On the west coast of Corfu lies the scattered settlement of Paleokastritsa, which is considered one of the most beautiful spots on the island. Surrounded by lush hills, where towering cypresses rise into the sky, and sweeping bays with turquoise waters — Paleokastritsa makes the hearts of holidaymakers beat faster.
Perched on a rock by the sea is the historically important Paleokastritsa Monastery, which is an important place of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians and a popular destination for tourists alike. The many beaches in the region are beautiful, but often only accessible by boat. Budding captains will certainly get their money’s worth!
A worthwhile detour is also the medieval Angelokastro Fortress, located high above the cliffs of the west coast, just a few kilometres from Paleokastritsa. Once an important bulwark against pirates and Ottomans, it is now a popular sunset spot on Corfu.
Here you can find out what there is to discover in the region around Paleokastritsa and when the best time to visit is:
🏖️ Dream beaches & hidden bays
🍽️ Restaurants, tavernas & cafés
🏛️ Must-see highlights & ancient sites
🗺️ Worthwhile spots & insider tips
🚘 Practical info like rentals & parking
♾️ Lifetime access & updates
#1 Arrival and tours
Paleokastritsa is located in the north-west of Corfu, about 30 minutes from the capital Kerkyra. With a rental car you are flexible and can visit Paleokastritsa outside peak hours. You can book a cheap car on Corfu directly via our partner Discover Cars*:
➲ To cheap rental cars for the island*
The public buses of the Green Lines run several times a day to Paleokastritsa and the surrounding villages. Current timetables can be found here: KTEL Kerkyras
A particularly scenic route, offering magnificent views of Paleokastritsa, leads from the north via Makrades and Lakones down to the coast. In Lakones there are several viewpoints and cafés (tip: Bakalokafenio Michalas Kostas) with a beautiful view of Paleokastritsa.
You will also have the opportunity to join a guided tour to Paleokastritsa or take part in a boat tour along the charming coastline. A swimming stop and a visit to some sea caves are usually part of the excursion programme.
Click on the links from GetYourGuide* to see tour details and availability:
➲ To the bus ride & Olive Oil Museum visit*
➲ To the Swimming trip and Afionas Sunset Tour*
➲ To Paradise, Yiali Beach, & Blue Cave Boat Tour*
#2 Paleokastritsa Parking
In Paleokastritsa there is a large paid car park (around 5 €) directly behind Agios Spiridon Beach, which gets very busy in high season. Another option is to park on an unpaved area behind the port of Alipa. This is particularly useful if you want to rent a motorboat, as the water excursions depart from here.
There are also a few parking spaces directly at the Paleokastritsa Monastery. Access is controlled by traffic lights and, due to the high volume of traffic, is only recommended in the low season between October and May.
💡 Best time to visit Paleokastritsa: In high season between July and September, Paleokastritsa and its beaches are usually completely overcrowded and the narrow access roads are clogged with buses and rental cars. During this time, it is worth setting off early and renting a motorboat at the port first thing in the morning to get ahead of the crowds on land. This way you can take in the beautiful coastline in peace before it gets really busy. An evening visit with a table reservation at one of the tavernas (tip: Flavor) is also worthwhile for experiencing the fantastic sunset.
#3 Paleokastritsa Monastery
Directly in front of the village, on a peninsula in the sea, lies the monastery of Paleokastritsa. It was founded in 1228, though most of the current buildings date back to the 18th century. Inside the complex you will find the monastery garden with the church and monks’ cells, an old olive press and a museum.
Blooming bougainvillea climbs the old walls everywhere, narrow arcades transport you back to the Middle Ages, and every now and then a cat scurries across the path. In the morning, you may encounter monks, and the typical scent of incense lingers in the warm air.
You can experience this picturesque place most authentically in the early morning hours, when the tourist rush has yet to begin. From the monastery garden behind the chapel, you can enjoy spectacular views of the rugged coastline of Paleokastritsa.
West of the monastery stands an old cannon as a memorial. Below the noble restaurant Monastre, a path leads to a rocky outcrop where there is another beautiful viewpoint by a metal cross (Metallikos Stavros).
- Opening hours Paleokastritsa Monastery: daily 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., free admission (donations welcome)
From the Paleokastritsa Monastery, you can see another rocky peninsula just a short distance to the east. It is called Palaiochora, which means “old place”, and the site was also inhabited until the Middle Ages.
On this largely natural rocky outcrop stand the ruins of the churches of Agios Dimitrios and Agios Georgios alongside crumbling houses. Exploring Palaiochora is at your own risk — there are no barriers, and the rock faces drop steeply in places.
🗺️ 10 road trip routes with maps
🏖️ Beautiful beaches & swimming spots
🏛️ All top sights & attractions
🤫 Unpublished insider tips
🍽️ Accommodation, tavernas & cafés
#4 Beaches of Paleokastritsa
Ampelaki Beach The westernmost beach of Paleokastritsa, set in a small bay with sand and pebbles. WC, changing rooms and beach showers are available. Equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas in season. Also ideal for snorkelling and pleasantly quiet outside high season. A small jetty with boat rental is also on site.
Agios Petros Beach A popular pebble beach directly behind the car park and the aquarium of Paleokastritsa. Largely organised with sun lounger rental and a pricey beach bar, it gets very crowded in summer. Showers and changing rooms available. Canoe, SUP and motorboat rental on site. The rocky coastline also makes it ideal for snorkelling.
Agios Spiridon Beach (Paleokastritsa Beach) The main beach of Paleokastritsa, with golden sand that slopes gently into the crystal clear sea. The crescent-shaped bay is almost always busy in season. Sun lounger rental, gastronomy and boat hire are available on site. The paid car park is located directly behind the beach. In high season this beach is not for those seeking peace and quiet, but in the low season you can enjoy it to the full and snorkel to your heart’s content.
Alipa Beach A simple sandy-pebble beach at the port of Paleokastritsa. Changing rooms and showers are available. Free parking in the immediate vicinity. Less suitable for swimming due to the heavy boat traffic.
Spiros Beach Small bays with crystal clear, shallow water east of Paleokastritsa. The small pebble beach is accessible via a steep staircase. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available. Thanks to the many rocks and stones, this beach is also ideal for snorkelling. Water shoes are recommended. Not as crowded as the beaches to the west.
Agia Triada Beach The easternmost beach of Paleokastritsa Bay, with light pebbles. Sun loungers are expensive and free sections where you can spread out your towel are limited. Clear water, also ideal for snorkelling. In summer it tends to be crowded with considerable boat traffic, which can be a nuisance.
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Liapades Beach A photogenic sand-and-pebble beach with crystal clear water, surrounded by green hills. The beach is about 4 km from Paleokastritsa Monastery. Five beach bars and restaurants vie for the favour of visitors, though parking spaces are limited.
💡 Nafsika Cave: According to Homer’s Odyssey, the shipwrecked hero is said to have swum ashore in the bay of Agios Spiridon, where he met the beautiful princess Nafsika (also known as Nausikaa). Her father, King Alkinoos of the Phaeacians, would gladly have had Odysseus as a son-in-law. Odysseus, however, chose to return to Ithaca, where his long journey finally came to an end. Within sight of Agios Spiridon Beach lies the sea grotto of Nafsika, which can be explored on a guided boat tour. Many other sea caves are scattered all along this stretch of coast.
#5 Explore Paleokastritsa by motorboat
The inaccessible cliffs around Paleokastritsa conceal countless beaches, many of which cannot be reached by car. The best way to explore the bays of Paleokastritsa is by motorboat, which you can rent at Alipa Port. Several providers offer guided tours as well as self-skippered motorboats.
Personally, we have had great experiences with the provider Corfu Explore Boats. No licence is required for boats up to 30 hp (inflatable boats excluded), and the automatic transmission makes them easy to handle even for beginners.
Before setting off, there is a detailed briefing, and a nautical map with accessible beaches and restricted zones makes orientation easier. To explore the nearby coastline, plan at least two hours and book the boat a few days in advance by phone or online.
The beaches around Paleokastritsa are almost all made of light gravel, which gives the sea a vivid bright blue colour. Since the sea west of Corfu drops quickly to several hundred metres deep and there are numerous freshwater springs along this stretch of coast, the water remains ice-cold even in midsummer — taking the plunge requires some courage.
Particularly worth seeing are the beaches of Rovinia, Limni, Iliodoros, Chomi and Stelari, south of Paleokastritsa. The beach of Kastelli below Angelokastro is also worth a boat trip. Some beaches are inaccessible due to the risk of landslides and rockfall, including Chomi Beach.
#6 Paleokastritsa restaurants: Our recommendations
Paleokastritsa has adapted its culinary offering to the many international visitors, which was personally a little disappointing for us. Traditional Greek cuisine beyond the usual gyros and souvlaki is hard to find here — most tavernas serve pizza, pasta, burgers and the like.
Only a handful of restaurants and cafés stand out with genuinely good reviews. If you want to try authentic Corfiot cuisine, head up above Paleokastritsa to the hamlet of Krini (tip: Sunset Taverna). Below are our four recommendations for restaurants and cafés in Paleokastritsa that are worth a visit:
- Acapulco Bar
- Flavor Restaurant
- La Grotta Bar – the coolest bar in the region!
- Nereids Restaurant & Bar
#7 Hotels in Paleokastritsa
Apart from the Akrotiri Beach Hotel, Paleokastritsa has so far been spared from large hotel complexes and sprawling resorts. Instead, you will find many small, family-run hotels, apartments, studios and holiday villas spread across the coastal area. Some of the facilities are a little dated, but you can still enjoy a relaxing holiday in Paleokastritsa, away from the busy main road.
We have selected four recommended hotels and holiday apartments for you. Click on the Booking.com* links for accommodation details:
- Akrotiri Beach Resort Hotel*
- Euphoria Suites Palaiokastritsa*
- Tango Apartment on the Beach*
- Thomas Beach Studios*
We present the most beautiful hotels and apartments on Corfu in this article: Best Corfu Hotels
#8 Angelokastro Corfu
Only 25 minutes from Paleokastritsa, above the cliffs on a cone-shaped rock, lie the ruins of Angelokastro Castle. The “Castel Sant’Angelo” is one of the most important fortresses on Corfu and dates back to the Byzantine era. Here, the steep coast plunges 305 metres almost vertically into the sea. The exposed location offered effective protection against the recurring pirate raids that plagued the region throughout the Middle Ages.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Venetians reinforced the complex with additional bastions. Corfu was defended here against the Ottomans in three major battles, and the fortress provided shelter for over 3,000 people. Angelokastro remained inhabited until the 19th century, after which it gradually fell into disrepair.
The climb from the Angelokastro car park is well worth the effort — at the top, a magnificent view of the north-west coast around Paleokastritsa awaits you. You need to have a head for heights to fully appreciate the bright blue sea and Kasteli Beach directly below. From this bird’s-eye perspective, the small motorboats making their way along the coast look like toys.
💡 Corfu tips for explorers: In our Corfu travel guide you will find even more excursion tips for the region around Paleokastritsa: More info
Within the castle complex, in addition to old house ruins and cisterns, there is the crypt-like cave chapel of Agia Kyriaki, and at the highest point the restored church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel from the 18th century.
In summer, it is best to avoid the climb at midday, as the path from the car park to the castle ruins leads almost entirely without shade. The café at the car park has received mixed reviews from visitors.
Just above the road leading to the Angelokastro car park there is a viewpoint that is particularly rewarding in the evening hours, when the setting sun bathes the entire scenery in a wonderfully photogenic light. You can even join a guided sunset tour, bookable here: GetYourGuide*
- Opening hours Angelokastro Corfu: Wed.–Mon. 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Admission: 3 €
💡 Scenic hike around Paleokastritsa: One of the most spectacular hikes on Corfu leads from Makrades via the so-called Gaidouro Monopati (translated: donkey path) above the cliffs to the resort of Agios Georgios. Just a few metres after the start of the hike, a rock gateway opens up to reveal the wide bay of Agios Georgios with its crystal clear water. From here, the route follows cobblestone paths — some of them centuries old — for the next 2.5 km down towards the sea. This stretch forms part of the 180 km Corfu Trail.
→ More articles and numerous travel tips for the island of Corfu can be found here:
- Corfu Highlights
- Corfu Holidays – 11 important things to know
- Corfu Beaches – our top bathing spots
- Canal d’Amour – important information for your visit
- Vlacherna Monastery – postcard motif of Corfu
- Achilleion Corfu – Visit to the Sisi Palace
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