Gaios holidays

Holidays to Gaios revolve around gentle walks, sunbathing stints on the beach and dinners in traditional tavernas.

The capital of Paxos

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.

Beach time

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.

Treasured islands

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.