If you have chosen to rent a boat in Greece for your next holidays and more specifically in the Ionian Islands, you may have chosen Corfou as your destination. Considered the most beautiful of the Ionian Islands, it offers a natural landscape and cultural heritage of breathtaking beauty. Among the many treasures of the island, we invite you to explore the bay of Paleokastritsa. This place, located 25 kilometers northwest of Corfou, consists of two peninsulas and six small coves separated by rocks: a magical place with a mythological past, because according to legend, the Phoenician city where Ulysses made a last stop before reaching Ithaca was located in the bay of Paleokastritsa.
The village of Paleokastritsa
Paleokastritsa was for many centuries a fishing village until the British High Commissioner Sir Frederic Adam made the village popular among early British tourists. Later, Germany's Emperor William II also praised the beauty of this place and the region. The village became a seaside resort in the 1950s with the construction of hotels on the mountain slopes. Today the village does not have a historic center, but extends for three kilometers between taverns, restaurants, hotels, villas and nightclubs.
During your stay on the mainland, do not miss a visit to the Byzantine monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Surrounded by lush vegetation, on the slopes of 30-metre-high cliffs, this monastery is an emblematic site in the north-west of Corfou Island. It is one of the most popular attractions on the island and you can visit it for free. You won't forget the beautiful view of the crystal clear waters that you can see from the monastery, which some monks still inhabit today.
Beautiful beaches and seabeds
The bay of Paleokastritsa consists of six small coves separated by rocks. According to many inhabitants of Corfou, the bay of Paleokastritsa is the most beautiful place in Corfou. Among fine sandy beaches, turquoise waters and rocky coves, Paleokastritsa is a real little jewel. Paleokastritsa is an ideal destination to discover by renting a boat in Corfou: you can explore the most beautiful coves in the middle of the turquoise blue of the sea and in complete tranquility, since most are accessible only by walk. The largest beach in the bay is the most famous and photographed on the island. It is said that the Austrian Empress Sissi was also enchanted by this place. You will feel like you are in a postcard landscape surrounded by deep, dense greenery, rocks and turquoise water.
For snorkelers or experienced divers, Paleokastritsa is a true paradise. The clear waters of the Ionian Sea, which are certainly cooler than the other beaches on the island of Corfou, are home to famous seabeds that attract a large number of divers every year. After exploring the magnificent seabed, why not discovering the Blue Grottoes on board your catamaran or sailboat? The spectacle that awaits you is absolutely magical with the turquoise water and many varieties of fish.
During your holiday on the island of Corfou, do not miss a cruise to the bay of Paleokastritsa, a real little paradise on earth. When you arrive by boat, you will be amazed by the cliffs overlooking the crystal clear, turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea. Paleokastritsa is one of the most amazing places in northern Corfou Island and offers a multitude of places to explore that will make your trip enchanting!