Paxos Travel Guide

Tag: Paxos

  • Kaki Lagada Beach – August 2021 Update

    HI all – here is an update on Kaki Lagada Beach, August 2021.

    Kaka Lagada is a beach on the east coast of Paxos about halfway down the island between Loggos and Paxos. The beach is pebbly, with lovely clear waters. There is a bar serving drinks and food from 12noon. There is parking and the other essential facilities that we all need!

    Where is Kaki Lagada Beach?

    Check out the blog post Paxos Beaches for the location of this and all the other beaches. Basically it is located at the bottom of the road from Magazia going towards the new Port in Gaios.

    What is the beach like at Kaki Lagada?

    Well get there early to reserve a spot. But it is lovely. The beach is large round pebbles, which go down to the water. The sea is lovely, crystal clear, and not too far out you are in the wonderful blue. And the beach is in a sheltered bay so it is safe for kids and those less able swimmers.

    How much are the sunloungers?

    Here are the current prices.

    If I pay for a sunlounger can I get my money back if I buy a meal?

    We did ask that but unfortunately not – they appear to be separate ownerships so no you will not get your money back if yuo pay for a meal.

    Do I have to pay for a sunlounger?

    If you are happy plonking yourself down on the large rounded pebbles then no you do not have to pay.

    Is there parking there?

    Yes there is a small car park to the back of the bar with further parking on the road.

    Are there toilets?

    Yes at the back of the bar. I wont say they are luxurious but they do the job.

    Here is a nice video taken by my gorgeous wife.

    Kaki Lagada Beach

    Rick McEvoy – Paxos Travel Guide

  • What Is Mongonissi Beach Bar Like For Lunch? Blooming Lovely I Say!

    What Is Mongonissi Beach Bar Like For Lunch? Blooming Lovely I Say!

    Mongonissi Beach Bar is located south of Gaios. And what is it like for lunch?

    The Mongonissi Beach Bar is lovely for lunch, as we have just found out. They a have great variety of food and drinks on the menu, coupled with very nice relaxed service. There is everything you need there, and the facilities are all lovely and clean. There is even a sandy beach that the tables overlook in the lovely sheltered bay. And the staff are very relaxed, helpful and friendly.

    So all good then.

    What dId we have to eat?

    We shared a

    • Margerhita Pizza
    • Rocket salad
    • French fries
    • A basket of bread
    • 1 and 1 large beer.

    And it was all lovely.

    Here it is part way through – excuse the photo – not my best – but I was hungry!

    Lovely lunch at the Mongonissi Beach Bar

    How much did this cost?

    34 euros which s absolutely fine.

    Where is Mongonissi?

    Here it is.

    Where is Mongonissi Beach Bar?
    Where is Mongonissi Beach Bar?

    How do you get to Mongonissi?

    Follow the road south from Gaios and keep going until the road ends – it really is that simple.

    What is there to do at Mongonissi Beach?

    Well the beach is a sandy beach, imported sand so I am told. So you can relax on a sunloungers that cost a bargain €2.50 each. The water is shallow, clear, flat and safe for kids of all ages to play in. You can hire canoes and paddle boards or just swim.

    But mind the boats coming in for the day!

    Here are some photos of the place.

    Mongonissi Beach Bar
    Mongonissi Beach Bar and the beach!
    The beach – obviously
    The immaculate kitchens
    The lovely clean facilities

    Rick McEvoy – Paxos Travel Guide

  • What Is That Lovely Noise All About In The Trees In Paxos??

    What Is That Lovely Noise All About In The Trees In Paxos??

    You know that noise in the trees? The soundtrack to Paxos and many other Greek Islands? Exactly what is making that noise, and why?

    The wonderful sound that you can hear in the trees in Paxos is the male Cicada, singing from the trees to attract a mate. They have a unique way of generating that sound using tymbals on the side of their abdomen. The sound can be heard all around the island, from early morning to the evening, and is one of those tell tale signs that you are in a special place like Paxos.

    I have heard these chaps many, many times but never seen one. So I followed the noise and found this little chap in a tree singing away happily!

    Cicadas singing in Paxos

    And having found one for the first time I soon found another little fella singing his heart out!

    Another cicada singing his heart out for love!

    What are cicadas?

    Insects that provide a lovely soundtrack to any holiday in Paxos. I could give you more info but I am happy just knowing that.

    Why do they make this noise?

    They are trying to attract a mate. It is the blokes singing away trying to find a loved one. Now you cannot fault their effort or commitment, but I wonder if they have tried other methods?

    Are they found anywhere else?

    I don’t really know or care. They are found all over the wonderful Greek Island of Paxos, and elsewhere in Greece, and I am sure further afield.

    But I am happy knowing that they are here in wonderful Paxos.

    Enjoy

    Enjoy the soundtrack to your Paxos visit. Listen out for them, find them look at them, marvel at them. As I was sat here writing this post, at 7:15pm enjoying the late sunshine, they all stopped. It is all quiet and I now miss that sound….. enjoy the silence….. I guess they have gone to bed now for a sleep and to rest for another day of courting.

    Post update – another day and they are still singing away at 9pm. Maybe they just stopped for dinner…..

    Enjoy the sound of the cicadas!

    Rick McEvoy – Paxos Travel Guide

  • Restaurant Thymari, Paxos – Excellent Food, Even Lovelier Friendly Service

    Restaurant Thymari, Paxos – Excellent Food, Even Lovelier Friendly Service

    What is the Restaurant Thymari like in Paxos?

    Restaurant Thymari gave us a very friendly welcome, and managed to accommodate us even though they were fully booked. The food was lovely, the service even lovelier and we even took home the food that we could not eat. We are looking forward to going back to this lovely restaurant in the middle if the island.

    We arrived in Paxos hot and tired. We unpacked and walked down to the nearest restaurant to us, Restaurant Thymari. We have driven past this restaurant on the main road through the middle of the island, but were always going somewhere else.

    But now we are stopping closer it is time to investigate.

    We were warmly welcomed, and asked if we had booked. We said no we have just arrived. After a bit of a debate the lovely waitress found us a table and told us that if we stuck to the quicker to prepare stuff on the menu it would be just fine.

    And that is what we did. Whilst enjoying a lovely carafe of house red wine (where does the wine served in carafes in Paxos come from – it is always so good!!) we chose the following.

    Our meal

    A lovely salad

    Moussaka

    Smoked Cheese Croquettes

    Bread with butter, which I learned is pronounced “bouteero” in Greek.

    Here is the menu

    The menu

    And we had this as well – Angel Hair Home Made Cheese Pie

    Home made cheese pie

    Basically everything was lovely, and we took home the food we could not manage which we had for our lunch the next day.

    If you are driving through the island one evening stop and have a great meal.

    Restaurant Thymari

    Book to avoid disappointment!

    At the moment you are well advised to book any meal anywhere, as we have found during our stay.

    Would we go again?

    Yes we would. Everything was absolutely lovely, and we look forward to coming back and having another lovely evening.

    Note that the restaurant is open every evening from 6pm.

    Thanks to all at Resturant Thymari from all of us.

    Rick and Nickie – Paxos Travel Guide

  • What Is It Like Going to Paxos Greece in 2020?

    What Is It Like Going to Paxos Greece in 2020?

    We all need a holiday right? Even though we are in the middle of a horrendous global pandemic.

    So what is it like going to Paxos Greece in 2020? It is absolutely fine as long as you follow Government travel advice, modify your expectations for the current situation, plan, prepare yourself, act sensibly and minimise the risk to yourself and others. In this post I will tell you what it was like going from the UK to Paxos Greece in August 2020. And back again.

    Do this and you should be just fine.

    This post is based entirely on our personal experiences travelling from Bournemouth to Corfu and onwards to the wonderful Greek Island of Paxos. I have spoken to many people who expressed surprise that we were travelling abroad, so if you are one of those people this should be reassuring to you.

    Government Travel Advice

    At the time of travel Greece was in the air bridge so there was no quarantining required end.

    This is the official UK Government website travel advice.

    We had to complete Passenger Locator Forms in advance – you can do this online and you get an email with a QR code that is scanned at the airport on arrival.

    Travel to Bournemouth Airport

    One of the reasons or flying from Bournemouth Airport is it’s size – it is small so exposure to masses of other people is minimised as much as possible. And we live local to the airport which of course helps.

    I would not fancy the mass that is Gatwick, but I am sure everything is being properly managed there as well. It is just we are avoiding large groups of people.

    What was Bournemouth Airport Like?

    There were only two flights going out, so only two queues. Everyone wearing face coverings was weird but completely necessary.

    The queue to check in was fine, seats allocated so that was all fine.

    Going through security

    We had to show our QR codes before entering security. Security was the usual mess of me not taking my belt off and having too much weird stuff in my hand luggage – I am talking a metal flask, camera, batteries and an iPad which together look rather sinister on the X-ray machine.

    Waiting for the flight

    At the one eaterie at Bournemouth Airport it was table service only. And I have to say that the service was absolutely excellent and the food and coffee were much needed and thoroughly enjoyable.

    Boarding

    Boarding was fine. We were boarded in sections so no dramas. Until we sat down, where it looked like we had someone sat next to us. We were not impressed and neither were the other family, but we sorted things out between us.

    The flight

    No in-flight magazines. Well we do travel quite a lot so that was not a problem.

    And the announcements by the cabin crew were much longer – completely necessary of course.

    We were on edge in case someone around us coughed but thankfully this did not happen.

    The flight was absolutely fine.

    Service during the flight

    Only one drinks service, no duty free etc. Well it was a morning flight so not a problem. We just had a coffee to keep us going.

    In-flight entertainment

    Just the map – nothing else. What happened to watching films or TV programmes you would never choose to watch at home?

    Getting off the plane

    Getting off the plane was 3 rows at a time which worked nicely. All nice and orderly – so far we ere very impressed with TUI.

    And now for Corfu Airport

    All very slick and efficient I have to say. The airport has had a major refurbishment which is a huge improvement.

    Passport control was fine and the chap who checked our documents was very nice.

    Luggage

    Luggage came out pretty quick.

    Getting to the port

    Out of the airport and we are hit by that lovely Greek heat – so good to be back.

    We found the TUI rep who told us where to stand to wait for the taxi. We were meant to be getting the 3pm ferry meaning quite a long time at the port – this changed on arrival and we were on the 1pm boat.

    The taxi arrived and we were off. The driver was very nice and informative and we had a very nice chat.

    Time for a quick beer

    We had time for a quick beer at good old Sette Venti, the excellent café at the port. And then time to get on the ferry!

    The ferry

    I said earlier, we were told that our ferry, the Ilida 2, was out of service so we were delighted to see it sat there waiting for us.

    As we had a cheeky beer we were last on, and we managed to find two seats in a bank of four and sat down. I have to tell you it is rather uncomfortable on the Ilida 2 on a hot morning wearing a face covering. But this is a small price to pay.

    We chose to travel after all.

    Last on does not mean first off with your luggage though, which is piled high on the boat!

    Hire car

    Off the boat onto the jetty at the New Port in Gaios where we quickly meet he local rep who takes us to our Peugeot 108.

    We get the car and are free to drive to our villa a good 7 minutes away.

    At the villa

    Before we knew it we were there. The stunning Villa Afroditi. I will link to the post about the villa at the end of this post.

    And while we were there?

    Being in a villa and not a hotel made a massive difference. And Paxos is so quiet anyway the only issue we had was in shops and supermarkets and the proximity of other people.

    Us Brits are quite standoffish anyway, so social distancing comes easier to us than other nationalities.

    It was great to see the distancing being observed and hygiene so well managed on Paxos – it is so remote I thought that the management of Covid might be lacking but far from it.

    A restaurant that we know was shut down and the owner fined 10,000 Euros for not being Covid safe.

    The return

    Boo – we had to come home. We had such a wonderful time there in Paxos.

    In reverse order from getting there (obviously) the differences were these.

    Checking-in

    Corfu Airport has changed massively. The check in area is light, area and well cooled – a big, big improvement. Check-in was just fine.

    Boarding

    Boarding the plane at Corfu Airport was not announced. We only found out by constantly checking the room which was our gate – Gate 6A. That was rather odd.

    The shuttle bus

    We declined squeezing into the shuttle bus to the place and waited for the next one. First on and we got two seats and put our bags on the floor as a buffer so nice and safe.

    Seats on the return flight

    We had two seats not three which was not ideal. Yes there was someone sat to my right.

    Bournemouth Airport

    Three policemen stood looking rather sinister as we go through the weaving queue to passport control. Our codes were scanned and we had to lower our masks when we presented our passports.

    Luggage was out quite quick and 20 minutes later we were back home meeting the Tesco delivery man.

    Related reading

    I published a post on my other website about photographing the sunrise, imaginativley titled (The Problems With) Photographing The Sunrise In Paxos Greece.

    And you can also check out the post on this website about Villa Afroditi – 11 Reasons Why You Should Book Villa Afroditi in Paxos.

    Book with TUI

    We booked the whole thing with TUI. If you are going to book your holiday to Paxos with TUI (or anyhwere else) – use this affiliate link and I get a small comission for which I will be very grateful.

    One last point

    Sure there some uncomfortable and difficult moments, but we chose to travel – we weren’t being forced to! So no complaints from us about this.

    Summary

    We were fine. We chose a familiar, quiet safe location. That was a big part of the planning. And the villa meant that we pretty much self isolated anyway.

    And there things coming out of this horrendous pandemic which will change us and the way we live forever and a day.

    So it is fine going to Paxos in 2020 – if you get a chance I strongly recommend you go for it. But do all the things that you need to do.

    Rick McEvoy – Paxos Travel Guide

  • Paxos Greece Coronavirus Update – June 2020

    Paxos Greece Coronavirus Update – June 2020

    Is it safe to travel to Paxos Greece? Or more to the point, can you travel to Paxos at the moment?

    After 15th 2020 June things look like they might ease, but right now it is not looking great. If you can get to Corfu, and then on to Paxos, you will have to self-isolate on arrival for 14 days, and also self-isolate for 14 days on your return to the UK. Now I know that self-isolation on this wonderful Greek Island has a certain appeal to it, but we need to think about the realities and practicalities of the situation.

    And do you really want to get on a plane right now? I do not for sure.

    I think that the answer at the time of writing this is that now is not a good time to travel to Paxos.

    I will provide updates as and when things develop.

    That’s all for now from me – I will add three key sources of information to this post

    • The UK Government
    • Olympic Holidays
    • James Villas

    UK Government

    Source of the information – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece

    Still current at: 10 June 2020

    Updated: 8 June 2020

    Latest update:

    “New information on rules for entering the UK from 8 June. (‘Return to the UK’ page)

    Coronavirus (COVID-19): stay up to date

    There are limited travel options available between the UK and Greece and no direct flights. See Return to the UK

    The Greek authorities have implemented a number of measures to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). If you cannot return to the UK, see information on how to stay safely as a visitor if you cannot return.

    Until 15 June, everyone arriving in Greece from abroad will be tested for coronavirus, and will be required to go into self-isolation. From 15 June, these requirements will change, but you may still be required to participate in testing and self-isolation/quarantine. See Entry requirements for more information.

    British nationals usually make over 3 million visits to Greece annually. Most visits are trouble-free, but you should take sensible precautions to protect yourself and your belongings. See Crime

    In early March large numbers of migrants and refugees gathered at multiple locations along the Greek-Turkish border. Protests, including some violent clashes, broke out, primarily on the Turkish side of the border. There is potential for further unrest on both sides of the border. Avoid crowds and demonstrations and follow instructions from the local authorities. If you are in affected areas, monitor the local media for information.

    There have been incidents of unrest and violence on the Eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos in response to a recent increase in arrivals of migrants from Turkey. If you’re on the island, you should remain vigilant, avoid any demonstrations or related large gatherings, keep up to date with developments and follow the advice of the local authorities.

    The UK has left the European Union. The rules on travel to EU countries will stay the same until 31 December 2020 while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements. This page will be updated with country-specific information for travellers to Greece as things change. Sign up for email alerts and view the latest updates for UK nationals travelling to and living in Europe.

    If you’re living in or moving to Greece, visit our Living in Greece guide in addition to this travel advice.

    There are regular strikes, sometimes called at short notice that can cause disruption to public transport (including air travel and ports), as well as road networks and borders. You should avoid all demonstrations and follow the advice given by local security authorities. See Strikes and demonstrations

    Localised or severe weather extremes, including wildfires, can affect areas of Greece over the extended summer period. See Natural disasters

    Terrorist attacks in Greece can’t be ruled out. See Terrorism

    The Greek police won’t accept rowdy or indecent behaviour, especially where excessive drinking is involved. Greek courts impose heavy fines or prison sentences on people who behave indecently. Your travel insurance may not cover you after drinking. See Local laws and customs

    The emergency services number in Greece is 112. Calling 999 from a UK mobile in Greece will automatically transfer you to the Greek emergency services.

    If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission.

    You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel. For information on the European Health Insurance Card, see Health

    The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.”

    Olympic Holidays

    Source of the info – https://www.olympicholidays.com/help/travel-updates/

    “Coronavirus (COVID 19) update – 03 June 2020

    As the news around coronavirus (COVID-19) continues, we can reassure you that we are working closely with our travel partners to fully understand any potential impact on future travel arrangements.

    The UK Foreign Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential travel. We will therefore no longer be offering any holidays up to and including the 30 June 2020.

    If you are travelling after 30 June 2020, we kindly ask you to refrain from contacting the team at this time as we are dealing with the most urgent departures.

    We continue to update this page on a regular basis and understand the frustration and concern caused by this unprecedented situation. However, we ask for your patience and understanding at this challenging time.

    At Olympic Holidays, we are putting our customers first, they are central to our business. To alleviate the uncertainty of travelling restrictions due to COVID-19, we have made some changes as below:

    1. If you are travelling up to and including 30 June 2020 your holiday is cancelled:

    We will contact you if you are due to travel up to and including 30 June 2020 advising you of your options. We’re proactively contacting all affected customers in departure date order – please be patient with us as we do this.

    • Olympic Holidays will send you a Refund Credit Note which is fully protected under ATOL and ABTA bonding, guaranteeing that your money is 100% safe. The Refund Credit Note can be used against any holiday, travelling before the 31 October 2022* and booked by 31 March 2021. If the holiday you want is not immediately available, please note that more flights, hotel and destinations are being added on a regular basis. If you haven’t chosen your next Olympic Holiday by the 31 March 2021, your money remains safe, you still have the option to receive a cash refund.
    • If you’re unable to accept a Refund Credit Note you can apply for a refund; Please wait for your Refund Credit Note and follow instructions how to apply. Due to the volume of holidays impacted, we’re asking you to bear with us as this can take up to 16 weeks from your departure date. Please do not contact us for a refund until you have received your refund credit note with details on how to claim your refund.

    *2022 departures will be on sale by January 2021.

    2. If you are travelling after 30 June 2020:

    • Olympic Holidays is in constant communication with all the airlines. We are following their guidelines, and many are being flexible if customers want to change date, provided they are on sale for the new required date. If you wish to amend your holiday, there will be no Olympic Holidays administration charge. However, we will need to pass any cost incurred and you will be asked to pay any differences in price over the original price paid.
    • If you wish to cancel your holiday, our standard T&C’s apply.
    • If the advice around travel has subsequently changed then option 1 will apply.

    3. Should I pay my balance

    If you are worried about paying your remaining balance, Olympic Holidays will give you the option to pay £299pp as part of your balance due now, and the remaining balance 4 weeks before departure. If you subsequently cancel up to and including 4 weeks before departure your cancellation will be the amount you have already paid. Cancellation within 4 weeks of departure will be the full holiday amount (100%).

    ** To pay the £299pp, please go to manage my booking payment section, select ‘Other Amount’ and enter the value you wish to pay. If you are a travel agent, and collected this amount, please email accounts@olympicholidays.com to advise you have opted for this option.

    Brexit advice for travellers -Updated 04th Feb 2020

    Travel after 31 January 2020

    Following ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK departed the EU on 31 January 2020. We are now in a transition period (also known as the ‘implementation period’) lasting until at least 31 December 2020. During this time, everything will remain the same and you can continue to travel without any changes.

    Common questions about travel after 31 January 2020

    Will flights still operate?

    Yes. Everything will stay the same until the end of December 2020 and flights will continue as normal. 

    Will I need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit?

    No. UK travellers won’t need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit. 

    Should I take out travel insurance to cover Brexit?

    The best way to protect your holiday is to book a package – it is then the travel provider’s responsibility to make sure your holiday is provided and to offer an alternative or refund if it cannot be delivered.  

    It is important that whenever and wherever you travel that you have adequate travel insurance which covers your specific needs, including any known medical conditions or activities you plan to do. 

    Passports

    Valid passports can still be used. You do not need to have six months left on your passport to travel to the EU. Your passport does however need to be valid for the whole of your trip. 

    European Health Insurance Card and travel insurance

    The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows any EU citizen to access state medical care when they are travelling in another EU country. UK registered EHICs will still be valid throughout 2020.

    Olympic Holidays and ABTA have always advised holidaymakers and business travellers to make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, whether they have an EHIC card or not, as there are limitations to EHIC.

    When travelling in the EU and beyond, it is important you take out travel insurance and check that it covers your current circumstances, including any medical conditions. If you have an annual policy, make sure you check the Terms and Conditions and contact your insurance provider if you’re not sure.

    Driving licences

    As long as you have a full UK driving licence, you don’t currently need an additional licence to drive in the EU. This will not change following 31 January 2020. An International Driving Permit will not be required, and you do not need a GB sticker or a Green Card for car insurance. 

    Taking pets abroad

    There will be no change in relation to taking pets abroad after 31 January 2020. 

    Data roaming

    Under EU rules, the cost of making calls, sending messages or using the internet on your phone in the EU is the same in the UK and this will continue after 31 January 2020. 

    Greece Overnight Tax

    From the 1st January 2018 an Overnight Stay Tax was introduced by the Government of Greece. This is payable locally by the individual tourist on checking in to accommodation in Greece and varies according to the official rating of the accommodation as follows:

    1-2 star: €0.50 per room per night

    3 star: €1.50 per room per night

    4 star: €3.00 per room per night

    5 star €4.00 per room per night

    Payment can be made by cash or card.

    All of our accommodation descriptions contain both our ‘flame’ rating and the official rating of hotels and apartments. The amount you’ll pay is based on the official rating of the accommodation you have booked. The Olympic ‘flame’ ratings given to our accommodation may differ from the official star rating of the accommodation, please refer to our brochure or website descriptions if you are unsure.

    Balearics sustainable Tourism Tax 

    A Sustainable Tourism Tax was introduced by the Balearic Islands Government aimed at all overnight stays in Tourist Accommodation on Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza from the 1st July 2016. This will be collected on check-in at the accommodation.

    The official website of the Government of the Balearic Islands setting out the tax rates can be found here. The rates quoted are for 2018, but we understand that the rates for 2019 are the same. 

    Please note that the rates quoted are per person per day and that 10% VAT will be added to the stated rates. Children under the age of 16 are exempt from the tax and from the 9th day of your stay the tax reduces by 50%.

    All of our accommodation descriptions contain both our ‘flame’ rating and the official rating of hotels and apartments. The amount you’ll pay is based on the official rating of the accommodation you have booked. The Olympic ‘flame’ ratings given to our accommodation may differ from the official star rating of the accommodation, please refer to our website descriptions if you are unsure.”

    James Villas

    Issued: 27 May 2020 – 10:00hrs – https://www.jamesvillas.co.uk/help-and-advice/coronavirus-advice

    “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance

    Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) now advise against all but essential travel. Please see below on how we will be managing this:

    CUSTOMERS DUE TO TRAVEL UP TO 30 JUNE 2020

    We are making contact with customers who are due to depart within the NEXT 7 DAYS where we will advise their options, including moving holidays to a later date. We will be doing this on a rolling basis, prioritising those due to travel first.

    If your holiday arrangements cannot go ahead due to the FCO advice regarding COVID-19, you will be able to amend without any amendment fees. Customers can rebook to travel any time up to the end of 2021.

    If you are unsure about when you would like to travel, we will provide you with a refund credit note to the full value of your original booking, plus a gift voucher as a gesture of goodwill, which you will also be able to use on a future booking. For customers who have booked a package holiday, the refund credit note is fully protected by ABTA and ATOL meaning there is no risk that you will lose the money you have paid towards your cancelled holiday and indeed any new holiday booked using it will continue to be financially protected. If neither of these options work for you, then we can discuss your options when we get in touch.

    CUSTOMERS DUE TO TRAVEL FROM 01 JULY 2020

    We understand you will be concerned about your future arrangements. As we are sure you will appreciate, we are experiencing an extremely high volume of enquiries and our priority must be to manage bookings that are due to depart within the next 7 days. We are working closely with the guidelines offered by the FCO and our industry regulatory body, ABTA, to ensure we follow the latest advice. For clarity, we can direct you to https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak

    We are therefore asking you to please be patient at this incredibly challenging time and hold off from contacting us for now. We can assure you that we are doing all we can, with limited staff, all of whom are now working from home. It will take time for us to manage this.

    You can be assured that if your holiday is impacted, we will contact you in turn to discuss your options.

    CONTACTING US

    As mentioned, we are experiencing an extremely high volume of enquiries. We are taking measures to support our staff as they work tirelessly to make contact with our customers during this extraordinary time, including safe-guarding their heath by following our Government’s advice on social interaction and containment. This means we will be reducing our opening hours to 10:00am to 1:00pm for the foreseeable future. This will allow our teams time to pro-actively contact those customers who are due to travel within the next 7 days. We appreciate this may not be convenient but we are sure you will understand why. Rest assured, we will be making contact with all customers impacted by the FCO travel restrictions.

    If you would like further information, you can refer to https:// www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for information on your destination or by visit the consumer advice issued by ABTA – https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak

    We thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.

    Q: What happens if my travel plans are affected?

    A: If the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises against travel to a destination and your holiday arrangements have been affected, we will get in touch and advise you of the options open to you. Travellers are advised to read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice for the country they are travelling to, which includes a link through to the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) TravelHealthPro website that provides specific travel health advice for countries.

    Q: What are the options if we’re advised we can’t travel

    A: If you’ve booked a package holiday with us, then you are protected under the Package Travel Regulations. If you have made your own arrangements, such as flights, car hire or airport parking, with a company other than James Villas, then you will need to speak to the service provider / airline you made the booking with. They will have their own policy in regard to how they manage these claims.

    Q: I’ve booked Villa Only with James Villa Holidays. Am I protected?

    A: Customers who have booked accommodation only with us are not protected by the Package Travel Regulations. If the travel advice changes for the destination you are travelling to and your planned arrangements can no longer go ahead, we will look at the options available to you. Where the FCO have not imposed restrictions on travel but local authorities have advised of local screening measures, you should contact your Travel Insurance provider to discuss your options.

    Q: My balance is due for my summer holiday. Do I have to pay this?

    A: Here at James Villa Holidays we understand this is a worrying time for everyone, with the uncertainty around what may happen with your travel plans. The FCO advice currently in place is for imminent travel and can change at any time. Whilst there is no legal definition of “imminent travel” it is generally considered to be within the next few days. If you have received your balance due request, this is because your holiday is expected to go ahead as scheduled, so you will still need to pay your balance. We appreciate that you may still be worried about paying this now, so we are currently offering customers extensions on their balance due date to nearer the day of departure.

    You should be reassured that if the FCO advice means you are no longer able to travel, then you have the protections in place as detailed above, including the options to move your holiday to a later date.

    Q: What if I decide I don’t want to travel?

    A: Our advice to customers with future bookings is to be patient. Whilst you can of course cancel your holiday, please be aware that if you are due to travel from 01 JULY 2020, you will need to wait as we have to prioritise those customers who are due to travel within the next 7 days. There may be a considerable delay in us getting back to you. You should also be aware that if some of your booked elements are still ‘live’, such as flights, then normal cancellation charges may apply.

    Q: If I am unable to travel, am I entitled to compensation?

    A: You won’t be entitled to any compensation, as the reason for the holiday not continuing is outside the control of James Villa Holidays.

    Q: I want to rebook my holiday. Will I be financially protected for the new booking?

    A: When you book with James Villa Holidays, rest assured that your holiday will be fully protected through our ATOL and ABTA bonding. Our ATOL protects all customers booking a holiday with flights (package), whilst our ABTA bonding protects customers booking a holiday without flights. You can find out more here: https://www.jamesvillas.co.uk/about-james-villas/atol-abta-protection”

    Paxos Greece Coronavirus Update – June 2020

    Stay safe

    Rick

    Rick McEvoy – Paxos Travel Guide

  • My 11 Best Places To Eat And Drink In Paxos

    My 11 Best Places To Eat And Drink In Paxos

    There are lots of places to eat and drink, even on a small island like Paxos.

    What are my 11 best places to eat and drink in Paxos? They are Romantica Café Bar, Averto Day and Night Yard, Mongonissi Beach Bar, Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House, on the rocks (anywhere!), Captain Spiros Taverna, Pounentes, Roxi Bar, La Rosa Di Paxos, Stasinos Garden Restaurant and Sette Venti. In this post I will tell you why these are favourite places to eat and drink in Paxos, where they are and a bit about them.

    I will also mark each of the places on a map so you can find them nice and easy!

    This is not a food critique, this is me telling you about the places that I have been to that I like the most. I will include photos of places where I have them.

    This is also not me doing an internet search and telling you which are the best 11 please to eat and drink on Paxos based on other peoples’ reviews – this is all my own work based on my own experiences!

    And these are all places that I look forward to going back to next time we are back on this wonderful Greek Island.

    Where we stopped in Paxos

    We stayed at Hotel Bastas in Lakka. We ate dinner every evening in Lakka, which is why the dinner locations are all in Lakka. We did venture out of Lakka during the day though, exploring most of the island, so there are places from all over Paxos in this post.

    But for the evening we always returned to base to enjoy the lovely chilled vibe that Lakka provides.

    Ok – lets start off with our evening ritual!

    1 – Sundowners at Romantica Café Bar on the waterfront in Lakka

    Probably our favourite place on the island for pre-dinner sundowners. I am not a cocktail person it has to be said, but I quickly got into Mojitos before trying a drink I have not had before, a Bloody Mary. That was good and came with an extended slice of cucumber – see drinking can be good for you!!

    Here are our cocktails with a side serving of healthiness!

    Cocktails at RomanticaCafe Bar in Lakka
    Cocktails at Romantica Cafe Bar in Lakka

    This is where you can find Café Bar Romantica in Lakka.

    Where is Romantica Cafe Bar in Lakka?
    Where is Romantica Cafe Bar in Lakka?

    You can sit on the front at watch the world go by, but even better if you time it right there are two tables on the balcony above which give you an excellent view of the harbour and all those lovely white boats.

    The sun sets over the hills to the left and there are some lovely skies to be seen.

    As a photographer I will tell you right now that Lakka is not the best sunset location, but it is hard to beat as a place for a lovely relaxed drink evening drink with Mrs M. Not that you will be having a drink with my Mrs M that is!

    Oh yes I nearly forgot – what is across the footpath from those tables on the front? Only the boat that we hired to go to Antipaxos! You can read more about that in the post titled Paxos Boat Hire – Do Your Own Trip From Paxos To Antipaxos https://paxostravelguide.com/paxos-boat-hire/where we took Lady Diana 765 on a most excellent day out.

    Here is the boat

    Our boat that we went to Antipaxos on
    Our boat that we went to Antipaxos on

    And if you look carefully from the balcony you can actually see mainland Corfu!

    Here is the view from the balcony

    Panoramic view from Romantica Bar in Lakka
    Panoramic view from Romantica Bar in Lakka

    2 – Breakfast at Averto Day and Night Yard

    Averto Day and Night Yard
    Averto Day and Night Yard
    Averto Day and Night Yard

    Averto Day and Night Yard is located on the road from Lakka to Gaios in the very small village of Magazia.

    Here it is on the map.

    Where is the Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos?
    Where is the Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos?

    In a straight line it is 3km from Lakka and Gaios. It is up on the top of the island, so car/ taxi/ lift/ large goat/ donkey is recommended to help you get there and back.

    We visited Averto on the day we had the hire car. You can read all about my hire car experiences on the post Paxos Car Hire – What I Did In 48 hours – days 12 and 13.

    Averto has splendid views of the island from the terrace, and really comfy chairs which you can relax in and take in those lovely views.

    Nickie did just that whilst I disappeared off taking photos.

    These are the chairs

    Seats with a view at Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos
    Seats with a view at Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos

    And this is the view

    The view from Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos
    The view from Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos

    For breakfast we both have two poached eggs on toast – very, very nice it was too. I had a coffee and Nickie had a freshly squeezed orange juice. We were also given an unusual bottle of rather earthy (sustainable) water, which I quaffed. Even at breakfast time it is rather warm on Paxos!

    Here is my breakfast.

    Breakfast at the Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos
    Breakfast at the Averto Day and Night Yard on Paxos

    It was all lovely, very nice food, good service and a lovely laid back feel to the place. I cannot remember how much the meal cost to be honest, but I remember being happy with the price. Happy with everything.

    3 – Brunch at the Mongonissi Beach Bar

    The Mongonissi Beach Bar is way down at the bottom of the island (max 30 minutes from Lakka at the top of the island!). We have already been here by boat. After sailing back from Antipaxos to Paxos you pass the opening to the bay in which you will find Mongonissi Beach. The first thing of interest is the island of Kaltsonisi, next up is the entrance to Mongonissi Beach.

    Here it is on a map.

    This is where the Mongonissi Beach Bar is on Paxos
    This is where the Mongonissi Beach Bar is on Paxos

    This time we arrive by car, and there are no t-shirt incidents. We have driven all the way down from the top of the island in Lakka. A long trip (8kms as the crow flies) taking much less than half an hour!

    Here is the beach taken using the Pano feature on the iPhone.

    This is what Mongonissi looks like on Paxos
    This is what Mongonissi looks like on Paxos

    We get these in time for breakfast/ lunch which is very nice. I have breakfast. Here it is. Well part way through!

    Breakfast at the Mongonissi Beach Bar on Paxos
    Breakfast at the Mongonissi Beach Bar on Paxos

    I decided to go for the full English breakfast, well why not? Nickie just had a fresh orange juice. €7.50 euros for a cooked breakfast with juice, coffee and bread is pretty awesome. And the food was all lovely too so all good.

    And my breakfast even came with the thickest sliced bread I have ever seen, which was a complete bonus.

    Mongonissi Beach Bar is a lovely place to visit, and Mongonissi Beach can easily be made into a day out, with an actual sandy (if small) beach which is unusual for Paxos!

    We have had breakfast and lunch at the beach bar, and both were very nice indeed.

    4 – Gyros In Gaios at Ο ΓΥΡΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΞΩΝ

    I think that this place is called o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House. Well that’s what the napkin says?

    o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House in Gaios Paxos
    o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House in Gaios Paxos

    I guess that is not important.

    What is important is that at this place right behind the Church Analipsi you get great chicken gyros for €3.50.

    Here it is on a map

    This is where the o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos
    This is where the o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos

    Here is the menu.

    The menu at o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House
    The menu at o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House

    And here is the chicken Gyros

    Chicken Gyros at o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos
    Chicken Gyros at o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos

    Sorry, this is the restaurant

    o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos
    o Gyros Ton Paxon Grill House is in Gaios Paxos

    This is a very popular place for people arriving on the day trip boats. When a boat arrives it gets a bit manic until everyone settles down so getting a table is sometimes interesting. To be fair the staff are used to this and find tables remarkably quickly.

    If you sit on a table at the front be prepared to have people stood right by your table wearing swimwear though!

    It is pretty hot here, so they rather cleverly have jets of cold mist that cool you down – a really nice touch.

    Service is pretty quick, and the chick gyros is just excellent. I am sure that they do other things there, but we have been quite a few times and always have the gyros – it is that good. Accompanied by a cold pint (half litre does not have the same ring to it) this is always a great place to grab a quick something to eat.

    These folks know that most visitors to Gaios are there for the day on a boat, so time is short, and they get and respect that.

    But don’t hurry too much – the food needs to be enjoyed.

    5 – Sunrise on the rocks – literally!!

    This is my thing that I love doing. When I go out to photograph the sunrise I love sitting on the rocks when I am all set up and ready to take photos.

    Here is one of my favourite places not far from Lakka.

    One of my favourite sunrise locations on Paxos
    One of my favourite sunrise locations on Paxos

    I always get myself ready well before the sunrise, and these days set up my iPhone on a tripod so I can record the happening of the sunrise.

    And this is another place that I liked in the early morning solitude.

    This is a lovely video of six minutes of peace and calm on Lakka Beach

    Seriously though getting up super early and catching sunrise with no-one else around is a fantastic thing to do. I normally take a coke and water with me – too early for a Mythos after all!

    There is something special about witnessing the start of a new day, especially if you get in the right place so you can actually watch the sun rising. I am fortunate as a photographer to have done this many times, and still absolutely love doing this.

    Here is a video of me describing the scene as I am about to photograph the sunrise!

    And for completeness here is a sunrise photo taken on the beach in Loggos.

    Sunrise picture of the boats in the harbour in Loggos on the lovely island of Paxos by Rick McEvoy photography
    Sunrise picture of the boats in the harbour in Loggos on the lovely island of Paxos by Rick McEvoy photography

    6 – Lunchtime libation at Captain Spiros Taverna on Antipaxos

    Chances are that if you are holidaying on Paxos that you will go to Antipaxos, normally on a day trip from Gaios. That or you drive your own boat there – we have done both. Well actually we have also done a day trip from Parga to Antipaxos and Paxos which you can read on my other website, Rick McEvoy Photography.

    You can read all about a day trip from Paxos to Antipaxos in my post Paxos Boat Hire – Do Your Own Trip From Paxos To Antipaxos, and you can find out more about Antipaxos in the post Antipaxos Greece – Everything You Need To Know.

    Anyway, when you get to Antipaxos you normally go to one of the two main beaches on the island, Vrika Beach, which is the first beach you come across when sailing down from Paxos, and then Voutoumi Beach.

    We like Captain Spiros Taverna, which is on the right hand edge of Vrika Beach when looking from the sea.

    Easy to get to – just walk to the right hand end of the beach, up some steps and you are there.

    This is my beer!

    Mythos at Captain Spiros Taverna on Antipaxos
    Mythos at Captain Spiros Taverna on Antipaxos

    And here is the meal. Excuse the bad crop but there was an old person (older than me even) in the background wearing a swimsuit which hardly added to the ambience of the scene ha!

    Lunch at Captain Spiros Taverna on Antipaxos
    Lunch at Captain Spiros Taverna on Antipaxos

    And here is the map showng where it is – nearly forgot!

    This is where Captain Spiros Taverna is on Antipaxos
    This is where Captain Spiros Taverna is on Antipaxos

    7 – Pasta at Pounentes in Lakka

    Pounentes ended up being my favourite restaurant in Lakka.

    Here it is

    Taverna Pounentes in Lakka Paxos
    Taverna Pounentes in Lakka Paxos

    We ate there quite a few times, and on the last evening we were welcomed like celebrities by the man running the show. Seriously he recognised us as we had been there a few times. We approached the restaurant and he saw us and rushed over and welcomed us with massive hugs!

    The people sat down eating all seemed to stop and watch, and I am sure they were asking each other who we were. People were looking at us throughout our meal – is this what it is like to be famous?

    Anyway back to the food.

    Here is the menu

    Menu at Taverna Pounentes in Lakka Paxos
    Menu at Taverna Pounentes in Lakka Paxos

    My favourite meal was the last one (not last on the menu!), and the one that was not my choice. I wanted spaghetti Bolognese, but the lovely head waiter convinced me to have pasta with a chilli sauce. Not really my thing but I went with and it was, I have to say, absolutely stellar!

    So good I did not take a photo of it!

    Every time we ate there we had an excellent time, so this place is highly recommended by me.

    8 – Drinks by the water at Roxi Bar in Loggos

    The Roxi Bar is in Loggos, a lovely small village between Lakka and Gaios.

    Roxi Bar Loggos Paxos
    Roxi Bar Loggos Paxos

    I didnt know it had a roof garden!

    The Roxi Bar is special because of its location, and the particularly nice chap who always provides a very warm welcome and very charming service. Read the reviews and everyone says the same – one of the genuinely nicest men you could ever wish to meet.

    Here is the bar viewed from the boat as you pull into Loggos bay.

    View of Loggos on the Greek Island of Paxos from a boat
    View of Loggos on the Greek Island of Paxos from a boat

    Best seats are round the back, where you get tables right by the water.

    Roxi Bar seats on the water
    Roxi Bar seats on the water

    I often find myself down there after a sunrise shoot waiting for the bar to open. Having been there a few times I have managed to get a coffee well before they opened and sat there all by myself staring at the sea.

    And this is what it looks like inside.

    The inside of the Roxi Bar in Loggos
    The inside of the Roxi Bar in Loggos

    What can you get at the Roxi Bar? The usual selection of drinks and as for food – well they don’t mind if you bring food from the bakery next door which is very nice indeed.

    Sorry – here it is on a map

    Location of Roxi Bar in Loggos
    Location of Roxi Bar in Loggos

    9 – Dinner by the water at La Rosa Di Paxos in Lakka

    It was our second to last night, so we ate at La Rosa di Paxos. This lovely restaurant is located right on the waterfront of Lakka. Get there early to reserve a table right next to the water, which is always special.

    This is where it is

    Location of La Rosa di Paxos in Lakka
    Location of La Rosa di Paxos in Lakka

    This is the menu cover – how lovely is this?

    La Rosa di Paxos Menu
    La Rosa di Paxos Menu

    And this is my lobster and pasta dish, which was rather excellent I have to say.

    Lobster at La Rosa di Paxos
    Lobster at La Rosa di Paxos

    Yes the perfect second to last evening, with pre-dinner cocktails, a table by the water, great service, lovely food, great wine.

    The only regret was not eating at La Rosa di Paxos more often.

    10 – Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    Another restaurant in Lakka, Stasinos is located a few streets back from the waterfront. The restaurant has a lovely courtyard where you can sit and relax.

    This is where it is in Lakka.

    Location of the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka
    Location of the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    We have eaten here a few times, and always had excellent food and excellent service.

    Here is the menu cover.

    Menu at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka
    Menu at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    We are seated at a nice quiet table by a very friendly and enthusiastic waiter. We order a carafe of red wine (which I have to say has been excellent everywhere apart one place where we managed to swap it for a bottle).

    We have eaten here before on this holiday, and also last year, and it has always been very good.

    We went for a Meze starter as we haven’t had one for a while. This is the pre Meze olives.

    Pre meze olives at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka
    Pre meze olives at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    Nickie went for Moussaka again – this is it.

    Moussaka at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka
    Moussaka at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    I went for the P beef dish similar to but not Stifado. I still cannot remember the name. Like I say it is definitely not beef stifado!

    Not beef stifado at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka
    Not beef stifado at the Stasinos Garden Restaurant in Lakka

    Honest it is not Stifado. We also had a lesson from our waiter in how to pronounce not only my main course but also stifado – turns out we have been saying it wrong up till now.

    I can’t remember the name of the meal that I had – lets stick with the P beef dish.

    As on previous visits everything I am delighted to report was perfect. The food was lovely, the service was better than most other places, with such a charming and informative waiter. The timing of delivery of meals was spot on, and the atmosphere was lively but not too loud – all good.

    11 – Sette Venti at Corfu Port

    I know, this is not on Paxos, but for most people travelling to Paxos this is a place where you will spend some time waiting for a ferry or a flight. Yes I said waiting for a flight. It is much nicer waiting here at the port than at the airport.

    This is what it looks like from the outside

    Sette Venti at the new port in Corfu
    Sette Venti at the new port in Corfu

    Here it is in relation to Paxos.

    This is where Sette Venti is in relation to Paxos.
    This is where Sette Venti is in relation to Paxos.

    And here it is in relation to the airport and the centre of Corfu Town.

    The location of Sette Venti on Corfu
    The location of Sette Venti on Corfu

    And this place is not on Paxos anyway!

    So what is the food like?

    It is very good. We have had breakfast and lunch here a few times now and always had a thoroughly nice meal

    And this is the chicken gyros meal which was excellent.

    Chicken Gyros at Sette Venti on Corfu
    Chicken Gyros at Sette Venti on Corfu

    And the prices, which could let’s be honest be much worse in such a location are actually fine.

    Once you have got your luggage get in a taxi and get over to Sette Venti.

    You can sit there and watch the boats come in and out of the port and look at those enormous cruise liners parked up for day trippers to Corfu Town.

    Want to know more about Paxos?

    I hope that you have found this post helpful, informative and even a little bit entertaining! To find out more about my favourite, wonderful Greek island all you need to do is click here and I will take you straight back to the start of my Paxos blog. Nice and easy!

    Oh yes, I hope that you enjoy the next post.

    Me in Gaios on the Greek Island of Paxos

    Rick McEvoy Paxos Travel Guide

  • My Favourite Paxos Activities – 21 things to do on Paxos

    My Favourite Paxos Activities – 21 things to do on Paxos

    I love to get the most out of going on holiday. So apart from sunbathing what can you do on Paxos?

    If you are looking for something to do on Paxos then these are my favourite Paxos activities – yes 21 things to do on Paxos. And some of them are sunbathing and relaxing! Enjoy this light-hearted post giving you 21 things to do on Paxos, which is more than one thing a day on a two week holiday but don’t worry, like I say it is not all action packed stuff!!

    1 Sunbathe

    Obvious I know but Paxos is a great place to sunbathe. In the summer that is. But make sure you wear sunscreen. I now wear sunscreen every morning before I leave the room! Apart from when I forget, like for the entire day on the boat from Lakka. I know – I should know better.

    My favourite time of the day to sunbathe is late afternoon/ early evening, the time when a couple of cool beers are in order and a final relax before showering and dinner.

    2 Swimming – water everywhere!

    I use the hotel pool to cool down, and the sea to swim and snorkel. The sea in the summer months is lovely and warm, and also very clean and clear.

    And being such a small island you are never far from the coast.

    I have a few favourite snorkel locations, including a place I know off Manadentri Beach. Head down through the restaurant to the beach and turn right. Walk to the end of the land and you will find some rocks that you can dive on off which I love to do.

    The other excellent place is Antipaxos in that aquamarine blue sea water. I went for a solo snorkel off the Captain Hook 2 boat (on the day trip from Parga to Antipaxos) and found myself in splendid isolation – just me and a load of fish.

    3 Explore the island

    I spend a few days doing nothing and then get off my lazy backside and get out and about. I cannot travel all that way to somewhere and not explore it properly.

    Paxos might be a small and quiet island, but to really discover it get onto the side roads and see where they take you.

    I found amazing churches, olive groves and views of both sides of the island at the same time doing just that. All things that you will not find in a guidebook of the island.

    4 Get the bus from Lakka to Gaios

    The bus goes from Lakka to Loggos and the on to Gaios. It is a great experience, especially as you are much higher up than in a car or taxi so you can see so much more.

    And going through Loggos is a real experience!! There are tables on the side of the road that the bus has to squeeze post – this truly is a most excellent site both on the bus and having just got off it.

    And the faces of the people sat at the tables is an absolute picture!

    I have written a post about the bus service sand timetable called Paxos Bus Timetable 2019 – What Is The Bus Service Like? which tells you all about this.

    5 Hire a boat

    Hire a boat for circa 50/ 60 Euros (plus fuel cost payable on your return) and you can please yourself for a day. We did that and went from Lakka out of the harbour and turned left down to the Blue Caves, the spectacular rock stack then down towards the bottom of the island.

    Having stopped en-route to marvel at the Tripitos Arch it was a quick sail over to Antipaxos for a quick beer at Captain Spiros Taverna before returning to Paxos and lunch at the Mongonissi Beach Bar. Next stop was Gaios before visiting Loggos then returning to Lakka for a prolonged pootle around the harbour taking photos and videos.

    A long and thoroughly excellent day it was too!

    6 Hire a car

    I had a Peugeot 108 for two days, meaning 2 sunrise shoots in the car, which were in Loggos and on the hills overlooking Gaios and the sun rising over mainland Greece.

    Apart from that I got right into the middle of the island and found lots of excellent stuff.

    Car hire is not too expensive, and there are plenty of places to get cars from on the island.

    Check out the post Paxos Car Rental – Everything You Need To Know

    And best of all you can get from Lakka at the top of the island to Mongonissi at the bottom of the island in about 20—30 minutes!

    7 Hit the open spaces on foot

    This is my favourite thing to do. I basically just get my walking boots on and get out and about and find stuff. This is normally how I find sunrise locations that I have not seen photos of before. This is how I find my photo locations.

    I do not use Google Maps or any other clever stuff like that – I just get out on my own two feet and explore.

    When I have a car I will drive to the end of the road and get out and keep going on foot.

    8 Rent a bike

    You can rent pushbikes on Paxos. This is not really my thing to be honest – I am not a big cycling fan.

    I prefer to get out and about on foot.

    However due to Paxos being so small cycling is a great way to explore the island, and the more I write about it the more I want to do this next time I am on Paxos!

    So there is job number one for my next return to Paxos sorted.

    9 Day trip to Antipaxos

    We have done this from Corfu, from Parga on the mainland and also from Lakka on a rented boat.

    And we have always had a great time. I think that one thing I want to spend more time doing next time we go to Paxos is to spend much more time on Antipaxos. I want to explore the bottom of the island, getting beyond Vrika and Voutoumi beaches which are the only places most people ever get to.

    I want to see and photograph all the beaches and check out the water on the lesser-known beaches to see if it is as bright and blue and vivid as it is on Vrika and Voutoumi.

    And I also want to see if we can spend a night there – there are places to stay on Antipaxos.

    Another thing for our next visit to Paxos!

    10 Spend a day in Gaios

    Gaios is the biggest town on Paxos, and has the most shops, bars, and restaurants, well everything really. Although it is the biggest town on the island it is small and easy to navigate, with a long stretch of shops, bars and restaurants along the waterfront.

    Great for a day, next time we go to Paxos I want to spend an evening there though, which rather ridiculously we have not done yet!

    11 Tripitos Arch

    Just check out the post I wrote about the Tripitos Arch – no need for me to repeat myself here.

    Tripitos Arch Paxos – My Number 1 Thing To Do On Paxos

    12 Blue Caves

    The Blue Caves are on the west coast of the island, and are spectacular caves that you can get a boat in. I parked the boat and swam into the caves – I was not too keen on damaging the boat and being stranded! The water is a magnificent blue colour, hence the name.

    Watch out for the day trippers though who descend on these natural wonders in their hundreds.

    13 Erimitis Beach

    One for next time. We drove down there in the hire car, couldn’t find anywhere to park so left. I could not get up the hill in the Peugeot 108 so that was not good. We had words. But we got out of there eventually with the clutch just about intact!

    Apparently it is nice, and somewhere for next time. Although this time I will park the car up the hill and walk down!

    14 Watch the sunrise

    Get over to the west coast to watch the sunrise. I have photographed the sunrise on Paxos from Gaios and Loggos, as well as from rocks around the corner from Lakka.

    Having photographed the sunrise I also got some great early morning shots from Lakka Beach looking back towards the sun over the hills of Lakka.

    Here is a sunrise photo taken from Loggos – how utterly lovely!

    15 Watch the sunset

    I have not photographed a sunset on Paxos, other than the one that you can see from the Romantica Bar in Lakka.

    This is the next thing that I want to do when I return to Paxos, get over to the other side of the island for sunset magic.

    This involves driving though at the time when I am normally enjoying a beer/ cocktail/ wine! Maybe the bike will come into its own here!

    16 Go diving!

    There are a couple of dive centres – one I walked past every evening on our way into Lakka for dinner. The dive centres are called

    Paxos Oasis Sub in Lakka.

    Water Planet in Gaios.

    17 Paddle boarding

    Yes this looks like a wonderful thing to do. You can rent paddleboards at Manadentri Beach. Just be careful about the passing boats and their wakes, which have caused me to rapidly topple over on attempts to paddleboard in other locations.

    There are plenty of other places to get paddleboards from which I will list in a separate post.

    19 Canoe

    A bit more stable than a paddleboard, and something that I am going to do on my return to Paxos.

    You can get canoes at the places above where you can rent paddleboards.

    Obviously with a canoe you are able to get further around the coast and explore the wonderful coastline and have a place to put a bag and a stable enough base to take photos and videos from.

    20 Relax

    Yep, just take it easy and get into the swing of things. Forget about work, have a digital detox and switch off.

    21 Seriously relax

    No I really mean it. Paxos is the most relaxing Greek Island that I have even been to. The first time we went after a couple of days we felt like we had left the evil real world ages ago, and on the two-week stay I almost got to the point where tying shoelaces sounded like an horrendous reality to be avoided at all costs!

    But there is so much to do!

    Blimey – so much to do when we return! I am going to have to spend much less time on my proverbial and more time out and about doing stuff! That could be the mornings, leaving the afternoons to do nothing.

    Want to know more about Paxos?

    I hope that you have found this post helpful, informative and even a little bit entertaining! To find out more about my favourite, wonderful Greek island all you need to do is click here and I will take you straight back to the start of my Paxos blog. Nice and easy!

    Oh yes, I hope that you enjoy the next postt.

    Me in Gaios on the Greek Island of Paxos

    Rick McEvoy Paxos Travel Guide

  • What Is A Day Trip From Parga To Paxos Really Like?

    What Is A Day Trip From Parga To Paxos Really Like?

    I have just returned from a two week holiday to Parga in Greece. I could see Paxos and Antipaxos from our hotel balcony in Parga! We had to return and a day trip was the answer.

    So what is a day trip from Parga to Paxos really like? The day trip from Parga to Antipaxos and Paxos was an excellent day out, giving anyone who has not been to these two Greek Islands a wonderful introduction to them. I will tell you all about the day, and give you some tips that will help enjoy your day even more. Please read on and enjoy my story of our day trip from Parga to Paxos and Antipaxos.

    OK – we know where Paxos is – where is Parga?

    Parga is on mainland Greece. It is 20 kilometres from Vrika Beach on Antipaxos, and about 20 kilometres from Gaios on Paxos.

    Here are the three places marked on a map.

    Where are Parga, Paxos and Antipaxos
    Where are Parga, Paxos and Antipaxos

    Who did we book the trip with?

    We booked the trip though TUI, who we booked our holiday to Parga with. We could have wither booked with the rep, but we went to the TUI office in the centre of Parga – here it is on a map.

    TUI office Parga location
    TUI office Parga location

    And while I am on the subject of where places are, I have also marked exactly where the boat goes from.

    Captain Hook 2 departure point Parga
    Captain Hook 2 departure point Parga

    Apparently the boat trip normally sells out, so don’t just turn up on the morning as you might be disappointed. Book early to avoid disappointment as the saying goes!

    What boat did we go on then?

    Captain Hook 2. This is a new boat. It has been designed to give more circulation space than you would expect on such a boat, and it was pretty good I have to say.

    How much did it cost?

    20 euros each, which is excellent value. I am sure you can book direct and get it cheaper, but to be honest I was more than happy with the price.

    Thinking about it this really is an excellent price considering where the boat takes you.

    What is the route the boat took?

    The boat leaves Parga at 10am, and heads straight for Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxos. After a swim stop next stop is the Blue Caves on Paxos for another swim stop before mooring at the port in Gaios for a couple of hours before returning back to Parga.

    This is the map on the leaflet from Captain Hook 2. And also a Pdf of the entire leaflet for you to have a browse of.

    Parga to Antipaxos and Paxos day trip map
    Parga to Antipaxos and Paxos day trip map
    Captain Hook leafletDownload

    How long is the day trip?

    The boat leaves from the jetty in Parga at 10am and returns at 6.30pm.

    What is there on the boat?

    Plenty of seats, toilets and a bar serving hot and cold drinks and snacks.

    And Mythos of course.

    3 Euros for a chilled can of Mythos when out on a boat in the hot sun for a day is just fine with me.

    Where are the best seats on the boat?

    Top tip here for the best seats! If you go to the front of the boat and up the stairs there are three pairs of deckchairs right at the front of the upper deck. These are the best seats on the boat in my opinion, as you have a great elevated view looking forward and no-one standing in front of you. And your own personal space.

    How do you get the best seats?

    Get there early. We got on the boat at 9.30am and had a decent choice of seats. Don’t turn up at 10am and hope to get good seats – the boat is normally full.

    Where did we sit?

    Well we were on the benching right behind the seats I mentioned. The chairs were taken. And then a couple left the middle seats and Nickie looked at me, and before I could answer her about moving to them they were gone.

    Getting good seats on this boat is a serious business! Snooze and you lose!

    What do you need to take with you?

    Now these things might sound obvious, but these are the things that you should take with you.

    • Breakfast
    • Towels to sit on
    • Sun cream
    • Swimming goggles/ mask
    • Cash
    • Water – replenish in Gaios
    • The enthusiasm to swim with a large number of strangers!

    OK – that is a bit of info about the trip and the boat – this is the story of the day

    Getting to the boat

    We walked down to Parga from our hotel, getting breakfast on the way from the Raptis Bakery in the centre of Parga, just down from the taxi rank.

    Breakfast to take onto the boat consisted of a plain croissant, a chocolate croissant and a fresh orange which was interesting as it was made using all the orange apart from the skin, giving it a creamy texture!

    I get a coffee to take onto the boat as well.

    And it is fine taking food on the boat so don’t worry about that.

    We walked down to the jetty, only a couple of minutes from the bakers. I showed you where the boat leaves on the map above.

    Getting on the boat

    At the jetty there is a queue to get on the boat (nothing like for the ferry to Corfu though!). We get onto the boat at 9.30 am and find some good seats upstairs as I mentioned before. We know that we have booked a trip on the larger boat, but have not really thought this through – a large boat = a large number of people on a boat!

    Once again being English we are in the significant minority, not hearing another single English voice on the boat all day which I still find strange.

    Time to go to Antipaxos

    The fully loaded boat leaves Parga bang on 10am. This is the view of Antipaxos to the left and Paxos to the right from the boat in a short video on my Paxos Travel Guide You Tube Channel.

    Our first stop is Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxos for a one hour swim stop. It took just over an hour and a quarter to get there.

    Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxos viewed from the Captain Hook 2
    Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxos viewed from the Captain Hook 2

    I was going to go for a swim, but the carnage of everyone trying to get off the boat at once put me off. The sea is full of bodies. I mean full of bodies.

    Check out this photo.

    Swimmers in the sea, Antipaxos Greece
    Swimmers in the sea, Antipaxos Greece

    I spot a clear patch of water and go for it, taking my iPhone in my waterproof case for a bit of underwater videography. I have never been brave enough to try this before – lets see what the results look like.

    Ok – this is a 360 video from the sea showing Antipaxos and the Captain Hook 2.

    And this is me!!!! Don’t be scared now!

    Me swimming near Antipaxos
    Me swimming near Antipaxos

    And this is a video showing the view from the rocks I swam to.

    After the one hour swim stop it is time to move on. I am already back on the boat before the ships horn calls in all the people still in the water.

    Judging the carnage of people jumping into the water all over the place the crew have no way of knowing if everyone is back on the boat so if you are not then that Is that!!

    There were quite a few other boats in the bay of the beach so it was quite busy but still as stunning as last time we visited.

    The Blue Caves

    Next stop is the Blue Caves on Paxos, located on the far (west) coast from Parga.

    This is what they look like.

    The Blue Caves of Paxos
    The Blue Caves of Paxos

    I have driven the boat here myself, so am suitably impressed when the captain skillfully nudges the boat right into the cave – check out all the people on the boat!

    Captain Hook 2 in the Blue Caves of Paxos
    Captain Hook 2 in the Blue Caves of Paxos

    Another swim stop which I quite frankly can’t be bothered with, we just sit there in the sunshine enjoying the dramatic coastline of Paxos.

    Swim stop at the Blue Caves Paxos
    Swim stop at the Blue Caves Paxos

    We sail back past the Tripitos Arch which no one else notices, and then head down and around the bottom of the island, past the entrance to Mongonissi and on towards Gaios.

    I have uploaded a video of the sail past the magnificent Tripitos Arch which you can on my Paxos Travel Guide You Tube Channel.

    This is what the Tripitos Arch looks like from the land.

    Tripitos Arch on the Greek Island of Paxos-HDR
    The Tripitos Arch is one of the most popular tourist attractions on the Greek Island of Paxos

    And this is my post all about this wonderful natural structure – Tripitos Arch Paxos – My Number 1 Thing To Do On Paxos.

    Oh yes there was also the rather curious site of an Italian couple dancing on the top deck, treading on flip flopped toes all over the place.

    Arriving in Gaios

    Here is a video of us approaching and arriving in Gaios. We moor just after the port where the ferries pick up and drop off most visitors to the island on the ferries from Corfu, Igoumenitsa and other places. But mainly Corfu.

    Once off the boat, taking note of the return time of 5.15 (5 minutes before then to get back on the boat) we walk along the waterfront past all the lovely boats into the entire of Gaios.

    It is so good to be back!

    Lunch in Gaios

    We know where to go in Gaios to get one of our favourite Greek lunches. Here is the name of the restaurant, which you can find right behind the lovely Church Analipsi.

    Gyros in Gaios
    Gyros in Gaios

    I am not sure what its name is. But the chicken Gyros is great – I know that! And 3.50 euros is great value if the restaurant is a maniacal whirlwind of people going in an out.

    All washed down with a lovely cold beer, all good and now it is time to enjoy Gaios for a couple of hours.

    This is what it looks like!

    Gyros in Gaios
    Gyros in Gaios

    Shopping in Gaios

    First stop is our favourite jewellers – we dont know his name but he is located below Paxos Properties next to the gyros place. We bought some Babylonian jewellery there last year and needed some adjustments. One of my bracelets had broken so the very nice chap swapped it for a different one. Nickie bought a new anklet which was lovely.

    We left him to do his magic for 20 minutes and went of to the t-shirt shop where we bought three lovely t-shirts and a lovely aquamarine dress for Nickie that was the colour of the sea at Voutoumi Beach.

    Back to the jewellers to collect our stuff and then we split up for our individual wanders.

    Back at the bus stop

    I go back to the bus stop, taxi rank and supermarket where I shoot an on location video which you can watch on my YouTube Channel – it is called Paxos Bus Timetable 2019 And Taxi Information Filmed On Location In Gaios.

    I also shoot a video walking from the bus stop to the waterfront which I will link to from a post about Gaios.

    Final drinks on Paxos

    Nearly time to leave Paxos. Boo hiss.

    We have a drink at Manesko on the waterfront in the shade, I have a large Mythos and Nickie has a very nice Mojito. And then another Mojito. I stick to one beer or I will need the loo and we have to get going for our boat! Drinks cost 22 euros.

    Getting back to the boat

    We get back to the boat in good time, and return to our seats where we left our towels. It’s ok everyone did that.

    Well everyone apart those that didn’t. I witnessed a few arguments where the space that people had on the way out was much less on the way back.

    Returning to Parga

    We get back to Parga at 6.30, enjoying a couple of cans of Mythos on the way back.

    Here is the last video for this post, of us arriving back in Parga – Arriving in Parga Greece by boat – this is what it all looks like!!! And very lovely it is too!

    We battle through the crowds and get a taxi back to the hotel with essential shopping (water, wine, beer, crisps). We share the taxi with a very nice Norwegian couple who are staying at our hotel. Not that I recognised them.

    We get back to the room and – oh no.

    We have lost our shopping from Paxos!!

    Yes, we get back to the hotel and realise we have probably left our shopping on the boat. I put my walking shoes on and head straight back down to the town to see if I can get our clothing back.

    I made it to Delizi in 15 minutes which is not bad going for an old man!

    Nickie has in the meantime had the most innovative idea of phonning Delizi and asking if they could get our bag for us! We speak on the way down and I collect the bag from Delizi, reserving a table for the next evening.

    Then all I have to do is walk back to the hotel – 21 minutes to get back, well it is uphill all the way!

    And that is what a day trip from Parga to Paxos and Antipaxos is like.

    An all round splendid day which I can recommend to anyone and everyone.

    Want to know more about Paxos?

    I hope that you have found this helpful. If you would like to find out more about Paxos then please head over to my home page where I go through all the pages on this site with links so you can straight get to the stuff you want to.

  • Paxos Bus Timetable 2019 – What Is The Bus Service Like?

    Paxos Bus Timetable 2019 – What Is The Bus Service Like?

    Hi everybody. Having just returned to Gaios I am finally able to provide the Paxos Bus Timetable for 2019. In this post as well as telling you the bus times will also tell you everything I know about getting the bus in Paxos, and what it is really like!

    Firstly, here is a photo of the bus timetable from the bus stop in Gaios.

    Obviously this is a bit faded, but you get the idea!

    And here is a Pdf of the bus times that you can download and take with you.

    Paxos Bus Timetable 29082019Download

    Where does the bus go on Paxos?

    The bus route is quite simple.

    • Gaios – Loggos – Lakka
    • Lakka – Loggos – Lakka

    (be careful as the 2pm bus from Lakka goes straight to Gaios missing out Loggos).

    Why does the bus not go anywhere else on the island?

    Well Lakka, Loggos and Gaios are the three biggest places on Paxos.

    With Gaios being the biggest by some margin. Gaios is the capital of the island.

    And remember that the population of Paxos is only 2500!

    How big is Paxos?

    Well I wrote a post titled “How Big Is Paxos” which tells you this.

    Quite small is the answer!

    Where are the bus stops?

    Here is a map where I have marked the three locations.

    And here are the bus stop locations

    Bus stop in Lakka

    The bus stop in Lakka is located in the central village square by the ATM. I have put a red cross on the map of Lakka (courtesy of Google Maps) so you can see exactly where it is.

    Bus stop in Loggos

    The bus stop in Loggos is located by the main car park down at the waterfront. Here is a map with a red cross showing the location.

    Bus stop in Gaios

    The bus stop in Gaios is located next to the main supermarket in Gaios. Again I have marked this on a map. The bus stop is about a five-minute walk away from the wonderful waterfront and the centre of Gaios.

    I wrote a post titled “Paxos Travel Guide – Getting Around The Island“ which gives you more info.

    This is the bus stop in Gaios.

    Check out this a video of me in Gaios August 2019 where I show you what the bus stop and indeed the taxi rank are like!

    Excuse the quality but it was very hot that day!!

    What is the bus trip like?

    It is a really good thing to do. The service is very prompt, and the bus is very clean.

    A very nice lady takes your fare and gives you your tickets. Now we have been told that she gets a bit grumpy if you don’t have the correct change, but we have never seen this. She has always been perfectly friendly.

    Obviously the correct change is always helpful so please be considerate and try not to turn up for the bus with just a €50 note!

    And please take your rubbish with you!

    And don’t be surprised if there is a local sat in the front seat chatting to the driver and nice lady enjoying a cigarette!

    I always like to get a seat at the front if possible, so I can see the views ahead and to the sides. Obviously it being a bus you are higher up than in a car, and it is surprising how much more of the island you can see that you have never seen before.

    And the highlight of the bus trip for me is driving from the bus stop in Loggos along the waterfront, where the bus is nearly touching the tables of the restaurants it is that tight!

    I wish I had taken a video of this – something to do next time I go back.

    It seriously is an amazing experience, not so good if you are sat at one of the tables closest to the road mind!

    How much is the bus fare?

    €2.50 from Lakka to Gaios. And the same back!

    What is the bus like?

    Well there are two buses, the day bus is a large bus that I have never seen more than ¾ full, and there is smaller mini-bus for the later service – by that time on Paxos most people are probably where they are going to be for the day!!!

    Which we are which, is why we have never seen it! Paxos is that kind of island.

    No booking required but get to the bus stop early to get a good seat.

    Do the bus times connect with the ferry?

    Yes, the early morning bus gets you to Gaios in time for the ferry Illida 2.

    Please check the day before to make sure that this is happening. If it does not you will have a 10/ 15-minute walk from the bus stop by the supermarket to the new port. The walk is down a gentle hill along the waterfront so is not a problem.

    Is there a bus on Antipaxos?

    Erm no.

    OK – that is everything you need to know about the Paxos bus service.

    Check out the video that accompanies this post

    I have recorded a video titled “Paxos Bus Timetable 2019 And Taxi Information Filmed On Location In Gaios” which you can find on my Paxos Travel Guide You Tube channel which accompanies this post.

    Want to know more about Paxos?

    I hope that you have found this helpful. If you would like to find out more about Paxos then please head over to my home page where I go through all the pages on this site with links so you can straight get to the stuff you want to.

    Yamas from me in Gaios!