Paxos and Antipaxos Beaches You Can Walk To
Most people see the quiet beaches of Paxos from a hired boat, but several of them have a footpath too. Walking costs nothing, and it gets you there before the boats arrive. Here are seven, in order from the easiest walk to the longest, so this is not a ranking.
Times are one way at a normal pace, and some are our own estimates; the climb back always takes longer. None of these beaches has anything to buy, so carry water (about a litre and a half each in summer), wear trainers rather than flip-flops, and start early: the paths have little shade.
1. Orkos
The easiest of the seven. Orkos is a white-pebble cove just south-east of Lakka: drive out of the village towards the east coast, park by the road above the cove, and an easy track takes you down in 5 to 10 minutes.
There are no tavernas or cafés, it's usually quiet, and the water is very clear.
Good to know: Bring food and water for the day; Lakka is the nearest place to buy anything.
Orkos: crowds, parking & wind today2. Glyfada
A quiet pebble cove on the east coast between Monodendri and Lakkos, below the coast road from Loggos to Lakka. Park by the road above it and take the steep footpath down: about 10 minutes going down, by our estimate, and longer coming back up.
It's much quieter than Monodendri next door, partly because many people come by boat instead of walking.
Good to know: Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops: the path is steep. There's no shade, so bring your own.
Glyfada: crowds, parking & wind today3. Erimitis
Erimitis is the youngest beach on Paxos: it formed in the late 2000s, when part of the west-coast cliff collapsed. From the main road near Magazia an unpaved road heads towards the cliffs, and from its end a path drops to the beach in about 15 minutes. The last stretch is very steep, with rocky steps onto the pebbles.
Parking at the end is very limited, so many people leave the car higher up or walk all the way from Magazia. Without a car, ask the driver of the Gaios–Loggos bus to drop you near the turn-off.
Good to know: Keep away from the foot of the cliffs. The beach faces west and the white cliffs turn orange at sunset: leave enough daylight for the climb back, or watch from the top.
Erimitis: crowds, parking & wind today4. Avlaki
A west-coast bay with pebbles at one end and the reef of Agrilas, popular with swimmers and divers. Drive towards the west coast from the central villages, park where the track narrows, and walk the last kilometre down. It's fairly steep: allow about 20 minutes down, by our estimate, and more back up.
Good to know: Bring a mask for the reef. Galazio, just to the south, can only be reached by boat.
Avlaki: crowds, parking & wind today5. Voutoumi
On Antipaxos you can walk between its two famous beaches. Water taxis from Gaios land at both Vrika and Voutoumi, about 15 minutes across, and a dirt road and path link the two in about 30 minutes, with some uphill. Halfway along is Mesovrika, a quiet pebbly bay with no facilities, about 5 minutes from either end.
Voutoumi is the island's largest beach: pale pebbles on the shore, sand underwater and famously blue water. It gets deep faster than the shallows at Vrika.
Good to know: Check the time of the last water taxi back before you set off, and walk in the morning or late afternoon rather than at midday.
Voutoumi: crowds, parking & wind today6. Rodovani
A small, isolated cove of white pebbles on the north-west side of Antipaxos, with calm, clean water. From the main concrete road, an unmarked turning past Rodovani cottage (the one with the red gate) leads to an overgrown path: about 15 minutes to the sea.
It's far quieter than Vrika and Voutoumi. Trees and rocks give a little shade at the far end, and there's a small cave to the left.
Good to know: The path isn't signposted: have a map on your phone, and bring everything you need.
Rodovani: crowds, parking & wind today7. Sarakiniko
The longest walk here. Sarakiniko is a remote, wild cove on the south-west coast of Antipaxos, about 45 minutes from the northern beaches on tracks across the island that are rough in places.
It's deserted and has no facilities; you may find old boats and fishing gear on the shore.
Good to know: Take plenty of water and don't walk it at midday. The cove faces west, so on a windy day the waves come straight in.
Sarakiniko: crowds, parking & wind today