Guide to Paleokastritsa. Where dreams lead Holidays in Paleokastritsa

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If you ask “Which is the most beautiful island in Greece?”, I will undoubtedly answer that it is Corfu, an island of fantastic vegetation and breathtaking landscapes. If you go further and ask “What is the most beautiful place in Corfu?”, then I don’t doubt it for a minute, I will say that it is Paleokastritsa. Such a beautiful place of stunning natural beauty is simply no longer on the maps of the world...

Judge for yourself. The cape, washed on three sides by water and called Paleokastritsa, is not just a place where you can swim with a beautiful view of the rocks... It is a place where the beauty will take your breath away. And from these bizarre rocks, playfully, like nymphs, descending to the sea... And from this bay, which it is better to first look at from the observation deck, and understand how unusual the color of the Adriatic Sea is here, and how different it is even in this bay itself. .. And from these natural grottoes, which seem to be squeezed out into the rugged rocky shore by the fingertips of a giant giant... To get to these grottoes, you need to take a boat that will take you to three or four of these amazing natural structures in which you will see the game shadows and light, fantastic piles of natural minerals and sculptures created as if by the Spirit of the Sea itself... It’s inexpensive (about 10 euros), and you’ll get indescribable pleasure. Children will simply squeal with delight. Especially when in baited areas, a wide variety of fish will swim. The most beautiful grotto there is the Blue Eye. No photos can convey its beauty, you can only see it...

It is also very interesting to swim on a yellow mini-submarine, where, to the Beatles song “Yellow submarine”, you can feel like a resident of the underwater kingdom of Paleokastritsa for one hour. It costs 10 euros per adult and 5 euros per child, but remember that the underwater world of Paleokastritsa cannot be compared with its above-water part... Although children will be very interested.

When visiting Paleokastritsa, you simply must go to the Monastery of Our Lady of Teotoku. You need to climb along a mountain road with reverse traffic, be sure to follow a traffic light signal, or you may find yourself in the painfully familiar situation “early, early, two sheep”... The monastery itself is open until 8 pm and in the morning around 11-12 you should not go there, since there are a lot of excursions there at this time, and you simply won’t feel the charm and holiness of this place, being in a crowd of noisy tourists... It’s better to go there about 3 hours after siesta (13.00-15.00) and then you can calmly see the miraculous icon “Life-Giving Spring”, and see a collection of Byzantine icons, marvel at the skeleton of a mammoth (this is in the monastery!), tease the magnificent peacocks in the monastery garden (remember how Baron Munchausen did it in the old cartoon?) and again see stunning views of the bay Paleokastritsa from the observation deck. Look how many small rocky islands there are. According to legends, these are pirate ships turned to stone by the miraculous power of icons... And, of course, one cannot help but mention the “magic well” on the territory of the monastery, where you need to throw a coin while standing with your back, making a wish... I made a wish that to return to this blessed place again. It hasn't come true yet...But maybe it will come true?

And after visiting the monastery, having paid tribute to spiritual food, you can and should pay attention to bodily food... Gentlemen, what delicious fish restaurants there are in Paleokastritsa! Everything is fresh, fragrant with the sea, everything is from the “finger-licking” series... But the lobsters there are especially delicious. Yes, it’s a little expensive (depending on the weight), but it’s worth it...Not paying tribute to the seafood cuisine of Paleokastritsa is the same as not seeing the Blue Eye grotto or spending 2 weeks in Corfu just on the beach - remember this! Well, when you leave Paleokastritsa, close your eyes for a second, open them wide again and try to remember this magnificence. There are very few such places on our little ball...

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Paleokastritsa as a resort does not stand out in any way among many similar ones. Here you will find clean beaches with both sand and pebbles, crystal clear water of incredible color, a mild climate and gentle sun. In Paleokastritsa, there are many shops, shops, cafes, taverns and restaurants, so there is always something to keep yourself busy. There are also attractions, though there are only two of them, but what kind ones!

Monastery of the Virgin Mary. The name of the monastery, in Greek, sounds like Moni Theotoku. The modern monastery was built in the seventeenth century on the site of an old monastery. The old monastery was built in the thirteenth century. On the territory of the monastery, there is an arched courtyard and a very small museum, which houses icons from both Byzantine and later eras. Entering this monastery, you will probably get the impression that the peace and comfort reigning within these walls envelops you from the inside with a caring embrace.

Fortress of Angelokastro. This castle is one of the most famous in the whole country. It is located at an altitude of three hundred and five meters above sea level. The exact date of its construction is not known, but there is an assumption that it was built around the twelfth or thirteenth century. The Angelokastro fortress more than once saved local residents from invaders, hiding them within its secure walls. Since the building has a decent history behind it, it was not without restoration work. The restoration of the fortress began in one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven, and it opened its doors to tourists in two thousand and nine. You can visit the castle on any day of the week except Monday, since Monday is considered a day off.

Paleokastritsa beach. I don’t know if the beach can be classified as a tourist attraction, but considering that this is a resort town, it probably can. So, Paleokastritsa beach is not famous for its size, since it is quite modest in size.
A wide asphalt road without holes or potholes leads to the beach. The beach is surrounded by mountains with olive groves. On the beach you can always bump into divers and this is not surprising, since under water it is even more beautiful than on land.

Paleokastritsa is one of the largest cities on the island of Corfu and a holiday destination for those who want to get an unforgettable experience of the beauty of this place.

Paleokastritsa is often called a miniature paradise. The rugged coastline has contributed to the formation of bays of various sizes with clear water, wonderful beaches and numerous caves....

As a holiday destination, Paleokastritsa, in our opinion, is more suitable for young couples with children or for young people. Still, it’s a little noisy here, and it’s full of tourists who come here on excursions...

Since we were vacationing in another part of Corfu, we rented a car for several days and devoted a couple of days to this place.

Getting to the center of Paleokastritsa is not difficult: there are only a few “federal” highways on the island, and one of them leads to this place. There is no need to turn off the main road anywhere and after some time (depending on the starting point and your driving skills) you will come across a paid parking lot.

For 3 euros you can leave your car in this parking lot for the whole day, and go enjoy the nature of these places.

You can manage your time as follows:

1. Explore the wonderful local beaches and take a swim....

2. Take a boat trip (highly recommended!!!).

The pier from which boats depart is located opposite the parking lot. As a rule, a boat trip takes about an hour.

3. Climb one of the highest rocks (you can do it on foot, but it’s somehow more convenient by car), on the top of which there is the Zoodokhu Pigis monastery (13th century), dedicated to the Mother of God, and the Bella Vista observation deck, from which you can Admire unforgettable views of the entire West Coast. To do this (if you are by car), leave the parking lot and turn right...

The road leading up begins here. Please note that there is a traffic light in front of the entrance... Traffic on this section is reversed, the road is quite narrow, so it is advisable to follow the instructions of this traffic controller...

That seems to be all about the sights of Paleokastritsa...

We thought a little and decided to start with the second point, which is most closely related to the weather...

While we were thinking about which boat it would be better for us to go on our cruise, powerful clouds suddenly swooped in from somewhere....

The queue quickly cleared up, the beach was instantly empty, and small local shops began to swell with the influx of tourists....

Everyone was expecting a severe thunderstorm...

After 15-20 minutes, the clouds suddenly disappeared somewhere, the sun came out and life at the resort changed dramatically....

People began to attack the pier again... Tickets have been purchased, a modern and fast boat with a colorful captain is ready to begin the journey...

We go out to sea...

In just a couple of minutes we are already approaching the first cave... Amateur divers are reluctant to give way to us...

but our captain, professionally maneuvering between rocks and swimmers, enters it...

After a short inspection, we leave the cave and head along the coastline...

Very quickly we noticed that the traffic of boats and motor boats in this place was quite intense....

Sometimes there are such passengers...

There are also faster vehicles...

So, unnoticed, we swam to the next cave.

Slowly we enter it...

All the caves we went into had their own characteristics. This one is different in the color of the water...

After the cave we go along the coastline adjacent to the city,

We pass by the Okeanis Hotel,

we pass some villa,

We reverently round the yacht" Lucky me"

and we swim up to a rock, the top of which, as the captain said, resembles a monkey. Then the captain asked if there were Germans on the boat. There were none, and then he said with great pleasure what this monkey looked like. (The consequences of the economic crisis in Greece, nothing can be done)

After a short monologue from the captain, we move on.

Here's another cave

behind it is another one, into which our ship enters.

This is what we saw there...

And again the rocks, the villas...

Suddenly a small raft-pier appeared. The guys who were there invite us to visit the restaurant,

which is located on a nearby rock.

We have no time for food now and we continue our “cruise”

We enter a bay, the water in which (in color) is sharply different from its “neighbors”.

On our way there were also beaches favored by nudists (due to moral and ethical considerations, we will not post photos of these places), etc.

By the way, local skippers offer an unobtrusive service - they can drop you off at any beach that was on our way. At the same time, they give you their phone number (they leave your business card), ask for your phone number and say that after your call, the nearest boat will come to your disembarkation point and take you to your starting point. Some passengers on our boat took advantage of this offer and landed on a strip of sand near some rock. I don’t know what happened to them next.... It is impossible to get out of this beach except by sea...

Let's not talk about sad things. Our sea "cruise" is coming to an end. We go around another protruding rock (I don’t remember who the captain compared it to),

and we enter the bay from which we started our route...

After taking a sea bath on the nearest beach (see point 1), we go to the parking lot, take our car and go to the top of the cliff (point 3)

After standing in a short line by car (about 15 minutes) and waiting for the green traffic light, we found ourselves at one of the highest points of Paleokastritsa.... (here, in case of a large influx of tourist buses, you may have problems with parking...)

Here is the active monastery of Zoodokhu Pigis - a place of pilgrimage,

next door to which there is a monastery cemetery.

There are other burials here (not related to monks).

Well, we are moving to the Bella Vista observation deck. Along the way we pass a small but beautiful garden,

meet a peacock

and a family of dogs...

Here we are at one of the highest points of Paleokastritsa.

We slowly look around...

Yes, you won’t see any kind of means of transportation here: a floating “car”,

then the “yellow boat” (it has a transparent bottom)...

You can enjoy the natural beauty of Paleokastritsa for a long time, but you should have time to return home before evening (to the Grecotel Eva Palace hotel, located 10 km from Kerkyra). Let's go down from the mountains

and head towards the “federal highway”. At the exit from Paleokastritsa, near a small mansion, we make a short stop,

in order to once again admire the nature of these places.

I cannot say that Paleokastritsa is a famous and popular resort, especially for our compatriots, since the more popular and visited ones are located on the opposite side of the island, closer to mainland Greece and Corfu International Airport. Although, by and large, from Paleokastritsa to the airport is also a little more than twenty kilometers. But be that as it may, the main contingent of tourists vacationing here are the Greeks themselves, or citizens of European countries. Although in winter the air temperature practically never drops below zero and the average at this time is about twelve to fifteen degrees Celsius, there are not many tourists here. The bulk of vacationers occur precisely in the summer season, when beach lovers come, so we will talk about this period.

It is clear that it is difficult to determine the boundaries of the beginning and end of the season, since the main factor here is the weather itself. You can only rely on the indicators of previous years to roughly know what to expect at one time or another. I don’t want to say that you can come on vacation at the end of April or beginning of May, as some tourists who were vacationing at this time may say, not at this particular resort, but possibly at neighboring resorts. Like the vacation was great and all that. Of course, you can have a good rest at any time with good positive company and attitude, but this does not mean that the sea will become warmer or the air... read more

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Weather in Paleokastritsa by months:

Month	Temperature		Cloudiness	Rainy days / Precipitation	Water temperature in the sea	Number of solar hours per day
	During the day	At night
January	12.3°C	9.4°C	37.8%	8 days (165.3 mm.)	15.9°C	9 o'clock 44m.
February	13.4°C	10.5°C	40.6%	9 days (147.2 mm.)	15.1°C	10 o'clock 43m.
March	15.2°C	11.8°C	33.2%	6 days (106.0 mm.)	15.2°C	11 o'clock 57m.
April	17.8°C	13.6°C	26.1%	4 days (46.5 mm.)	16.4°C	13:00 16m.

09.04.2018

Today, the Greek island of Corfu is one of the world's most famous resorts. The local beauty annually attracts hundreds of tourists from different parts of the world. There are many places you can choose to stay in Corfu. The island is rich in its villages and suburbs. In all of them you will find a lot of hospitable hotels, marvelous Greek nature and, of course, the Mediterranean Sea.

Benefits of holidays in Corfu

Corfu is ideal for a quiet, relaxing family holiday. The whole atmosphere of the island is distinguished by its tranquility and some special homely atmosphere. For comparison, there are places, like Glyfada and Athens, where real lovers of premium establishments and expensive holidays will find themselves.

But Corfu is the opposite of such places. Here, local residents themselves maintain mini-hotels, being their owners. And on the streets right next to the road, local vegetables and fruits are sold. Corfu has a more rustic feel. If it suits you, let's celebrate together the main advantages of a holiday in Corfu.

• The local climate is very warm and at the same time quite mild - the average summer temperature is 28 degrees, and the winter temperature is 10 degrees above zero. The swimming season lasts a long time - from May to October. And in other months, of course, you can swim in the hotel pool and take walks along the sea. This is for winter holiday lovers.
• Corfu is rich in its suburbs and areas. Here you can find fairly inexpensive housing by the sea. And prices in such suburbs will be lower than in the center of the island. These places are also distinguished by their special secluded mood. They are perfect for a relaxing holiday with children.
• There is a lot to see in Corfu - the island is rich in its monasteries, fortresses, churches, as well as a variety of museums and other cultural places. In addition, here you will find a huge number of local taverns - these are cozy establishments serving local national cuisine. When ordering lunch at such a tavern, remember that Greek portions are distinguished by their impressive sizes. Although all the dishes are very filling and tasty, you shouldn’t order too much.

Holidays in Paleokastritsa

Paleokastritsa is one of the above-mentioned suburbs of the island of Corfu. Like many parts of Corfu, Paleokastritsa is very picturesque. It is a cape, confidently protruding into the Adriatic Sea.

The rocks of Paleokastritsa are replete with vegetation, and the underwater world is also very beautiful. Colored fish scurry here and there near the shore, not at all afraid of vacationers. Plus, they are periodically joined by crabs, octopuses and starfish.

The local sea grottoes located along the coast are also very attractive. In general, the main advice for vacationers would be this - don’t forget to take cameras with you on vacation to capture all the local enchanting places.

We offer you to take a virtual tour of Paleokastritsa, which will demonstrate the main attractions of this suburb.

1. In this area of ​​Corfu you will find a great variety of local shops and various shops. Not all villages in Corfu have such a developed infrastructure, so we classify it as one of the attractions of Paleokastritsa. Here you can always choose memorable gifts for your family and friends in the form of souvenirs and various shell products.
2. A boat trip on a so-called local submarine can be very interesting. The yellow boat will take you straight into the sea depths of the Ionian waves. True, complete immersion will not happen. But you can still get a great look at the local underwater inhabitants, because the floor of this popular Paleokastritsa ship is completely transparent. More precisely, the floor of the ship is glass. A half-hour walk will introduce you and your children to many marine inhabitants. Brave local fish swim very close to the ship, fearing nothing. They are especially cute for the little ones on this boat. That's why this excursion won their hearts. Although her music has captivated many people - the swimming takes place to the Beatles song “Yellow submarine”. The cost of such an excursion is 5 euros for children and 10 for adults.
3. Also, for the query “What to see in Paleokastritsa”, any search engine will offer you a local, very original monastery called the Monastery of the Virgin Mary Teoku. You need to get here along a steep mountain road. We recommend renting a car, so you can visit attractions and admire the local nature on the way to your destination. The best option is to go here after the so-called fiesta, that is, after 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The monastery is open until 8 pm, and the bulk of tourists come in the morning. But it's too crowded here before lunch. In a calmer environment, you will be able to take a much better look at the local miraculous icon, which, according to legend, heals many ailments. It is not for nothing that it is called the “Life-Giving Source.” In addition to this, there is a whole collection of icons from Byzantium. They are very colorful and interesting. It would seem that everything in this place is so spiritual! But there will also be some very unexpected details - for example, a local mammoth skeleton. You will not find this in any monastery in Corfu! Its purpose on the territory of the monastery is best explained by the excursion guide; the author of the article finds it difficult to explain this phenomenon. Also on the territory of the monastery you will find a very beautiful garden, where peacocks walk busily.
4. Another cultural attraction of Paleokastritsa is the local fortress of Angelokastro. It is an old castle located on the top of a picturesque hill. Angelokastro is very famous throughout Corfu. The castle is located at an altitude of more than 300 meters above sea level - a very fascinating sight! It is believed that this fortress is about seven centuries old. In the old days, the castle saved the local population from enemy troops more than once. Now, of course, he has a more peaceful role. For more than 20 years, the restored fortress has been welcoming hundreds of tourists from all over the world. Once in it, you will feel like a participant in an adventure novel - no less.

I would also like to note that the weather in Paleokastritsa is distinguished by its mildness. Tourists come here almost all year round.

In summer, the average temperature in this area is about 28 degrees. In winter, slight winds may blow from the sea, and the average temperature will be about 10 degrees above zero. In general, the weather of Paleokastritsa is similar to the climatic conditions of Corfu.

Read also:

The main differences between the Grande Mare Hotel on Corfu Island
How can you get from Kerkyra to Paleokastritsa? What attractions does Sidari have? Attractions of Glyfada on Corfu Island Attractions of the Alykes resort What are the most popular museums in Corfu?

Paleokastritsa is a holiday village on the island of Corfu. It is located 20 km from the capital and 5 km from Liapades.

Location of Paleokastritsa on map Corfu.

Greece Paleokastritsa: a brief history

The area where Paleokastritsa is located today was called Paleopoli about 10 decades ago. It was a Byzantine settlement with 4 small churches (their ruins remain to this day).

Note! Paleokastritsa means “old castle”: it was probably built on the hillside where the monastery of the Virgin Mary is now located.

Paleokastritsa gradually began to turn into an object of tourism and recreation since 1950. Today this resort town is famous for its bays and sandy beaches, olive plantations, hotels with different numbers of stars awarded to them, campsites, taverns, restaurants, bars, car rentals.

Paleokastritsa on the map of Corfu

Climate and weather

The climate of Paleokastritsa is typical for the resorts of the Ionian Islands: winters here are windy and rainy, summers are hot with minimal precipitation (the sea warms up to its maximum in August - up to +26 °C).

As for spring and autumn, daytime and evening air temperatures vary quite a lot.

Paleokastritsa Corfu: attractions

The main attractions of Paleoskastritsa can be seen on the map.

Map of attractions of Paleokastritsa

Monastery of Our Lady of Paleokastritsa

The main shrine of the monastery is the miraculous icon “Life-Giving Spring”: it was built in the 17th century on the site of a destroyed monastery built in 1225. The following objects located on the territory of the monastery are of interest to tourists:

• museum: there you can see manuscripts, books, icons, church vestments, etc.;
• garden: citrus trees are planted here;
• a shop where those interested will be offered to buy wine, olive oil and honey.

Angelokastro

The Castle of the Angel is a 10th-century monument that has been restored and is open to the public since 2010.

Opening hours: Sunday – 08:00-14:00, Tuesday-Saturday – 08:00-15:00. Monday is a day off.

The entrance ticket costs 3 euros*.

Note! From the hill where the castle is located, everyone will have the opportunity to admire the splendor of Paleokastritsa from a height of 305 m above sea level.

Corfu Aquarium

This aquarium is worth a visit with the whole family for entertainment and the opportunity to look in one place at crustaceans, moray eels, octopuses, a variety of fish, lizards and snakes contained in a small terrarium at the Aquarium.

One of the fish living in the Aquarium

Ticket prices: 6 euros* adults and 4 euros* 5-12 year old children.

Opening hours: daily from 10 am to 7 pm.

Beaches

The following beaches of Paleokastritsa and its surroundings are available to tourists:

• Agia Triada (900 m): is a beach with golden sand mixed with pebbles, a tavern and you can rent a sun lounger, umbrella, boat and the necessary equipment for water sports;
• Agios Petros (750 m): this small beach, covered mainly with pebbles, is ideal for families and children;

Note! Agios Petros is a secluded place where there are no crowds of vacationers.

• Alipa Beach (700 m): despite the fact that this sand and pebble beach surrounds the port, the water here is clean and clear, and the place itself is one of the quietest. Alipa Beach is equipped with a rental point for sun loungers, beach umbrellas, and motor boats, on which those interested can go exploring numerous bays and caves;
• Agios Spyridon (1 km): is the only sandy beach in Paleokastritsa. Here you can rent a sunbed and umbrella or go in for water sports. On the right side of the beach, vacationers will find a boat rental office, on the left - taverns and cafes with food and drinks, and in the back - parking;

Note! From Agios Spyridon beach you can go on a sea tour: during a 30-minute boat ride, everyone will have the opportunity to admire the famous caves of Paleokastritsa.

• Ampelaki Beach (750 m): diving enthusiasts flock here, as there is a diving center on the right side of the beach;
• Platakia Beach (21 m): is a quiet and peaceful beach covered with pebbles. The place is suitable for fishing;
• La Grotta Beach (1.3 km): This beach, surrounded by steep hillsides, is not so easy to get to; you have to walk down to the sea. The water here is considered the coldest, but at La Grotta Beach ideal conditions have been created for those who want to go diving (immersion into the water is carried out along steps that lead to a depth of 10-20 meters).

Agia Triada beach

Note! In the bays of Paleokastritsa, due to currents, the sea is colder than in other places on the island. As for the local beaches, they are awarded the Blue Flag.

Experienced travelers advise:

• come to Paleokastritsa in August: on the first August weekend there is a theatrical performance “Varkarola”;
• Be sure to visit one of the restaurants in Paleokastritsa: they serve the most delicious lobster in all of Corfu;
• go to Rovinia Beach in Liapades (5.5 km): on this beautiful beach (white pebbles), surrounded by rocky shores covered with greenery, there is a toilet, in the summer a boat comes here where you can buy ice cream, sandwiches and soft drinks beverages. At the end of the beach, which is famous for its clear water, everyone will be able to find a small cave. The only thing is that Rovinia Beach is not suitable for families with small children due to the sharp increase in depth;
• go on the cruise "Paxos - Antipaxos - Blue Caves": during the cruise, excursionists will see the olive and cypress groves of the island of Paxos, the village of Kavos, Cape Asprokavos, the port of Lakka, the Blue Caves (they owe their name to the incomparable blue color of the water). During a stop in Antipaxos, those who wish can swim on the sandy beach; in the capital of Paxos, they can stroll through the streets of Gaios and visit a coastal tavern, where visitors are treated to local cuisine.

Paleokastritsa is a picturesque corner on the island of Corfu: it is worth purchasing property here to come here in any season and stay in your own apartment or villa.

*Prices are current as of September 2018.