Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
but excellent
Monodhéndhri beach
. You can also walk to
Fondána
and the former
capital of
Magaziá
, back on the main road.
Lákka and around
Buses run 3-4 times Mon-Sat between
Gáïos and Lákka, most diverting through Longós; taxis between Gáïos and Lákka cost
around €10
Approached from the south,
LÁKKA
is an unprepossessing jumble of buildings, but
once in its maze of alleys and neo-Venetian buildings or on the quay with views of
distant Corfu, you do get a sense of its charm. Lákka's two
beaches
, Harámi and
Kanóni, are none too brilliant for swimming or sunbathing, but there's a sense of
community about the place and overall it's the best place to hang out on the island,
with plenty of great dining and local walking.
Andípaxi
Frequent seasonal
kaïkia
shuttle between Gáïos and Andípaxi (€10 return); the glass-bottomed boat from Gáïos to Andípaxi (€15 return)
also takes you to its sea stacks and caves
Less than 2km south, Paxí's tiny sibling
ANDÍPAXI
has scarcely any accommodation and
no facilities beyond several beach tavernas open during the daytime in season.
Andípaxi's sandy, blue-water coves have been compared with the Caribbean, but you'll
have to share them with
kaïkia
and sea taxis from all three villages on Paxí, plus larger
craft from Corfu and the mainland resorts.
Boats basically deposit you either at the sandy
Vríka beach
or the longer pebble beach
of
Vatoúmi
, although quieter bays are accessible to the south. Paths also lead inland to
connect the handful of homes and the southerly lighthouse, but there are no beaches of
any size on Andípaxi's western coastline and thick thorny scrub makes access difficult.
11
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
PAXÍ AND ANDÍPAXI
By ferry/hydrofoil
Both ferries and hydrofoils dock at
the new port of Gáïos, 1km north of the town centre.
Tickets are available at travel agencies around the island
and booths at the dock prior to departure. From June to
Sept there are ferries to Igoumenítsa (summer 1-2 daily;
1hr; less frequently in winter) and hydrofoils to Corfu Town
(May-Sept 1-3 daily; 50min).
WALKS AROUND LÁKKA
Lákka is perfectly sited for the finest walking on the island. For a simple, short hike, take the
track leaving the far end of Harámi beach. This mounts the headland and leads on to the
lighthouse
, where a goat track descends through tough scrub to a sandy open-sea beach
with rollers best left to confident swimmers.
Another good walking route heads west into the hills above the village to
Vassilátika
, high
on the west-coast cliffs, which has stunning views out to sea. From here, the path to the left of
the blue-painted stone archway leads on to the most dramatic cliff-edge views (vertigo
sufferers beware) and continues to
Magaziá
in the centre of the island, where you can flag
down a bus or taxi.
The best
walk
on Paxí, however, is to the church at
Áyii Apóstoli
, almost halfway down the
west coast, next to the hamlet of
Voïkátika
, which has a decent taverna. The rough track is
signposted a few hundred metres south of Magaziá, and takes less than half an hour on foot.
The church and surrounding vineyards overlook the sheer 150m
Erimítis cliffs,
, which at
sunset are transformed into a seaside version of Ayers Rock, turning from dirty white to pink
and gold and brown. If you visit Áyii Apóstoli at sunset, take a torch for the return trip. The
Sunset
bar
, next to the church, can provide a welcome drink to augment the natural
splendour and sometimes even hosts full-moon parties during the warmer months.
Noel Rochford's
book
,
Landscapes of Paxos
, lists dozens of walks on the island; this and
cartographers Elizabeth and Ian Bleasdale's
Paxos Walking Map
are on sale in most travel agencies.
