Getting from Santorini to Paxos

Paxos is one of the smallest inhabited islands in Greece and one of the most quietly beautiful. It sits just south of Corfu in the Ionian Sea, a place of olive groves, turquoise water, sea caves and three small villages that have managed to stay genuinely charming despite the attention the island gets from sailing crowds and well-heeled visitors. Gaios is the main port, Loggos is the prettiest and Lakka is the one with the best swimming. The sea caves along the western coast, particularly Tripitos Arch, are some of the most dramatic in the Ionian. Paxos attracts people who want something small, beautiful and unhurried, and it delivers exactly that.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Paxos. The two islands sit on opposite sides of Greece and the ferry networks do not connect them. Paxos is served by ferries from Corfu and Igoumenitsa on the mainland, both of which are in the far northwest of the country. Getting there by sea from Santorini means taking the ferry to Piraeus and then travelling by road across Greece to the northwest coast, which is a very long journey. Flying is the only realistic option.

What about flying?

Paxos does not have an airport. The nearest airport is Corfu, around 40 kilometres to the north, which has regular connections to Athens. The journey from Santorini goes Santorini to Athens and then Athens to Corfu, followed by the short ferry from Corfu to Paxos which takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour. Total travel time is around 4 to 5 hours door to door. It is worth knowing that in Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights. Almost all island to island travel goes through Athens.

Your best option

Fly to Corfu via Athens and take the ferry down to Paxos. It is clean, fast and the ferry from Corfu to Gaios is a pleasant crossing. Once you are on Paxos, hire a small boat for a day to explore the sea caves and the western coastline, which is impossible to see properly from land. Stay at least two nights — the island reveals itself slowly and it is the kind of place that feels better on the second day than the first.