Paxos - A guest blog by Richard Reed

When you think of the Ionian islands of Greece images of thickly-wooded hills, fishing villages with colourful wharf buildings lining their waterfronts and the clearest of seas will spring to mind. These images are of the sweet, silvery Paxos; an island we have heard of a great deal and yet never visited. Until now. The blog details our experiences on Paxos, the smallest of the Ionian islands.mallest of the Ionian islands.

Day 1
A flight delay is never a great start to a holiday but with Sunvil at the helm we did not have to worry. Not only were we kept informed about the situation but, on arrival on Corfu we were transferred with Sunvil's other guests to the port of Kavos and taken to Paxos on a private taxi boat. It did not matter that we had missed the regular hydrofoil as Sunvil had a tried and tested plan which meant that we could just sit back and enjoy the moonlit trip across to Lakka. If I could choose a transfer method, this would be it.

Day 2 - Loggos Mills
The welcome pack provided ensured a relaxed breakfast on the terrace, listening to the bees buzzing in the bougainvillea, and taking in the view across the woodland and down to the sea. A lazy couple of hours followed, lounging by the pool and meeting fellow guests. All very quiet and peaceful, with plenty of shade.

A short drive into Loggos, and after picking up a few supplies from the supermarket, the afternoon was spent on the harbour, watching the world go by, very slowly.

The taverna nearest the apartment was very welcoming that evening.

Day 3
We drove into Loggos in search of breakfast and WiFi and found both in the Taxibar. Amazing views across the harbour and honestly, the prettiest breakfast ever seen!
 
In the afternoon we set off for the beach and settled down under the shade of a large olive tree, followed by a leisurely swim in the sea. Part of the beach was a soft carpet of bark and leaves, but nearer the sea it became pebbles, making for a rather inelegant entry and egress! Not a bit like in the James Bond movies.
 
We dined in Loggos and had the biggest plate of seafood pasta ever seen.

Day 4
Having seen Lakka in the dark on our arrival, we wanted to visit in daylight. We found it to be charming – but very busy compared with Loggos, which is more intimate. Had a delicious lunch in one of the quieter tavernas on the waterfront, meandered through the streets – even here the pace of life is gentle, the way it should be.

Day 5
Decided to see a bit more of the island, so set off in the direction of Gaios, then headed towards Magazia which is a sleepy village inland, with a petrol station (useful, there are only 2 on Paxos).  Coffee in an upmarket deli, which also sold delicious pies and cakes. Well we had to try them didn’t we? There were two excellent restaurants in the village too – one traditional Greek, the other Italian. (We return later in the week to the latter, which had an amazing view from the terrace at the back. Unfortunately that was our last night, so didn’t get to try the other one, which had been highly recommended).

Ignoring the map we ventured off the main road and continued through windy lanes off the beaten track, hoping we wouldn’t meet any on-coming vehicles, only to find ourselves back in Lakka! The island is that tiny we were there before we knew it.

Continued on to Monodendri which boasted a beach. For people with families, or those who prefer somewhere a bit more lively this was lovely – bars, a swimming pool, sunbeds, a pool table, plenty of shade – but not for us, and we headed back for a lazy afternoon around our own pool.

Day 6
Loggos is overlooked by a windmill so we took a walk along some steep paths to find it. As we climbed we got a great view of the former soap factory which dominates one end of the village and wondered what will become of it – a museum would seem fitting, but it will probably end up in the hands of developers – let's hope they don’t spoil the ambience of this sleepy village. Continuing upwards, the path gave way to stunning views, well worth the effort.
 
Too early for dinner, we wandered along to a sign that said ‘Seaside Taverna’ – not expecting much, we followed the path down to find a large shady restaurant right on the beach but secluded from the village. Spent a relaxing hour or so drinking coffee and watching the waves crashing over the rocks, listening to good music. Wish we’d found it earlier in the week!

Day 7
Last day – the week has gone very quickly and today we have to pack up to leave early in the morning. Still, it’s not over yet! We headed back to the Seaside Taverna for a morning of lazing on the beach and swimming. Still haven’t mastered the art of elegantly gliding into the water from a stony beach, but nobody knows me here! Spent a few hours relaxing before sampling the food in the restaurant, only to discover it served one of the best lunches in Loggos! Friendly staff, plenty of shade – perfect.
 
Another lazy afternoon at the apartment / pool before heading back to Magazia for our last meal of the holiday – and that Italian restaurant did not disappoint. Two great restaurants on the last day – we’re just going to have to come back!

Day 8
The homeward journey was smooth and uneventful – but I would have preferred a water taxi from Lakka! Now that would have finished the holiday off very nicely.
 
So what did we think of Paxos? Well, we were fairly confident that we would like it when we booked – Sunvil tells it like it is, the brochure is pretty spot on. It was truly delightful, quiet, but still with atmosphere, great food, lovely people. Perfect.

We were only there for a week, and because we wanted a chill-out week did not explore as much as we should have, and left with still so much to see – in fact the only thing that might stop us going back is that there are so many more Greek islands still to visit!