A Day Trip to Paxos and Antipaxos from Northwest Corfu

A Paxos day trip from Corfu is one of those excursions that sounds like a good idea and then turns out to be considerably better than expected. Paxos is a small island of olive groves, Venetian harbours, and clear water about 15 km south of Corfu. Antipaxos, its tiny neighbour, has beaches with water so translucent that photographs of it are regularly mistaken for edited. Getting there from northwest Corfu is straightforward, and the departure point at Agios Stefanos harbour is five minutes from the villa. Here is what to expect.

Getting There

A charter is available directly from Agios Stefanos harbour, five minutes from the villa, with morning departures that give you a full day on the islands before the return crossing in the late afternoon. The journey to Paxos takes approximately two hours each way, depending on the boat and the conditions on the day. Scheduled boats also run from Corfu Town throughout the summer season.

There are two ways to go. A scheduled group tour is the simpler option: you join other passengers, the itinerary is set, and you pay per person. A private charter gives you control over where you stop and how long you stay. For larger groups the cost difference between the two narrows considerably, and a private boat means you can spend more time at the places that matter to you rather than following a fixed schedule. Our concierge team can arrange either option. You can find details on our Experiences page.

Gaios, Paxos

Most boats arrive at Gaios, the main town on Paxos. It is a proper harbour town with a distinctly Venetian character: narrow streets, small squares, a waterfront lined with restaurants and cafes, and a pace of life that feels measurably slower than the mainland. Two small islets sit just offshore from the harbour, one of them with old fortifications that are worth a short look.

Gaios is not large and an hour of walking covers most of it. If you are on a group tour, the stop here is usually brief, which is enough for a coffee and a look around. If you have a private charter and want to linger, a table at one of the waterfront restaurants makes for a good lunch stop before heading on to Antipaxos.

Voutoumi Beach, Antipaxos

The crossing from Paxos to Antipaxos takes around 20 minutes by boat, and Voutoumi beach is where most people spend the best part of the day. It is consistently listed among the best beaches in Greece, and it earns that reputation without any difficulty. The beach is a crescent of white pebble and the water in front of it is a shade of turquoise and pale green that seems almost artificial until you are standing in it.

The water is shallow and very clear for a considerable distance from the shore. Bring a mask if you have one, as even at relatively shallow depth the visibility is exceptional. A small beach bar operates in season. The beach gets busy by midday in July and August, so arriving early gives you a better experience. If you are on a private boat, you have more flexibility about timing and can stay on after the group tours head back.

The Blue Caves of Paxos

The north coast of Paxos has a series of sea caves cut into the limestone cliffs. These are included on most day trip itineraries, either as a sailing stop or by dinghy from a moored boat. The caves vary in size, and the light inside them is the reason they are worth seeing: the sea reflects off the cave walls and ceilings in a way that is genuinely unusual. Some of the smaller caves can be entered by swimming.

Access to certain caves depends on sea conditions, and your skipper will adjust the route accordingly on the day. Calm mornings tend to give the best access, which is another reason an early departure works in your favour.

What to Bring

The day is long and spent almost entirely in the sun and on or near the water. A few things that make a real difference:

Private Charter vs. Group Tour

Both options have real advantages and neither is obviously the wrong choice. A group tour is less expensive and involves no planning beyond showing up at the harbour at the right time. You will share the day with other passengers and follow a fixed itinerary, which suits people who prefer not to make decisions about the route.

A private charter costs more but gives you a different kind of day. You leave when you choose, stop where you want, spend as long as you like at Voutoumi, and have the boat available for wherever the day takes you. For a group of six or more travelling together, the per-person cost of a private boat is often comparable to a group tour, and the flexibility is worth having.

Our concierge team can organise a private charter from Agios Stefanos harbour and help you put together the kind of day you are looking for. If you want to explore this option, get in touch when you book your stay and we will sort out the details before you arrive.