Corfu · Greece
Paleokastritsa
Six coves, a monastery on the headland and the clearest water on Corfu's west coast
Skip to content
Greece
GreeceDestinations
Paleokastritsa is Corfu's western set piece: a sequence of six coves folded into forested headlands, with a working Byzantine monastery — founded in the thirteenth century — holding the highest point above the bays. The water here is the island's coldest and clearest, fed by deep open sea, and the swimming is the kind people cross the island for.
The topography does the curating. Agios Spyridon and the central beaches carry the summer crowds; La Grotta's cliff-bar cove absorbs the divers; and small strands like Ampelaki and Alipa reward the short scramble or the two-minute boat hop. Wooden taxi boats shuttle from the main beach to the sea caves and the blue-water grottoes beneath the cliffs — the essential Paleokastritsa hour.
Above it all, the coast road climbs to Lakones village and its balcony cafés, and on to the Angelokastro fortress, whose ramparts survey the entire west coast. Villas here hang in the amphitheatre hills with sunset views the northeast coast cannot offer — the west side of the island is where Corfu faces the open Ionian.
Book in Paleokastritsa
Why here
What makes Paleokastritsa.
The six coves
Each bay has its own temperament — busy sand at the centre, pebble pockets like Ampelaki and Alipa at the edges. Move between them by taxi boat and the crowds become a matter of choice.
The monastery on the headland
Theotokos Monastery has crowned the promontory since the thirteenth century — whitewashed courtyards, an icon museum and a terrace over the bays. Visit early, dress modestly, and pair it with coffee in Lakones above.
Caves and blue water by boat
Wooden taxi boats run from the main beach to the sea caves beneath the cliffs, where the water turns an implausible blue. Thirty minutes, best in late-afternoon light — the signature Paleokastritsa excursion.
Angelokastro and the balcony road
The Byzantine fortress of Angelokastro, a short drive north, holds one of the great panoramas of the Ionian. The road up through Lakones and Krini is a destination in itself.
Discover
The addresses of Paleokastritsa.
Nearby
Neighbouring villages.
GreeceCorfu's villa heartland — Kalami, Agni, Nissaki and the bays the Durrells made famous
Kassiopi
See the guideGreeceA Venetian capital in the Greek islands — arcades, fortresses and the corridor's grand harbour
Corfu Town
See the guideDestinationsThe established elegance of the Ionian — Venetian streets, cypress coves and villa country
Corfu
Full guide — CorfuFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Concierge
Put this into a trip.
Describe your dates and who is coming — we reply with villas, a boat for the coves, and the crossing to Corfu.