warm, the food consistently good, and there’s something magical about an island where you can drive coast to coast in ten minutes yet discover new favourite spots every day. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to impress you. It just quietly gets everything right.
From London, it’s brilliantly accessible, and even quicker if you’re coming from France. A short hop to Corfu, then that boat ride across, and you’re in paradise. Sometimes the best escapes are closer than you think.
I hope this gives you a good feel for Paxos. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions. Just hit reply.
