Gaios Holidays

Paxos’ capital is the stuff of postcards. Villas and private houses, painted in earthy tones, line up around a horseshoe-shaped bay. The masts of yachts clink in the harbour. And the whole scene is backed by olive groves and hilly woodland.

Tempo-wise, Gaios rarely breaks into a sweat. Daytimes here are usually dedicated to the beaches. A chain of narrow pebbly curves link their way along the coast to the south of the town. Inland, the Venetian square is a real hub, and a sprinkling of Greek and Italian eateries line its edge.

Gaios puts a double act of islands in your eye-line. St Nicholas Island is the largest and it’s less than 200 metres from Gaios’ harbour. Here, you’ll find a couple of churches and a fort that used to protect Paxos from pirates in Venetian times. Panayia is the smaller of the twins. It’s part of a nature reserve and it’s almost entirely uninhabited, bar a few monks and passing fishermen.