Paleokastritsa in Corfu is a small village where turquoise crystal-clear water meets stunning cliffs and olive tree groves. It is a beautiful, mythical place with a lot of history. The story tells that the Paleokastritsa bay was the place where Odysseus disembarked his vessel and met Nausicaa for the first time. At least the location couldn’t have been more perfect.
The word Paleokastritsa (or Palaiokastritsa) means in Greek the Place of an Old Castle. The name refers to the nearby Byzantine castle called Angelokastro. Paleokastritsa is located around 25 kilometres from the Corfu town on the northwest side of the island. The village is famous for its small paradise-like beaches scattered across the bay. The water is very clear with great visibility, which makes the area with small caves a great destination for snorkelling and diving. You don’t find as much underwater life as in some places, however, the beautiful views and the turquoise water make up for that. You can buy a boat ticket to the more secluded beaches and caves from the small stands located at the main beach. You can also rent a kayak and explore the bay on your own.
You should definitely climb up to a hill with an old monastery overlooking the bay. The monastery is built in 1225, and it houses a small free museum and a shop where you can find local products like olive oil, herbs and honey. Lazy monastery cats are laying in the shade, fuchsia flowers are decorating white limestone buildings and old grandmothers are sitting by the entrance. Sometimes it feels that time has stopped. Maybe you can differentiate a scent of incenses and hear the sound of a distant bell.
How to get to the village?
Getting to Paleokastritsa by bus is very easy. The bus number A9 takes you directly from Corfu Town to the beach of Paleokastritsa. The first bus leaves 06.30 and the next bus at 08.30 on the weekdays. After that, a new bus leaves every 30 minutes. I recommend downloading an app called Moovit which makes planning your trips a lot easier. I would suggest being early as the temperature starts to rise up quite quickly during the summer season and more and more people start arriving. It is maybe good to note that there didn’t seem to be any sun beds and shades to rent, and people brought their own. There are several cosy taverns to find cold drinks and lunch.
I would have loved to spend the whole day in Paleokastritsa but unfortunately, we had to leave after the midday because Isak started to feel sick. It was a shame that we spent a total of 5 days being sick during our 7-day holiday. Well, what can you do? At least we got to see Paleokastritsa, the most beautiful place in Corfu!
Read more about my trip to Corfu here.
2 Comments
Vikki Fenlon
October 25, 2020 at 2:36 pmIt was great to read your article, Whilst working in the local hospital, my nursing colleagues and I used to book the same villa in Paleokastritsas over a period of 5 years. Obviously we loved it there, often climbing up to the villages further up the ‘mountain’, walking through the olive groves, and of course shopping in the old town of Corfu, walking up to the monastery etc. My retirement due to ill health ruined that for me, but I have the photos and wonderful memories to cheer me.
Sandra
October 26, 2020 at 6:45 pmThat is great to hear! It seems that you have managed to keep a very positive attitude despite the obstacles. Now during the pandemic, memories of that beautiful place, the sun and the sea really bring me joy also.