Getting from Athens to Paxos

If you are heading to Paxos from Athens you are going to one of the most beautiful small islands in Greece. Paxos is tiny, covered in ancient olive groves that slope down to a coastline of turquoise coves and sea caves, with a Venetian harbour at Gaios that is one of the most charming in the Ionian. The island has no airport, no mass tourism and almost no sandy beaches, which tells you exactly what kind of traveller it attracts. Antipaxos, just a short boat ride to the south, has beaches of a quality that would be famous if they were anywhere more accessible. Paxos rewards people who slow down and give it time.

Take the ferry

Paxos is connected to the mainland via Igoumenitsa on the Epirus coast, with daily ferries to Gaios taking around 1 hour 30 minutes year-round. Getting to Igoumenitsa from Athens means either flying to Ioannina and taking the bus, which takes around 1.5 hours, or driving the full route from Athens which takes around 5 hours via Patras and the Rio-Antirrio bridge. The bus from Athens Kifissos terminal to Igoumenitsa takes around 6 to 7 hours.

Getting there by air

Paxos has no airport. The nearest airports are Corfu and Preveza. Flying to Corfu from Athens takes around 50 minutes and Paxos has seasonal ferry connections from Corfu, with the crossing taking around 1 hour. Flying to Preveza takes around 50 minutes and Paxos is reachable from there via Igoumenitsa. Total travel time via Corfu is around 3 to 4 hours and is the most practical flying option.

Your best option

Fly to Corfu and take the seasonal ferry across to Paxos. It is the fastest overall approach and the Corfu to Paxos crossing is a pleasant one through the southern Ionian. If you are travelling with a car, drive to Igoumenitsa and take the daily ferry to Gaios. The drive takes around 5 hours and gives you a vehicle on the island.